Doc/howto/cporting.rst

.. highlightlang:: c

********************************
Porting Extension Modules to 3.0
********************************

:author: Benjamin Peterson


.. topic:: Abstract

   Although changing the C-API was not one of Python 3.0's objectives, the many
   Python level changes made leaving 2.x's API intact impossible.  In fact, some
   changes such as :func:`int` and :func:`long` unification are more obvious on
   the C level.  This document endeavors to document incompatibilities and how
   they can be worked around.


Conditional compilation
=======================

The easiest way to compile only some code for 3.0 is to check if
:cmacro:`PY_MAJOR_VERSION` is greater than or equal to 3. ::

   #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
   #define IS_PY3K
   #endif

API functions that are not present can be aliased to their equivalents within
conditional blocks.


Changes to Object APIs
======================

Python 3.0 merged together some types with similar functions while cleanly
separating others.


str/unicode Unification
-----------------------


Python 3.0's :func:`str` (``PyString_*`` functions in C) type is equivalent to
2.x's :func:`unicode` (``PyUnicode_*``).  The old 8-bit string type has become
:func:`bytes`.  Python 2.6 and later provide a compatibility header,
:file:`bytesobject.h`, mapping ``PyBytes`` names to ``PyString`` ones.  For best
compatibility with 3.0, :ctype:`PyUnicode` should be used for textual data and
:ctype:`PyBytes` for binary data.  It's also important to remember that
:ctype:`PyBytes` and :ctype:`PyUnicode` in 3.0 are not interchangeable like
:ctype:`PyString` and :ctype:`PyString` are in 2.x.  The following example shows
best practices with regards to :ctype:`PyUnicode`, :ctype:`PyString`, and
:ctype:`PyBytes`. ::

   #include "stdlib.h"
   #include "Python.h"
   #include "bytesobject.h"

   /* text example */
   static PyObject *
   say_hello(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
       PyObject *name, *result;

       if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U:say_hello", &name))
           return NULL;

       result = PyUnicode_FromFormat("Hello, %S!", name);
       return result;
   }

   /* just a forward */
   static char * do_encode(PyObject *);

   /* bytes example */
   static PyObject *
   encode_object(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
       char *encoded;
       PyObject *result, *myobj;

       if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O:encode_object", &myobj))
           return NULL;

       encoded = do_encode(myobj);
       if (encoded == NULL)
           return NULL;
       result = PyBytes_FromString(encoded);
       free(encoded);
       return result;
   }


long/int Unification
--------------------

In Python 3.0, there is only one integer type.  It is called :func:`int` on the
Python level, but actually corresponds to 2.x's :func:`long` type.  In the
C-API, ``PyInt_*`` functions are replaced by their ``PyLong_*`` neighbors.  The
best course of action here is using the ``PyInt_*`` functions aliased to
``PyLong_*`` found in :file:`intobject.h`.  The the abstract ``PyNumber_*`` APIs
can also be used in some cases. ::

   #include "Python.h"
   #include "intobject.h"

   static PyObject *
   add_ints(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
       int one, two;
       PyObject *result;

       if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ii:add_ints", &one, &two))
           return NULL;

       return PyInt_FromLong(one + two);
   }



Module initialization and state
===============================

Python 3.0 has a revamped extension module initialization system.  (See PEP
:pep:`3121`.)  Instead of storing module state in globals, they should be stored
in an interpreter specific structure.  Creating modules that act correctly in
both 2.x and 3.0 is tricky.  The following simple example demonstrates how. ::

   #include "Python.h"

   struct module_state {
       PyObject *error;
   };

   #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
   #define GETSTATE(m) ((struct module_state*)PyModule_GetState(m))
   #else
   #define GETSTATE(m) (&_state)
   static struct module_state _state;
   #endif

   static PyObject *
   error_out(PyObject *m) {
       struct module_state *st = GETSTATE(m);
       PyErr_SetString(st->error, "something bad happened");
       return NULL;
   }

   static PyMethodDef myextension_methods[] = {
       {"error_out", (PyCFunction)error_out, METH_NOARGS, NULL},
       {NULL, NULL}
   };

   #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3

   static int myextension_traverse(PyObject *m, visitproc visit, void *arg) {
       Py_VISIT(GETSTATE(m)->error);
       return 0;
   }

   static int myextension_clear(PyObject *m) {
       Py_CLEAR(GETSTATE(m)->error);
       return 0;
   }


   static struct PyModuleDef moduledef = {
           PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
           "myextension",
           NULL,
           sizeof(struct module_state),
           myextension_methods,
           NULL,
           myextension_traverse,
           myextension_clear,
           NULL
   };

   #define INITERROR return NULL

   PyObject *
   PyInit_myextension(void)

   #else
   #define INITERROR return

   void
   initmyextension(void)
   #endif
   {
   #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
       PyObject *module = PyModule_Create(&moduledef);
   #else
       PyObject *module = Py_InitModule("myextension", myextension_methods);
   #endif

       if (module == NULL)
           INITERROR;
       struct module_state *st = GETSTATE(module);

       st->error = PyErr_NewException("myextension.Error", NULL, NULL);
       if (st->error == NULL) {
           Py_DECREF(module);
           INITERROR;
       }

   #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
       return module;
   #endif
   }


Other options
=============

If you are writing a new extension module, you might consider `Cython
<http://www.cython.org>`_.  It translates a Python-like language to C.  The
extension modules it creates are compatible with Python 3.x and 2.x.