[Python-Dev] Unused PyArg_* functions

[Guido van Rossum]

> All of these functions are undocumented and used in exactly one place:
> Modules/glmodule.c.  The functions are defined in Modules/cgensupport.c.
> They are not exported in Include/modsupport.h.
> 
> PyArg_GetObject
> PyArg_GetLong
> PyArg_GetShort
> PyArg_GetFloat
> PyArg_GetString
> PyArg_GetChar
> PyArg_GetLongArraySize
> PyArg_GetShortArraySize
> PyArg_GetLongArray
> PyArg_GetShortArray
> PyArg_GetDoubleArray
> PyArg_GetFloatArray
> 
> Are these generally useful?  Are they used by extensions (other than gl)?
> Should they be moved to glmodule?

These are specific to code generated by the cgen script.  glmodule is
the only such module, currently.  But I don't think there's a reason
to start uprooting any of that -- eventually (when SGI stops
supporting the old GL API and has switched everybody over to OpenGL)
cgen, cgensupport and clmodule can all be ripped out, but I don't
think we're there yet (though only Jack and Sjoerd know for sure).

> PyArg_VaParse() is exported in modsupport, but it is neither used 
> nor documented.  Should I do leave it alone or remove it?

It seems this would be handy for someone who wants to write a wrapper
for PyArg_ParseTuple(), so I'd leave it alone.

> Are there other simple cleanups that need/ought to get done?

Sure. :-)

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