[Python-Dev] idea for data-type (data-format) PEP

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Travis Oliphant schrieb:
>>> r_field = PyDict_GetItemString(dtype,'r');
>>>     
> Actually it should read PyDict_GetItemString(dtype->fields).    The
> r_field is a tuple (data-type object, offset).  The fields attribute is
> (currently) a Python dictionary.

Ok. This seems to be missing in the PEP. The section titled "Attributes"
seems to talk about Python-level attributes. Apparently, you are
suggesting that there is also a C-level API, lower than
PyObject_GetAttrString, so that you can write dtype->fields, instead
of having to write PyObject_GetAttrString(dtype, "fields").

If it is indeed the intend that this kind of acccess is available
for datatype objects, then the PEP should specify it. Notice that
it would be uncommon for a type in Python: Most types have getter
functions (such as PyComplex_RealAsDouble, rather then specifying
direct access through obj->cval.real).

Going now back to your original code (and assuming proper adjustments):

dtype = img->descr;
r_field = PyDict_GetItemString(dtype,'r');
g_field = PyDict_GetItemString(dtype,'g');
r_field_dtype = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(r_field, 0);
r_field_offset = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(r_field, 1);
g_field_dtype = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(g_field, 0);
g_field_offset = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(g_field, 1);
obj = PyArray_GetField(img, g_field, g_field_offset);
Py_INCREF(r_field)
PyArray_SetField(img, r_field, r_field_offset, obj);

In this code, where is PyArray_GetField coming from? What does
it do? If I wanted to write this code from scratch, what
should I write instead? Since this is all about a flat
memory block, I'm surprised I need "true" Python objects
for the field values in there.

> But, the other option (especially for code already written) would be to
> just convert the data-format specification into it's own internal
> representation.

Ok, so your assumption is that consumers already have their own
machinery, in which case ease-of-use would be the question how
difficult it is to convert datatype objects into the internal
representation.

Regards,
Martin