[Cython] buffer syntax vs. memory view syntax

[Robert Bradshaw]

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 3:35 AM, mark florisson
<markflorisson88 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8 May 2012 10:47, Dag Sverre Seljebotn <d.s.seljebotn at astro.uio.no> wrote:
>>
>> After some thinking I believe I can see more clearly where Mark is coming
>> from. To sum up, it's either
>>
>> A) Keep both np.ndarray[double] and double[:] around, with clearly defined
>> and separate roles. np.ndarray[double] implementation is revamped to allow
>> fast slicing etc., based on the double[:] implementation.
>>
>> B) Deprecate np.ndarray[double] sooner rather than later, but make double[:]
>> have functionality that is *really* close to what np.ndarray[double]
>> currently does. In most cases one should be able to basically replace
>> np.ndarray[double] with double[:] and the code should continue to work just
>> like before; difference is that if you pass in anything else than a NumPy
>> array, it will likely fail with a runtime AttributeError at some point
>> rather than fail a PyType_Check.
>
> That's a good summary. I have a big preference for B here, but I agree
> that treating a typed memoryview as both a user object (possibly
> converted through callback) and a typed memoryview "subclass" is quite
> magicky.

With the talk of overlay modules and go-style interface, being able to
specify the type of an object as well as its bufferness could become
more interesting than it even is now. The notion of supporting
multiple interfaces, e.g.

cdef np.ndarray & double[:] my_array

could obviate the need for np.ndarray[double]. Until we support
something like this, or decide to reject it, I think we need to keep
the old-style syntax around. (np.ndarray[double] could even become
this intersection type to gain all the new features before we decide
on a appropriate syntax).

> I wouldn't particularly mind something concise like 'm.obj'.
> The AttributeError would be the case as usual, when a python object
> doesn't have the right interface.

Having to insert the .obj in there does make it more painful to
convert existing Python code.

- Robert