Binding of C code

[Roberto Cavada]

Hi all,

    I need to bind C code written with a object-oriented style.
For example suppose you need to bind this two "classes" (sorry, it's a 
bit long, but easy to read):

/* helpers */
typedef struct ClassA_TAG* ClassA_ptr;
typedef struct ClassB_TAG* ClassB_ptr;
#define CLASS_A(x)  ((ClassA_ptr) x)
#define CLASS_B(x)  ((ClassB_ptr) x)

/* Base class */
typedef struct ClassA_TAG
{
   /* data members here */

   /* VIRTUAL TABLE: for semplicity we let it to stay here instead of
      putting it into a meta-class which collects all parts common
      to all instances */
   void (*finalize)(ClassA_ptr self);  /* virtual destructor */
} ClassA;

/* Derived class */
typedef struct ClassB_TAG
{
   /* base class */
   ClassA _parent;

   /* data members here */
} ClassB;

/* ----------------------------------------------------------- */

static void class_a_finalize(ClassA_ptr self);
static void class_b_finalize(ClassA_ptr object);

/* Public methods: */

ClassA_ptr ClassA_create()
{
   ClassA_ptr self;

   self = CLASS_A( malloc(sizeof(ClassA)) );
   self->finalize = class_a_finalize;

   printf("Constructor of A\n");
   return self;
}

/* virtual destructor for ClassA and any derived class */
void ClassA_destroy(ClassA_ptr object)
{
   object->finalize(object);
}

ClassB_ptr ClassB_create()
{
   ClassB_ptr self;

   self = CLASS_B( malloc(sizeof(ClassB)) );
   CLASS_A(self)->finalize = class_b_finalize;

   printf("Constructor of B\n");
   return self;
}

static void class_a_finalize(ClassA_ptr self)
{
   printf("Destructor of A\n");
   free(self);
}

static void class_b_finalize(ClassA_ptr object)
{
   ClassB_ptr self = CLASS_B(object);
   printf("Destructor of B\n");
   free(self);
}


/* example of use */
int main()
{
   ClassA_ptr a;
   ClassB_ptr b;

   a = ClassA_create();
   b = ClassB_create();

   ClassA_destroy(a);
   ClassA_destroy(CLASS_A(b));
   return 0;
}
/* ----------------------------------------- */

How can I bind these structures into two equivalent python classes?
The idea here is that I can use Class A methods on instances of Class B.

I know the gobject library, but I'd like to avoid to depend on it.
I think that SWIG cannot handle this stuff, am I wrong?
Is there a tool that can generate the correct binding? If there is 
not, how would it be possible to write one?

Thanks,
rob
	

-- 
   _/_/_/   _/_/_/   Roberto Cavada
  _/   _/ _/        ITC-irst   http://www.irst.itc.it
_/   _/ _/        Automated Reasoning Systems - Formal Methods Group
/_/_/  _/        Via Sommarive, 18 - 38050 Povo (TN) - Italy
    _/  _/       Tel: +39 0461 314 328   Fax: +39 0461 302 040
     _/   _/_/  cavada at irst.itc.it   http://sra.itc.it/people/cavada