[comp.lang.python] Reference Counting Documentation (longish)

[Fred L. Drake, Jr.]

Tom wrote:
 > And now for the point of this whole story: I think we need a reference
 > counting cheat sheet in the C API Reference Manual rather badly.  I'm

Tom,
  The next release of the reference will include *much* better
reference count information, thanks in large part to Skip Montanaro.
For each function that returns an object reference, the status of that 
reference (new or borrowed) will be specified.  Functions which change 
the modify the status of references passed in will be properly
documented.

 > not talking about anything elaborate, just a simple table showing each
 > function in the API, and what it does to the reference counts of its
 > arguments and return value.  (It could even be part of the current
 > entries for each function.)  This would be an absolutely priceless
 > resource for anyone doing embedding and extending.

  I agree; I've wanted it a few times myself!


  -Fred

--
Fred L. Drake, Jr.	  <fdrake at acm.org>
Corporation for National Research Initiatives