[Python-Dev] bdb.py trace C implementation?

[David Christian]

Hi all,
I've recently written a C version of the trace function used in
figleaf (the coverage tool written by Titus).  After a few rewrites to
add in caching, etc, it gives users a significant speedup.  One person
stated that switching to the C version caused coverage to decrease
from a 442% slowdown to only a 56% slowdown.

You can see my C implementation at:
 http://github.com/ctb/figleaf/blob/e077155956c288b68704b09889ebcd675ba02240/figleaf/_coverage.c

(Specific comments about the implementation welcome off-list).

I'd like to attempt something similar for bdb.py (only for the trace
function).  A naive C trace function which duplicated the current
python function should speed up bdb significantly.  I would initially
write the smallest part of the C implementation that I could.
Basically the tracing function would call back out to python at any
point where a line requires action.

I'd be willing to maintain the C implementation.  I would be willing
to write those tests that are possible as well.

Is this something that would be likely to be accepted?

Thanks,
David Christian
Senior Software Engineer
rPath, Inc.