How to call python from a foreign language thread (C++)

[Victor Lin]

On 2月4日, 上午2時44分, Philip Semanchuk <phi... at semanchuk.com> wrote:
> On Feb 3, 2009, at 12:51 PM, Victor Lin wrote:
>
>
>
> > It seems that my program can't call to Python's function from thread
> > directly, because there is Global Interpreter Lock. The python's GIL
> > is so complex, I have no idea how it works. I'm sorry, what I can do
> > is to ask. My question is. What should I do before and after I call a
> > Python function from threads?
>
> Hi Victor,
> I asked a similar question yesterday and have gotten no response yet  
> -- I hope you'll have better luck. I'm writing a C extension that  
> wants to implement a callback in a new thread. Here's what I think  
> I've learned from reading the threads API doc. Please note that this  
> is a classic case of the blind leading the blind! I'm sure some (most?  
> all?) of the ideas below are wrong, but I'm hoping that thinking  
> through some of this "out loud" will help both of us. Or maybe some  
> more knowledgeable person will take pity on/be appalled by my  
> ignorance and come to our rescue. =)
>
> Python's infamous GIL doesn't exist when a program is single-threaded.  
> Before a new thread is created, the main thread must call  
> PyEval_InitThreads() to create the GIL. However, "It is not safe to  
> call this function when it is unknown which thread (if any) currently  
> has the global interpreter lock." Therefore my extension must do this:
>
> i_have_the_gil = 0;
> if (!PyEval_ThreadsInitialized()) {
>     PyEval_InitThreads();
>     /* "...when this function initializes the lock, it also acquires  
> it." */
>     i_have_the_gil = 1;
>
> }
>
> That ensures that the GIL is created.
>
> My extension will be calling from a newly-created C thread. The  
> *Python* thread doesn't exist yet; so next I have to create it.  
> Therefore --
>
> if (!i_have_the_gil)
>     PyEval_AcquireLock();
>
> // Might not actually be the main thread but conceptually
> // it is OK to assume so here.
> main_thread = PyThreadState_Get();
>
> callback_thread = PyThreadState_New(main_thread->interp);
>
> PyThreadState_Swap(callback_thread);
>
> gstate = PyGILState_Ensure();
>
> call_callback_function();
>
> // Now unwind the above
>
> PyGILState_Release(gstate);
>
> PyThreadState_Swap(main_thread);
>
> PyThreadState_Clear(callback_thread);
>
> PyThreadState_Delete(callback_thread);
>
> PyEval_ReleaseLock();
>
> I haven't yet tested this! But hopefully it is the right idea and just  
> needs a little fine tuning.
>
> I found this discussion useful:http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2006-November/413088.html
>
> It includes the quote, "The current thread state API doc, as you read  
> it from top to bottom now, is in fact totally confusing for anyone who  
> didn't develop Python himself"
>
> I like! =)
>
> Cheers
> Philip
Hi Philip,

It does not work. But however, thanks your help. I have tired so many
methods to do. But it
crash...crash..deadlock...deadlock..crash...crash... I have no any
tried success. I am going crazy. Could someone help me, thanks.