Embedding Python in C++ application: Question #1

[Mark Hammond]

Russell Turpin wrote:

> Mark Hammond <MarkH at ActiveState.com> wrote in message news:<3C0C3B3E.9030302 at ActiveState.com>...
> 
>>Py_BuildValue is a convenience function.
>>
> 
> OK. I'm finding the relevant interfaces in Python/C API.
> Do I read this right, that all new objects are created 
> with a refcount of 1 , so that a called function
> can pass them to the caller without ref-count manipulation?
> Thus, I can call PyList_New() to create the list that will
> be returned to the calling Python procedure, iteratively
> pass the results of PyTuple_New() directly to 
> PyList_SetItem(), which "steals" the reference to the 
> tuple, and then return the list, all without a single 
> INCREF or DECREF? Which, of course, is the way it *ought* 
> to work, and that seems to be what it says .. 

In general you are correct.  However you can't rely on the "Set" 
functions stealing a reference count - eg, PyTuple_SET_ITEM does, but I 
can never remember if PyTuple_SetItem() does :)

Mark.