Python lists ans sequence protocol from C API

[Matjaz]

Alex, thanks. In the meantime I also found out what I
was doing wrong. One question, though. Would you
prefer using Py_BuildValue("") over Py_None and
increfing it?

Matjaz.

Alex Martelli wrote:
> Matjaz <surfmatj at email.si> wrote:
>    ...
> 
>>PySequence_SetItem with the following error message:
>>"Unhandled exception at 0x1e04ed1a in python.exe:
>>0xC0000005: Access violation reading location 0x00000000."
>>Could it be that basic lists do not support sequence protocol?
> 
> 
> Once they're valid Python list objects, they do...
> 
> 
>>Or am I missing something? I'm using Python 2.3.4 on Windows XP.
> 
> 
> You're missing the fact that you're never building a valid Python list
> object in your code.  The slots, as PyObject*, are 'random', probably
> null pointers.  That's why you're supposed to use PyList_SET_ITEM
> specifically to initialize these 'slots' WITHOUT trying to decref the
> previously held item... there IS no 'previously held item'...!
> 
> 
>>PyObject *argseq, *ov;
>>int i, v, len;
>>
>>len = 2;
>>argseq = PyList_New(len);
> 
> 
> This does NOT initialize the slots of list argseq, as above explained.
> 
> 
>>for (i=0; i<len; i++) {
>>     ov = PyInt_FromLong(i);
>>     printf("Index %d. Success %d.\n", i, PySequence_SetItem(argseq, i, ov));
>>}
> 
> 
> But this does try to decref that null pointer (or whatever), so, BOOM.
> 
> 
>>Why would I wish to use sequence with basic lists protocol? Because my
>>code should also deal with other sequence types, possibly subclassed from
>>python lists.
> 
> 
> Nevertheless they'll need to be properly built, inizialized, first.
> 
> Add initialization, such as an immediate:
>     for (i=0; i<len; i++) {
>         PyList_SET_ITEM(argseq, i, Py_BuildValue(""));
>     }
> just after your
>     argseq = PyList_New(len);
> and you should be fine with PySequence_whateveryouwish now.
> 
> 
> Alex
> 
>