[Python-Dev] PEP3118, python 2.6

[Thomas Heller]

Hi Travis,

I'm currently trying to port the pep3118 ctypes changes which are already in
the py3k branch to the trunk.

In py3k the tests for this stuff (in Lib/ctypes/test/test_pep3118.py) use
the memoryview object which exposes attributes like .format, .shape, .strides
and so on for objects implementing the new buffer interface.

In Python 2.6 memoryview does not exist so the question is how to write a test
that checks for the correct attributes.  My idea is to implement the
__array_interface__ property for ctypes instances, as described in this document
http://numpy.scipy.org/array_interface.shtml.

Do you think this is a good idea, or would it be better to invent another,
private, mechanism for the tests?  In other words:  Would the __array_interface__
property (version 3) on these objects be useful for external code or would
it disrupt external code?

BTW: Did you have a chance to look over the test_pep3118 module in py3k,
to make sure that I got things correctly (it should be pretty easy to read, imo)?
-- 
Thanks,
Thomas