[C++-sig] passing a dynamic PyObject * from C++ to Python

[F. Oliver Gathmann]

I have a function that reads a file and returns (depending on the
content of the file) either a Foo or a Bar wrapped in a PyObject*
(both Foo and Bar objects are expensive to copy and have to be passed
via a smart pointer).

With Boost.Python v1 I was able to do


  PyObject * readFile(char const * fileName)
  { 
    PyObject * obj;
    FileInfo info(fileName);
    if (info.isFoo())
      {
         std::auto_ptr<Foo> foo(new Foo(info.data()));
	 obj = to_python(foo);
      }
    else
      {
         std::auto_ptr<Bar> bar(new Bar(info.data()));
         obj = to_python(bar);
      }
    return ref(obj);
  }

and wrap this like so:

  BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE_INIT(vigracore)
  {
    module_builder this_module("reader");
    this_module.def(&readFile, "readFile");
  }


With Boost.Python v2, I have not been able to find an equivalent
solution; I tried various approaches gathered from the Boost.Python
FAQ and documentation, e.g.


  template <class T> 
  T identity(T x) 
  { 
    return x; 
  } 
 
  template <class T> 
  object get_pointer_reference(T x) 
  { 
    object f = make_function(&identity<T>, 
			     return_value_policy<manage_new_object>()
			     ); 
    return f(x); 
  }

  object readFile(char const * fileName)
  { 
    FileInfo info(fileName);
    if (info.isFoo())
      {
	Foo * fooPtr = new Foo(info.data());
	return get_pointer_reference(fooPtr);
      }
    else
      {
	Bar * barPtr = new Bar(info.data());
	return get_pointer_reference(barPtr);
      }
  }

  BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(reader)
  {
    def("readFile", &readFile);
  }


which compiles fine but crashes at runtime (using gcc 3.2.2 on Linux
with a recent CVS version of Boost). 

Any hints that might help me solving this mystery would be much 
appreciated!

Oliver

--------------------------------------------------------------------
F. Oliver Gathmann, Ph.D.
Director IT Unit
Cenix BioScience GmbH
Pfotenhauer Strasse 108           phone: +49 (351) 210-2735
D-01307 Dresden, Germany	  fax:   +49 (351) 210-1309

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