Dynamically reloading extension modules

[Ken Seehof]

> On Wed, Mar 21, 2001 at 03:36:15PM -0800, Ken Seehof wrote:
> > Not exactly.  I didn't state the problem very clearly.  The
> > problem is that while an extension module is loaded, the
> > module file (pyd on windows) is read-only.
> > 
> > At least this is true on windows.  On unix, I think maybe you
> > can rename the module file, rebuild it, and do a reload(module).
> > Is this true?  Windows doesn't allow you to rename or rewrite
> > a dll while it is in use, so something like FreeLibrary would be
> > necessary.
> 
> Sorry, I can't answer Windows questions. I haven't had to run
> Windows in years.
> 
> But I would still think that reload() should work as long as
> you are using python modules, *not* c/c++ modules.

I -am- talking about c/c++ modules (which I have been referring
to as "extension" modules).  Hence there's a bit more to it than
reload().

I want to recompile and reload a c/c++ extension module from
within a continuously running python program.

> Beazley has no disclaimers about reload working only on
> specific platforms.
> 
> There is a caveat, objects created with the old module won't be
> updated.