[Python-Dev] Expose the array interface in Python 2.5?

[Scott David Daniels]

Greg Ewing wrote:
> Nick Coghlan wrote:
> 
>> The former seems fairly pointless, and the latter difficult (since it has 
>> implications for moving the data store when the array gets resized).
> 
> I don't see why that should be a serious problem, as
> long as it's understood that the address reported by
> the array interface is only for temporary use.
> 
> I also don't see what relevance the semantics of
> Python indexing or mutation has. The array interface
> should just report the location and shape of the
> data as it happens to be when the call is made.
> What happens to it in between times is entirely
> up to the object.

But it might be nice to be able to determine if the object has a way
of promising a constant address while a reference is held.  The
array.array implementation could simply say, "nope."  I certainly have
use for implementations that can give better guarantees, and I'd
like to be able to distinguish the two.

--Scott David Daniels
Scott.Daniels at Acm.Org