[Python-Dev] PEP 3118: Extended buffer protocol (new version)

[Greg Ewing]

Travis Oliphant wrote:

> Py_BUF_SIMPLE  --- you are requesting the simplest possible  (0x00)
> 
> Py_BUF_WRITEABLE --  get a writeable buffer   (0x01)
> 
> Py_BUF_READONLY --  get a read-only buffer    (0x02)

I don't see how these three form a progression.

 From the other things you say, it appears you mean
Py_BUF_SIMPLE to mean both readable and writeable.
But then Py_BUF_READONLY is turning off a capability
(being able to write to the buffer) rather than
turning one on.

Seems to me the "simplest possible" buffer is a
read-only one (assuming we don't want to allow for
write-only buffers -- or do we?), in which case
a more logical arrangement to my mind would be

   Py_BUF_READONLY  = 0x00  # simplest possible
   PY_BUF_READWRITE = 0x01

If we do want write-only buffers, then there
isn't a single simplest possible buffer, except
for one that's neither readable nor writable,
which doesn't seem very useful. So we would
have

   Py_BUF_READABLE  = 0x01
   Py_BUF_WRITABLE  = 0x02
   Py_BUF_READWRITE = 0x03

--
Greg