Python with MPI enable C-module

[dfj225 at gmail.com]

Mitko,

Thank you for your response.

You understand the problem correctly. The Python module uses MPI calls
in its implementation. The idea of the project is to create an
abstraction for a distributed memory computer. In doing so, the user is
mostly isolated from a need to understand and use MPI calls.

After my post, I was able to find some more information on the subject.
I think you are right in that mpiexec (or equivalents) would not work
without some extra work. However it seems that using an additional
module (such as <a
href="http://datamining.anu.edu.au/~ole/pypar/">Pypar</a>) would allow
me to use Python with mpiexec.

Thank you,
~doug

On Oct 20, 7:13 pm, Mitko Haralanov <m... at qlogic.com> wrote:
> On 19 Oct 2006 06:51:00 -0700
>
> "dfj... at gmail.com" <dfj... at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 1) Would setting up an environment like this require modifying the
> > Python interpreter or the C++ module that is being wrapped? What I'm
> > hoping is that the C++ module can go on happily doing MPI operations
> > despite the fact that it is actually being called by the Python
> > interpreter.If I am understanding you correctly, you have a Python module which
> calls into the C++ library to do the actual MPI operations. If that is
> the case, then there should be any problems just calling the Python
> wrappers. The MPI library should be unaffected. It would be the same as
> having your node programs call into the C++ library, now you just have
> one more layer of abstraction.
>
> > 2) Would it be possible to spawn these Python processes using mpiexec
> > (or something similar), or would I need to use some of the MPI-2
> > features to dynamically set up the MPI environment?If you are writing a Python wrapper to the MPI library, then the
> wrapper will be just like a module and not a self sustained program. If
> that is the case, mpiexec/mpirun/mpd would not be able to do anything
> since they expect to start a program that has main()/__main__.
>
> > 3) Has anyone accomplished something like this already? I know there
> > are extensions and modules that add MPI functionality to Python, but
> > I'm hoping they could be avoided, since the Python code itself should
> > never really have to be aware of MPI, only the C++ module that has
> > already been written.Haven't done it but from what I know about MPI and Python, it is
> possible.
>
> --
> Mitko Haralanov                                  m... at qlogic.com
> Senior Software Engineer                             650.934.8064
> System Interconnect Group                  http://www.qlogic.com