Right way to initialize python embedded in a multi-threaded application

francis.brosnan at gmail.com francis.brosnan at gmail.com
Sat May 11 16:00:44 EDT 2013


Just clarify there's no problem about calling twice to PyEval_InitThreads ()
as indicated by Python's doc.

> Hi,
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe you already fixed the issue, but for the record, I've got the same
> 
> problem and finally it turned out that I was calling PyEval_InitThreads twice
> 
> and also after fixing that, I also had to move the call to PyEval_ReleaseLock();  at the end of the entire initialization (not just after PyEval_initThreads).
> 
> 
> 
> The key thing there is to follow:
> 
> 
> 
> <<at initialization thread>>
> 
> Py_Initialize ();
> 
> PyEval_InitThreads(); 
> 
> /* now call here to initialize all python code by loading external files 
> 
>    or internal module loading (i.e. Py_InitModule3) */
> 
> /* ..and now, once no more Python C/API call is required, release
> 
>    the GIL so other threads can come into play */
> 
> PyEval_ReleaseLock ();
> 
> 
> 
> <<and now, from other threads, use>>
> 
> /* wait til gil acquired */
> 
> state  = PyGILState_Ensure();
> 
> /* your code */
> 
> /* release GIL */
> 
> PyGILState_Release (state);
> 
> 
> 
> Hope it helps, Cheers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > I'm embedding python in a multi-threaded C application.
> 
> > 
> 
> > I've taken care to wrap every call to the Python C API with
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > gstate = PyGILState_Ensure();
> 
> > 
> 
> > // call python code
> 
> > 
> 
> > PyGILState_Release(gstate);
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > But I'm stumped with what to do in the initialization.
> 
> > 
> 
> > Right after the call to Py_IsInitialized() I've added a call:
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > PyEval_InitThreads();
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > The docs say that this function leaves the GIL locked when it returns.
> 
> > 
> 
> > I do some more initializations like importing modules and then I call
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > PyEval_ReleaseLock();
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > This seems to cause a problem since not long after a call to
> 
> > 
> 
> > PyGILState_Release(gstate) that's made in a different thread crashes.
> 
> > 
> 
> > with
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > "Fatal Python error: This thread state must be current when releasing"
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > If I don't do the call to PyEval_ReleaseLock() in the main thread
> 
> > 
> 
> > right after initialization, the GIL seems to be released
> 
> > 
> 
> > after the first PyGILState_Ensure() - PyGILState_Release() pair.
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> > So what am I doing wrong here?
> 
> > 
> 
> > What is the correct way of initializing a multi-threaded application?



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