[Python-Dev] Changing PyModuleDef.m_reload to m_slots

[Nick Coghlan]

On 18 April 2015 at 15:58, Stefan Behnel <stefan_ml at behnel.de> wrote:
> Petr Viktorin schrieb am 17.04.2015 um 15:52:
>> As a background, the PyModuleDef structure [1] is currently:
>>
>>     struct PyModuleDef{
>>       PyModuleDef_Base m_base;
>>       const char* m_name;
>>       const char* m_doc;
>>       Py_ssize_t m_size;
>>       PyMethodDef *m_methods;
>>       inquiry m_reload;
>>       traverseproc m_traverse;
>>       inquiry m_clear;
>>       freefunc m_free;
>>     };
>>
>> ... where the m_reload pointer is unused, and must be NULL.
>> My proposal is to repurpose this pointer to hold an array of slots, in the
>> style of PEP 384's PyType_Spec [2], which would allow adding extensions --
>> both those needed for PEP 489 and future ones.
>
> FWIW, I'm +1 on this. It replaces a struct field that risks staying unused
> basically forever with an extensible interface that massively improves the
> current extension module protocol and allows future extensions (including
> getting back the pointer we replaced).
>
> The alternative of essentially duplicating all sorts of things to
> accommodate for a new metadata struct is way too cumbersome and ugly in
> comparison.

Sorry for the delayed reply (post-PyCon travel), but +1 from me as
well for the reasons Stefan gives.

Cheers,
Nick.

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia