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

[Thomas Heller]

Travis E. Oliphant schrieb:
> Travis E. Oliphant wrote:
>> Thanks for all the comments that have been given on the data-type 
>> (data-format) PEP.  I'd like opinions on an idea for revising the PEP I 
>> have.
> 
>> 
>> 1) We could define a special string-syntax (or list syntax) that covers 
>> every special case.  The array interface specification goes this 
>> direction and it requires no new Python types.  This could also be seen 
>> as an extension of the "struct" module to allow for nested structures, etc.
>> 
>> 2) We could define a Python object that specifically carries data-format 
>> information.
>> 
>> 
>> Does that explain the goal of what I'm trying to do better?
> 
> In other-words, what I'm saying is I really want a PEP that does this. 
> Could we have a discussion about what the best way to communicate 
> data-format information across multiple extension modules would look 
> like.  I'm not saying my (pre-)PEP is best.  The point of putting it in 
> it's infant state out there is to get the discussion rolling, not to 
> claim I've got all the answers.

IIUC, so far the 'data-object' carries information about the structure
of the data it describes.

Couldn't it go a step further and have also some functionality?
Converting the data into a Python object and back?

This is what the ctypes SETFUNC and GETFUNC functions do, and what
also is implemented in the struct module...

Thomas