[Python-Dev] buffer interface (again)

[Paul Barrett]

Thomas Heller wrote:
> 
> Lifetimes are managed by refcounts, so it's a refcount issue,
> at least as long as every object exposing the buffer interface
> _guarantees_ that the memory address and size does not change.
> (Which does not seem the case for array objects).
> 
> >
> > Thomas, please first explain what you want to *do* with the buffer
> > interface.  Some of the buffer API was a mistake.  It *appears* to be
> > an interface for allocating and managing buffers, while in actuality
> > it is only intended to provide access to buffered data that is managed
> > by some C code.  You're probably better off using the array module to
> > manage buffers.
> 
> I want to expose memory blocks to C, wrapped in python objects/classes.
> These memory blocks could come from builtin python types: strings,
> unicode strings, array objects, mmap'd files, ...

If you are talking about a memory object, then I'm in agreement with
you, Thomas.

I'd like to see a memory object that allocates and deallocates blocks
of memory and exports a pointer to its memory.  It could also set
privileges such are read/write, etc.  Its interface would be
identical, or at least similar, to the mmap object, so that they could
be easily interchanged.

-- 
Dr. Paul Barrett       Space Telescope Science Institute
Phone: 410-338-4475    ESS/Science Software Group
FAX:   410-338-4767    Baltimore, MD 21218