[PYTHONMAC-SIG] Calling any toolbox routine from Python

[Jack Jansen]

Folks,
there is a way to make it possible to call *any* toolbox routine from
Python, at least on PPC and CFM68K. Since the toolboxes are completely
in shared libraries on those architectures it should be doable to
create an interface that allows python programmers access to them.

The interface, however, would be *very* error-prone (no typechecking
whatsoever) and probably rather convoluted (for instance, I think that
the only reasonable way to implement return parameters passed by
address is to pass in an a 1-element array of the right type).

The advantage, of course, is that I hope everyone on the list will
quickly create Python wrappers with decent interfaces (and possibly
type-checking) around their favorite toolboxes and make them
available.

The disadvantage, as stated above, is that the interface will be
clumsy and error-prone, thereby possibly giving MacPython a bad name.

What do y'all think? If I did the interface, would you use it?
--
Jack Jansen             | ++++ stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal ++++
Jack.Jansen@cwi.nl      | ++++ if you agree copy these lines to your sig ++++
http://www.cwi.nl/~jack | see http://www.xs4all.nl/~tank/spg-l/sigaction.htm 

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