[Python-Dev] PEP 298, final (?) version

[Guido van Rossum]

> >         void PyObject_ReleaseFixedBuffer(PyObject *obj);
> > 
> 
> Would it be useful to allow bf_releasefixedbuffer to return an int
> indicating an exception?  For instance, it could raise an exception if the
> extension errantly releases more times than it has acquired (a negative
> lock count).  Just a thought.

OTOH, it means that the caller would have to check for errors.  It may
make more sense to make this a fatal error, since it's purely the
(or at least *a*) caller's fault.

> >     Python strings, unicode strings, mmap objects, and array objects
> >     would expose the fixed buffer interface.
> > 
> >     mmap and array objects would actually enter a locked state while
> >     the buffer is active, this is not needed for strings and unicode
> >     objects.  Resizing locked array objects is not allowed and will
> >     raise an exception. Whether closing a locked mmap object is an
> >     error or will only be deferred until the lock count reaches zero
> >     is an implementation detail.
> 
> The mmap object is a good candidate for this, but I'm a little worried
> about adding it to array.  I'm not saying it shouldn't be done, but I can
> imagine a surprized user who:
> 
>    - has an existing application using the array module
>    - starts making use of a new extension that uses the fixed/locked
>      buffer interface
>    - gets an exception in code that never raised that exception before

Hm.  As long as it's not too hard to point out the cause (using the
new extension) I don't think this would be a problem.

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