using the zipimporter module from my own C code?

[Paul Miller]

>I'm starting to use the nifty 2.3 feature where modules can be bundled 
>into .zip files. I'd like to bundle additional (text) data files in the 
>same zip file, and load them in my C code.

By looking at zipimport.c and import.c in the Python code, I was able to 
figure out how to get this to work. Here is the code, if anyone is interested:

         // get the zipimport module
         PyObject *zipimport = ::PyImport_ImportModule("zipimport");
         if (zipimport)
         {
                 // get the zipimporter type
                 PyObject *zipimporter = 
::PyObject_GetAttrString(zipimport, "zipimporter");
                 if (zipimporter)
                 {
                         // here is the zip file path to open
                         std::string path = "full_path_to.zip";

                         // "call" the type to create a new zipimporter 
instance, with the path
                         PyObject *importer = 
::PyObject_CallFunction(zipimporter, "s", path.c_str());
                         if (importer)
                         {
                                 // call the "get_data" method passing the 
name of the file to retrieve
                                 PyObject *data = 
::PyObject_CallMethod(importer, "get_data", "s", file.c_str());
                                 if (data)
                                 {
                                         // get the data as a string (this 
assumes the file is TEXT)
                                         const char *str = 
::PyString_AsString(data);
                                         if (str)
                                         {
                                                 // do something with the data
                                         }
                                         Py_DECREF(data);
                                 }
                                 Py_DECREF(importer);
                         }
                         Py_DECREF(zipimporter);
                 }
                 Py_DECREF(zipimport);
         }