beginner questions on embedding/extending python with C++

[Qun Cao]

Thanks for all the good pointers!
I am still reading throught them, but Boost seems to be the way to go!

Roman Yakovenko wrote:
> On 8 Aug 2006 02:28:31 -0700, Qun Cao <quncao at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I am a beginner on cross language development. My problem at hand is to
> > build a python interface for a C++ application built on top of a 3D
> > game engine.  The purpose of this python interface is providing a
> > convenient scripting toolkit for the application.
>
> As for me, Boost.Python is the way to go.
>
> Fortunately you are not the first one, and I hope not the last one :-) :
>
> http://language-binding.net/pyplusplus/quotes.html#who-is-using-pyplusplus
> 1. Python-OGRE
>   * http://lakin.weckers.net/index_ogre_python.html
>   * http://tinyurl.com/mvj8d
>
> 2. http://cgkit.sourceforge.net/ - contains Python bindings for Maya C++ SDK
>
> 3. PyOpenSG - https://realityforge.vrsource.org/view/PyOpenSG/WebHome
>    The goal of PyOpenSG is to provide python bindings for the OpenSG
>    scene graph.
>
> > Since the main program is still going to be the C++ application, I
> > guess we need to embedding the python scripts in the C++ code.
>
> Boost.Python is the only tool that provides complete functionality(
> extending and
>   embedding ). Also I think cgkit is dealing with the problem too.
>
> > But for this to work, the python code needs to know the Player class,
> > is it right?
>
> Right.
>
> Does that mean I need to build a python wrapper class for
> > Player and "import Player" in the python code?  But because this
> > application is built on top of a game engine, Player class inherits
> > many classes from there, I cannot possibly wrapping them all, right?
>
> It depends on how much functionality you want to export.
>
> > Also, some global objects are probably needed in this code of adding
> > players, how can the python code access them?
>
> Boost.Python provides the functionality you need.
>
> > Btw, if you can point me to any source code of non-trivial projects
> > utilizing SWIG/Boost.Python, that would be very helpful.  I found the
> > examples on the tutorials are far too simple.
>
> Those are tutorials, they should be simple, right :-) ?
>
> --
> Roman Yakovenko
> C++ Python language binding
> http://www.language-binding.net/