Calling Ada from Python
David Hoffman
hoffman at insync.net
Sat Sep 2 10:28:27 EDT 2000
Hi,
I would like to be able to call Ada from Python, so I created a simple
example of a Python module written in C which in turn calls functions
written in Ada. It works, but one thing is a bit awkward and I am hoping
that someone here can help me to improve it.
I have attached the C source file that creates the Python module as
listing one, and the Ada package (specification and body) that it calls
as listing two. For good measure, listing three shows how I built all
of this under Linux.
The awkwardness comes from the lines (marked AWKWARD in the C source
code) that start and stop the Ada runtime library. It is awkward
because I start and stop it for each function call. Now, I know that I
could turn off the Ada runtime without giving up anything significant
as far as this simple example is concerned (though any pointers about
how to do this or comments about what capabilities I sacrifice will
be appreciated). But I am wondering if Python would allow a better
solution.
To create a Python extension in C, a module initialization function
must be provided (in this case it is called initnumberPlay()). It is
clear to me that the call to adainit(), which starts the Ada runtime,
could easily be put into this function so that the Ada runtime would
be started when the module is loaded. But how can I ensure that the
Ada runtime is shutdown when the module exits?
I haven't found anything in my reading that suggests a method of
cleaning up when a module is unloaded. I do recall reading that the
Python interpreter unloads modules before shutting down, so all that
I would need to worry about is triggering a call to adafinal() when
the module numberPlay is unloaded. If anyone has any suggestions on
how to do this, or any other suggestions for improving this code,
please let me know.
David Hoffman
hoffman at insync.net
=============================<LISTING ONE>==============================
/*********************************************************************
* *
* File: numberPlay.c *
* *
* Purpose: To provide a demonstration of how to write a C wrapper *
* for Ada functions called from Python. *
* *
* Author: David Hoffman *
* hoffman at insync.net *
* *
*********************************************************************/
#include <Python.h>
/* Declare external functions....................................... */
extern adainit();
extern adafinal();
extern long adafactorial(long N);
extern long adagcd(long P, long Q);
/* C functions used to extend Python................................. */
long factorial (long value) /* Compute factorial */
{
long answer;
adainit(); /* AWKWARD */
answer = adafactorial(value);
adafinal(); /* AWKWARD */
return answer;
}
long gcd (long x, long y) /* Compute greatest common divisor */
{
long answer;
adainit(); /* AWKWARD */
answer = adagcd(x,y);
adafinal(); /* AWKWARD */
return answer;
}
/* C wrapper functions for Python extensions......................... */
PyObject *wrap_factorial(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
{
int n, result;
if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"i",&n))
return NULL;
if ( n > 0 ) /* Input error check */
{
if ( n <= 12 )
{
result = factorial(n);
}
else
{
PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,"Input would cause overflow");
return NULL;
}
}
else
{
PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,"Input must be non-negative");
return NULL;
}
return Py_BuildValue("i",result);
}
PyObject *wrap_gcd(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
{
int p, q, result;
if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args,"ii",&p,&q))
return NULL;
if ( p <= 0 || q <= 0 ) /* Input error check */
{
PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,"Both inputs must be positive");
return NULL;
}
else
{
result = gcd(p,q);
}
return Py_BuildValue("i",result);
}
/* Define methods table.............................................. */
static PyMethodDef numberPlayMethods[] = {
{ "factorial" , wrap_factorial , 1 },
{ "gcd" , wrap_gcd , 1 },
{ NULL , NULL },
};
/* Initialization function........................................... */
void initnumberPlay()
{
PyObject *m;
m = Py_InitModule("numberPlay", numberPlayMethods);
}
=============================<LISTING TWO>==============================
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- --
-- File: integer_functions.ads --
-- --
-- Purpose: To demonstrate how to export Ada functions to C with --
-- the ultimate goal of making them callable from Python --
-- scripts. --
-- --
-- Author: David Hoffman --
-- hoffman at insync.net --
-- --
------------------------------------------------------------------------
with Interfaces.C; use Interfaces;
package Integer_Functions is
function Ada_Factorial ( Value : C.Long ) return C.Long;
function Ada_GCD ( Dividend, Divisor : C.Long ) return C.Long;
pragma Export (C, Ada_Factorial, "adafactorial");
pragma Export (C, Ada_GCD, "adagcd");
end Integer_Functions;
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- --
-- File: integer_functions.adb --
-- --
-- Purpose: To compute either the factorial of a given integer or --
-- the greatest common divisor of a pair of integers with --
-- Ada code invoked from a Python script. --
-- --
-- Author: David Hoffman --
-- hoffman at insync.net --
-- --
------------------------------------------------------------------------
with Interfaces.C; use Interfaces;
package body Integer_Functions is
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- P R I V A T E F U N C T I O N S --
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
-- In a "real world" application, the functions in this section
-- would be defined and implemented in an external package that
-- would be linked to this one via with and use statements.
--
-- Compute factorial....................................................
function Factorial ( N : Integer ) return Integer is
begin
if N = 1 then
return 1;
else
return N * Factorial(N-1);
end if;
end;
-- Compute greatest common divisor......................................
function GCD ( I, J : Natural ) return Natural is
begin
if J = 0 then
return I;
else
return GCD(J, I mod J );
end if;
end;
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- P U B L I C F U N C T I O N S --
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Export factorial.....................................................
function Ada_Factorial ( Value : C.Long ) return C.Long is
P, Q : Integer;
begin
P := Integer(Value);
Q := Factorial(P);
return C.Long(Q);
end;
-- Export greatest common divisor.......................................
function Ada_GCD ( Dividend, Divisor : C.Long ) return C.Long is
N, P, Q : Natural;
begin
N := Natural(Dividend);
P := Natural(Divisor);
Q := GCD(N,P);
return C.Long(Q);
end;
end Integer_Functions;
============================<LISTING THREE>=============================
This example was built under Linux (kernel 2.0.33, libc 5.4.33) using
the GNAT Ada compiler (version 3.11p). It runs under Python 1.5.
The first step is to compile the Ada components:
$ gcc -c integer_functions.ads
$ gcc -c integer_functions.adb
$ gnatbind -n integer_functions.ali
$ gcc -c b_integer_functions.c
Then compile the C component:
$ gcc -fpic -c -I/usr/local/include/python1.5 \
-I/usr/local/lib/python1.5/config \
numberPlay.c
Finally, link it all together:
$ gcc -shared -o numberPlay.so \
-L/usr/lib/gcc-lib/i686-pc-linux-gnulibc1/2.8.1/adalib \
*.o -lgnat
Good luck.
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