ANNOUNCE: c++-sig@python.org

[Geoffrey Furnish]

This is to announce the availability of a new Python sig for
discussing Python/C++ integration. The charter for this group is
included below. You can subscribe to this list by mailing to
c++-sig...@python.org, with message body "subscribe". If you
have an interest in writing Python modules in C++, and wish for an
improved API, this sig's for you.

Subscriptions are already trickling in. I will wait for a few days
for people who may wish to subscribe after seeing this on the
newsgroup. Once it looks like the list is getting reasonably
populated, I will post describing the current state of affairs of the
C++ work going on at LLNL. We have 3+ guys on it, and have made
enough progress to put into service. As with other LLNL
python-related work, this code will be available to others.

Of course there are probably other efforts at C++ integration with
Python. Hopefully everyone working in this area will join the sig and
describe their efforts.

Spread the word to your friends and coworkers who may not read the
newsgroup.

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C++-SIG, SIG for Development of a C++ Binding to Python

This list exists in order to discuss the design and development of a
C++ binding for the compiled interface to Python, and associated
classes and tools for the construction of Python extension modules in
C++.

Major issues to be discussed/resolved, include, but are not limited
to:

1) Autoconf support for enabling C++ support in Python. This must be
managed in a way which does not change the C API, or the behavior
of Python if not configured for C++ support, in any (observable?)
way. In other words, conventional C extension modules must
continue to work, whether Python is configured with C++ support or
not.

2) Type safety in the Python API.

3) Introducing C++ classes for the various major Python abstractions,
such as dictionaries, lists, tuples, modules, etc.

4) Providing semantics for these classes which are natural both to the
Python programmer, as well as the C++ programmer. For example, the
PyDict class should have an operator[], and should also support STL
style iterators. Many issues of this form.

5) Method invocation. How to make the invocation of C++ member
functions as natural and/or painless as possible.

6) Error handling. How to irradicate NULL checking in favor of C++
style exceptions.
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Geoffrey Furnish email: fur...@llnl.gov
LLNL X/ICF phone: 510-424-4227 fax: 510-423-0925