[Python-Dev] Deprecating C APIs (Use of PyArg_NoArgs())

[Guido van Rossum]

> +1 on removing PyArg_GetInt()

OK.

> -1 on removing PyArg_NoArgs() ... this API is still in very active
> use in third party extensions.

Would it be OK if it issued a warning?

> I think we should come up with a better way to deprecate C level
> APIs. NEWS is not as effective as one might wish; any deprecation
> or removal of an API should also include upgrade information
> for the C extension writer so that upgrading their modules
> does not require diving into the new style C API code every 
> time.

In this case, PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ":functionName") is pretty simple
to explain.

> I'd suggest to have a PEP which documents all C API changes
> or deprecations together with a short decsription of how to
> update old code.

It shouldn't be a PEP (that's a *proposal*).  It should be part of the
C API docs, possibly an appendix.

> Another aspect which we ought to consider is that C extension
> writers may have a different view of when to leave backward
> compatibility path in favour of a new Python version. IMHO,
> there should always be a way to emulate old behaviour so that
> extensions can continue to support Python 1.5.2 if they need to.

Not a problem in this case.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)