[Cython] RFC: an inline_ function that dumps c/c++ code to the code emitter

[Kevin Thornton]

I actually just realized another nagging issue with C++/Cython: member
typedefs are not supported:

cdef vector[T]:
      ctypedef size_t size_type

These "scoped" typedefs are very widely-used.  We can live without it, and
we have been, but while we're making a list.. :)

--Kevin

On Sat, Aug 20, 2016 at 11:15 PM Robert Bradshaw <robertwb at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 9:34 AM, Kevin Thornton <krthornt at uci.edu> wrote:
> > Hi Robert,
> >
> > Related to this point, I think there are three important features that
> > Cython would benefit from, as far as C++11 and newer are concerned.  In
> > order of what I'm guessing to be increased complexity are:
> >
> > 1. Non-type template parameters.
>
> This is actually probably the hardest :). There is a PR that's stalled
> out, probably needs some attention by both the author and us; it'd be
> great to get this in.
>
> > 2. "rvalue" references for standalone functions and class member
> functions:
> >
> >     void foo[T]( T && t )
>
> From a callers perspective, one can just declare an extern foo as
> foo(T) in Cython, it doesn't care if the actual call is made by value
> or by reference--the calling code is exactly the same.
>
> Actually implementing it for Cython-defined functions (as the callee)
> would require additional support, but would probably be pretty easy
> (implement a new type, with parsing, which generally behaves the same
> as a reference or value from Python's perspective--the actual heavy
> lifting happens in the C compiler).
>
> Want to file an issue on github for this?
>
> > 3. Variadic templates (member and non-member).  More generally,
> "parameter
> > packs":
> >
> >     http://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/language/parameter_pack
>
> This'd be interesting (especially as to how it relates to changing the
> arity of functions for concrete instantiations). There's also a
> question of syntax. Maybe
>
>     void foo[A, int N, ... Types](A a, Types t):
>         ...
>
> It'd likely require #1, e.g. to be able to declare things like
> tuple_element::type such that std::tuple.get<N> would be correctly
> typed. Unfortunately seems declaring the (somewhat intuitive) API of
> std::tuple requires being able to declare a fair amount of its
> implementation.
>
> Still likely feasible though, and I think the notion of variadic
> templates is natural enough in a Python setting (which has had
> heterogeneously typed tuples since its inception, though of course not
> statically typed).
>
> > #2 is important for efficiency reasons--it isn't just a convenience
> feature.
> > Without it, Cython cannot support all the member function of std::vector,
> > etc.  The implication is that some expensive operations, like moving a
> big
> > object into a vector, require extra copies in Cython while a C++ program
> > would just move the object into the new location.
>
> It's interesting to call this an essential feature, given that C++
> itself didn't have it until recently :). Not that it can't be a big
> win, and libraries will more and more probably be designed assuming
> it.
>
> > #3 seems like the hardest, but would enable std::tuple, std::bind, and
> other
> > handy things to be used in a .pyx file.
> >
> > Support for "auto" would be nice, but perhaps unrealistic.
>
> Just leave the cdef out and you basically get auto, i.e.
>
>     my_var = expr
>
> gives my_var the type of expr. If multiple assignments are made to
> my_var, it attempts to find a suitable union type that can hold all
> assignments. The one exception is for integers, where it infers the
> type to be object iff my_var is used in arithmetic expressions (that
> it can't deduce would not overflow with the finite-sized C integer
> type).
>
> > I know that PRs have been submitted, and since stalled out, on a couple
> of
> > these features.  I've tried to look at the Cython parser myself, but I'm
> not
> > able to follow it, sadly.
> >
> > Thanks for all your hard work,
> >
> > Kevin
> >
> > On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 2:39 AM Robert Bradshaw <robertwb at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> Though, as you discovered, there are some basic things like non-type
> >> template arguments that we would like to have. If there are other
> >> specific C++ constructs that are commonly used but impossible to
> >> express in Cython it'd be useful to know.
> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
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