[Numpy-discussion] advice for using datetime64 in C binding

Jan. 18, 2022

      Hello,

I using the following code:

if (PyArray_TYPE(arr1) == NPY_DATETIME) {
	// Ensure datetime64[ms]
	auto tmp = reinterpret_cast<PyArrayObject*>(PyObject_CallMethod(reinterpret_cast<PyObject*>(arr1), "astype", "(s)", "datetime64[ms]"));
	std::swap(arr1, tmp);
	Py_XDECREF(tmp);
	// Ensure integer
	tmp = reinterpret_cast<PyArrayObject*>(PyObject_CallMethod(reinterpret_cast<PyObject*>(arr1), "astype", "(s)", "i8"));
	std::swap(arr1, tmp);
	Py_XDECREF(tmp);
	tmp = reinterpret_cast<PyArrayObject*>(PyArray_FromArray(arr1, PyArray_DescrFromType(NPY_INT64), NPY_ARRAY_IN_ARRAY));
	std::swap(arr1, tmp);
	Py_XDECREF(tmp);
}

First, if something is wrong with my code let me known. Then I wonder
if I can have a safe shortcut to avoid converting datetime64 to i8. I
guess the internal data of datetime64[ms] is i8 thus copying and
casting the array may be avoided.

Thanks by advance
Best regards.

[Numpy-discussion] advice for using datetime64 in C binding

Benoit Gschwind