1045 lines
44 KiB
ReStructuredText
1045 lines
44 KiB
ReStructuredText
.. highlightlang:: c
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.. _initialization:
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*****************************************
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Initialization, Finalization, and Threads
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*****************************************
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.. cfunction:: void Py_Initialize()
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.. index::
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single: Py_SetProgramName()
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single: PyEval_InitThreads()
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single: PyEval_ReleaseLock()
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single: PyEval_AcquireLock()
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single: modules (in module sys)
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single: path (in module sys)
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module: __builtin__
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module: __main__
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module: sys
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triple: module; search; path
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single: PySys_SetArgv()
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single: Py_Finalize()
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Initialize the Python interpreter. In an application embedding Python, this
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should be called before using any other Python/C API functions; with the
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exception of :cfunc:`Py_SetProgramName`, :cfunc:`PyEval_InitThreads`,
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:cfunc:`PyEval_ReleaseLock`, and :cfunc:`PyEval_AcquireLock`. This initializes
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the table of loaded modules (``sys.modules``), and creates the fundamental
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modules :mod:`__builtin__`, :mod:`__main__` and :mod:`sys`. It also initializes
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the module search path (``sys.path``). It does not set ``sys.argv``; use
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:cfunc:`PySys_SetArgv` for that. This is a no-op when called for a second time
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(without calling :cfunc:`Py_Finalize` first). There is no return value; it is a
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fatal error if the initialization fails.
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.. cfunction:: void Py_InitializeEx(int initsigs)
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This function works like :cfunc:`Py_Initialize` if *initsigs* is 1. If
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*initsigs* is 0, it skips initialization registration of signal handlers, which
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might be useful when Python is embedded.
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.. versionadded:: 2.4
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.. cfunction:: int Py_IsInitialized()
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Return true (nonzero) when the Python interpreter has been initialized, false
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(zero) if not. After :cfunc:`Py_Finalize` is called, this returns false until
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:cfunc:`Py_Initialize` is called again.
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.. cfunction:: void Py_Finalize()
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Undo all initializations made by :cfunc:`Py_Initialize` and subsequent use of
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Python/C API functions, and destroy all sub-interpreters (see
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:cfunc:`Py_NewInterpreter` below) that were created and not yet destroyed since
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the last call to :cfunc:`Py_Initialize`. Ideally, this frees all memory
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allocated by the Python interpreter. This is a no-op when called for a second
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time (without calling :cfunc:`Py_Initialize` again first). There is no return
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value; errors during finalization are ignored.
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This function is provided for a number of reasons. An embedding application
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might want to restart Python without having to restart the application itself.
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An application that has loaded the Python interpreter from a dynamically
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loadable library (or DLL) might want to free all memory allocated by Python
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before unloading the DLL. During a hunt for memory leaks in an application a
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developer might want to free all memory allocated by Python before exiting from
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the application.
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**Bugs and caveats:** The destruction of modules and objects in modules is done
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in random order; this may cause destructors (:meth:`__del__` methods) to fail
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when they depend on other objects (even functions) or modules. Dynamically
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loaded extension modules loaded by Python are not unloaded. Small amounts of
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memory allocated by the Python interpreter may not be freed (if you find a leak,
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please report it). Memory tied up in circular references between objects is not
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freed. Some memory allocated by extension modules may not be freed. Some
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extensions may not work properly if their initialization routine is called more
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than once; this can happen if an application calls :cfunc:`Py_Initialize` and
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:cfunc:`Py_Finalize` more than once.
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.. cfunction:: PyThreadState* Py_NewInterpreter()
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.. index::
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module: __builtin__
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module: __main__
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module: sys
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single: stdout (in module sys)
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single: stderr (in module sys)
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single: stdin (in module sys)
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Create a new sub-interpreter. This is an (almost) totally separate environment
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for the execution of Python code. In particular, the new interpreter has
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separate, independent versions of all imported modules, including the
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fundamental modules :mod:`__builtin__`, :mod:`__main__` and :mod:`sys`. The
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table of loaded modules (``sys.modules``) and the module search path
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(``sys.path``) are also separate. The new environment has no ``sys.argv``
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variable. It has new standard I/O stream file objects ``sys.stdin``,
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``sys.stdout`` and ``sys.stderr`` (however these refer to the same underlying
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:ctype:`FILE` structures in the C library).
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The return value points to the first thread state created in the new
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sub-interpreter. This thread state is made in the current thread state.
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Note that no actual thread is created; see the discussion of thread states
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below. If creation of the new interpreter is unsuccessful, *NULL* is
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returned; no exception is set since the exception state is stored in the
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current thread state and there may not be a current thread state. (Like all
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other Python/C API functions, the global interpreter lock must be held before
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calling this function and is still held when it returns; however, unlike most
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other Python/C API functions, there needn't be a current thread state on
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entry.)
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.. index::
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single: Py_Finalize()
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single: Py_Initialize()
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Extension modules are shared between (sub-)interpreters as follows: the first
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time a particular extension is imported, it is initialized normally, and a
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(shallow) copy of its module's dictionary is squirreled away. When the same
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extension is imported by another (sub-)interpreter, a new module is initialized
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and filled with the contents of this copy; the extension's ``init`` function is
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not called. Note that this is different from what happens when an extension is
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imported after the interpreter has been completely re-initialized by calling
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:cfunc:`Py_Finalize` and :cfunc:`Py_Initialize`; in that case, the extension's
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``initmodule`` function *is* called again.
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.. index:: single: close() (in module os)
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**Bugs and caveats:** Because sub-interpreters (and the main interpreter) are
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part of the same process, the insulation between them isn't perfect --- for
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example, using low-level file operations like :func:`os.close` they can
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(accidentally or maliciously) affect each other's open files. Because of the
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way extensions are shared between (sub-)interpreters, some extensions may not
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work properly; this is especially likely when the extension makes use of
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(static) global variables, or when the extension manipulates its module's
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dictionary after its initialization. It is possible to insert objects created
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in one sub-interpreter into a namespace of another sub-interpreter; this should
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be done with great care to avoid sharing user-defined functions, methods,
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instances or classes between sub-interpreters, since import operations executed
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by such objects may affect the wrong (sub-)interpreter's dictionary of loaded
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modules. (XXX This is a hard-to-fix bug that will be addressed in a future
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release.)
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Also note that the use of this functionality is incompatible with extension
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modules such as PyObjC and ctypes that use the :cfunc:`PyGILState_\*` APIs (and
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this is inherent in the way the :cfunc:`PyGILState_\*` functions work). Simple
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things may work, but confusing behavior will always be near.
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.. cfunction:: void Py_EndInterpreter(PyThreadState *tstate)
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.. index:: single: Py_Finalize()
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Destroy the (sub-)interpreter represented by the given thread state. The given
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thread state must be the current thread state. See the discussion of thread
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states below. When the call returns, the current thread state is *NULL*. All
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thread states associated with this interpreter are destroyed. (The global
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interpreter lock must be held before calling this function and is still held
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when it returns.) :cfunc:`Py_Finalize` will destroy all sub-interpreters that
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haven't been explicitly destroyed at that point.
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.. cfunction:: void Py_SetProgramName(char *name)
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.. index::
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single: Py_Initialize()
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single: main()
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single: Py_GetPath()
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This function should be called before :cfunc:`Py_Initialize` is called for
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the first time, if it is called at all. It tells the interpreter the value
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of the ``argv[0]`` argument to the :cfunc:`main` function of the program.
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This is used by :cfunc:`Py_GetPath` and some other functions below to find
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the Python run-time libraries relative to the interpreter executable. The
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default value is ``'python'``. The argument should point to a
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zero-terminated character string in static storage whose contents will not
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change for the duration of the program's execution. No code in the Python
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interpreter will change the contents of this storage.
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.. cfunction:: char* Py_GetProgramName()
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.. index:: single: Py_SetProgramName()
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Return the program name set with :cfunc:`Py_SetProgramName`, or the default.
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The returned string points into static storage; the caller should not modify its
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value.
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.. cfunction:: char* Py_GetPrefix()
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Return the *prefix* for installed platform-independent files. This is derived
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through a number of complicated rules from the program name set with
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:cfunc:`Py_SetProgramName` and some environment variables; for example, if the
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program name is ``'/usr/local/bin/python'``, the prefix is ``'/usr/local'``. The
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returned string points into static storage; the caller should not modify its
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value. This corresponds to the :makevar:`prefix` variable in the top-level
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:file:`Makefile` and the :option:`--prefix` argument to the :program:`configure`
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script at build time. The value is available to Python code as ``sys.prefix``.
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It is only useful on Unix. See also the next function.
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.. cfunction:: char* Py_GetExecPrefix()
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Return the *exec-prefix* for installed platform-*dependent* files. This is
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derived through a number of complicated rules from the program name set with
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:cfunc:`Py_SetProgramName` and some environment variables; for example, if the
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program name is ``'/usr/local/bin/python'``, the exec-prefix is
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``'/usr/local'``. The returned string points into static storage; the caller
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should not modify its value. This corresponds to the :makevar:`exec_prefix`
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variable in the top-level :file:`Makefile` and the :option:`--exec-prefix`
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argument to the :program:`configure` script at build time. The value is
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available to Python code as ``sys.exec_prefix``. It is only useful on Unix.
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Background: The exec-prefix differs from the prefix when platform dependent
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files (such as executables and shared libraries) are installed in a different
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directory tree. In a typical installation, platform dependent files may be
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installed in the :file:`/usr/local/plat` subtree while platform independent may
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be installed in :file:`/usr/local`.
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Generally speaking, a platform is a combination of hardware and software
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families, e.g. Sparc machines running the Solaris 2.x operating system are
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considered the same platform, but Intel machines running Solaris 2.x are another
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platform, and Intel machines running Linux are yet another platform. Different
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major revisions of the same operating system generally also form different
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platforms. Non-Unix operating systems are a different story; the installation
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strategies on those systems are so different that the prefix and exec-prefix are
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meaningless, and set to the empty string. Note that compiled Python bytecode
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files are platform independent (but not independent from the Python version by
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which they were compiled!).
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System administrators will know how to configure the :program:`mount` or
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:program:`automount` programs to share :file:`/usr/local` between platforms
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while having :file:`/usr/local/plat` be a different filesystem for each
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platform.
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.. cfunction:: char* Py_GetProgramFullPath()
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.. index::
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single: Py_SetProgramName()
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single: executable (in module sys)
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Return the full program name of the Python executable; this is computed as a
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side-effect of deriving the default module search path from the program name
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(set by :cfunc:`Py_SetProgramName` above). The returned string points into
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static storage; the caller should not modify its value. The value is available
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to Python code as ``sys.executable``.
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.. cfunction:: char* Py_GetPath()
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.. index::
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triple: module; search; path
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single: path (in module sys)
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Return the default module search path; this is computed from the program name
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(set by :cfunc:`Py_SetProgramName` above) and some environment variables. The
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returned string consists of a series of directory names separated by a platform
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dependent delimiter character. The delimiter character is ``':'`` on Unix and
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Mac OS X, ``';'`` on Windows. The returned string points into static storage;
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the caller should not modify its value. The value is available to Python code
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as the list ``sys.path``, which may be modified to change the future search path
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for loaded modules.
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.. XXX should give the exact rules
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.. cfunction:: const char* Py_GetVersion()
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Return the version of this Python interpreter. This is a string that looks
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something like ::
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"1.5 (#67, Dec 31 1997, 22:34:28) [GCC 2.7.2.2]"
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.. index:: single: version (in module sys)
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The first word (up to the first space character) is the current Python version;
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the first three characters are the major and minor version separated by a
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period. The returned string points into static storage; the caller should not
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modify its value. The value is available to Python code as ``sys.version``.
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.. cfunction:: const char* Py_GetBuildNumber()
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Return a string representing the Subversion revision that this Python executable
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was built from. This number is a string because it may contain a trailing 'M'
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if Python was built from a mixed revision source tree.
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.. versionadded:: 2.5
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.. cfunction:: const char* Py_GetPlatform()
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.. index:: single: platform (in module sys)
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Return the platform identifier for the current platform. On Unix, this is
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formed from the "official" name of the operating system, converted to lower
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case, followed by the major revision number; e.g., for Solaris 2.x, which is
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also known as SunOS 5.x, the value is ``'sunos5'``. On Mac OS X, it is
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``'darwin'``. On Windows, it is ``'win'``. The returned string points into
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static storage; the caller should not modify its value. The value is available
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to Python code as ``sys.platform``.
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.. cfunction:: const char* Py_GetCopyright()
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Return the official copyright string for the current Python version, for example
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``'Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam'``
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.. index:: single: copyright (in module sys)
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The returned string points into static storage; the caller should not modify its
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value. The value is available to Python code as ``sys.copyright``.
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.. cfunction:: const char* Py_GetCompiler()
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Return an indication of the compiler used to build the current Python version,
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in square brackets, for example::
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"[GCC 2.7.2.2]"
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.. index:: single: version (in module sys)
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The returned string points into static storage; the caller should not modify its
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value. The value is available to Python code as part of the variable
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``sys.version``.
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.. cfunction:: const char* Py_GetBuildInfo()
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Return information about the sequence number and build date and time of the
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current Python interpreter instance, for example ::
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"#67, Aug 1 1997, 22:34:28"
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.. index:: single: version (in module sys)
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The returned string points into static storage; the caller should not modify its
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value. The value is available to Python code as part of the variable
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``sys.version``.
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.. cfunction:: void PySys_SetArgv(int argc, char **argv)
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.. index::
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single: main()
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single: Py_FatalError()
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single: argv (in module sys)
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Set :data:`sys.argv` based on *argc* and *argv*. These parameters are
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similar to those passed to the program's :cfunc:`main` function with the
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difference that the first entry should refer to the script file to be
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executed rather than the executable hosting the Python interpreter. If there
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isn't a script that will be run, the first entry in *argv* can be an empty
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string. If this function fails to initialize :data:`sys.argv`, a fatal
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condition is signalled using :cfunc:`Py_FatalError`.
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This function also prepends the executed script's path to :data:`sys.path`.
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If no script is executed (in the case of calling ``python -c`` or just the
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interactive interpreter), the empty string is used instead.
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.. XXX impl. doesn't seem consistent in allowing 0/NULL for the params;
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check w/ Guido.
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.. cfunction:: void Py_SetPythonHome(char *home)
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Set the default "home" directory, that is, the location of the standard
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Python libraries. The libraries are searched in
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:file:`{home}/lib/python{version}` and :file:`{home}/lib/python{version}`.
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.. cfunction:: char* Py_GetPythonHome()
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Return the default "home", that is, the value set by a previous call to
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:cfunc:`Py_SetPythonHome`, or the value of the :envvar:`PYTHONHOME`
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environment variable if it is set.
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.. _threads:
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Thread State and the Global Interpreter Lock
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============================================
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.. index::
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single: global interpreter lock
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single: interpreter lock
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single: lock, interpreter
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The Python interpreter is not fully thread safe. In order to support
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multi-threaded Python programs, there's a global lock that must be held by the
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current thread before it can safely access Python objects. Without the lock,
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even the simplest operations could cause problems in a multi-threaded program:
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for example, when two threads simultaneously increment the reference count of
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the same object, the reference count could end up being incremented only once
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instead of twice.
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.. index:: single: setcheckinterval() (in module sys)
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Therefore, the rule exists that only the thread that has acquired the global
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interpreter lock may operate on Python objects or call Python/C API functions.
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In order to support multi-threaded Python programs, the interpreter regularly
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releases and reacquires the lock --- by default, every 100 bytecode instructions
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(this can be changed with :func:`sys.setcheckinterval`). The lock is also
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released and reacquired around potentially blocking I/O operations like reading
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or writing a file, so that other threads can run while the thread that requests
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the I/O is waiting for the I/O operation to complete.
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.. index::
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single: PyThreadState
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single: PyThreadState
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The Python interpreter needs to keep some bookkeeping information separate per
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thread --- for this it uses a data structure called :ctype:`PyThreadState`.
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There's one global variable, however: the pointer to the current
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:ctype:`PyThreadState` structure. While most thread packages have a way to
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store "per-thread global data," Python's internal platform independent thread
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abstraction doesn't support this yet. Therefore, the current thread state must
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be manipulated explicitly.
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This is easy enough in most cases. Most code manipulating the global
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interpreter lock has the following simple structure::
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Save the thread state in a local variable.
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Release the interpreter lock.
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...Do some blocking I/O operation...
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Reacquire the interpreter lock.
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Restore the thread state from the local variable.
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This is so common that a pair of macros exists to simplify it::
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Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
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...Do some blocking I/O operation...
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Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
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.. index::
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single: Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
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single: Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
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The :cmacro:`Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS` macro opens a new block and declares a
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hidden local variable; the :cmacro:`Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS` macro closes the
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block. Another advantage of using these two macros is that when Python is
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compiled without thread support, they are defined empty, thus saving the thread
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state and lock manipulations.
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When thread support is enabled, the block above expands to the following code::
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PyThreadState *_save;
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_save = PyEval_SaveThread();
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...Do some blocking I/O operation...
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PyEval_RestoreThread(_save);
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Using even lower level primitives, we can get roughly the same effect as
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follows::
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PyThreadState *_save;
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_save = PyThreadState_Swap(NULL);
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PyEval_ReleaseLock();
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...Do some blocking I/O operation...
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PyEval_AcquireLock();
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PyThreadState_Swap(_save);
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.. index::
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single: PyEval_RestoreThread()
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single: errno
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single: PyEval_SaveThread()
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single: PyEval_ReleaseLock()
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single: PyEval_AcquireLock()
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|
|
There are some subtle differences; in particular, :cfunc:`PyEval_RestoreThread`
|
|
saves and restores the value of the global variable :cdata:`errno`, since the
|
|
lock manipulation does not guarantee that :cdata:`errno` is left alone. Also,
|
|
when thread support is disabled, :cfunc:`PyEval_SaveThread` and
|
|
:cfunc:`PyEval_RestoreThread` don't manipulate the lock; in this case,
|
|
:cfunc:`PyEval_ReleaseLock` and :cfunc:`PyEval_AcquireLock` are not available.
|
|
This is done so that dynamically loaded extensions compiled with thread support
|
|
enabled can be loaded by an interpreter that was compiled with disabled thread
|
|
support.
|
|
|
|
The global interpreter lock is used to protect the pointer to the current thread
|
|
state. When releasing the lock and saving the thread state, the current thread
|
|
state pointer must be retrieved before the lock is released (since another
|
|
thread could immediately acquire the lock and store its own thread state in the
|
|
global variable). Conversely, when acquiring the lock and restoring the thread
|
|
state, the lock must be acquired before storing the thread state pointer.
|
|
|
|
Why am I going on with so much detail about this? Because when threads are
|
|
created from C, they don't have the global interpreter lock, nor is there a
|
|
thread state data structure for them. Such threads must bootstrap themselves
|
|
into existence, by first creating a thread state data structure, then acquiring
|
|
the lock, and finally storing their thread state pointer, before they can start
|
|
using the Python/C API. When they are done, they should reset the thread state
|
|
pointer, release the lock, and finally free their thread state data structure.
|
|
|
|
Beginning with version 2.3, threads can now take advantage of the
|
|
:cfunc:`PyGILState_\*` functions to do all of the above automatically. The
|
|
typical idiom for calling into Python from a C thread is now::
|
|
|
|
PyGILState_STATE gstate;
|
|
gstate = PyGILState_Ensure();
|
|
|
|
/* Perform Python actions here. */
|
|
result = CallSomeFunction();
|
|
/* evaluate result */
|
|
|
|
/* Release the thread. No Python API allowed beyond this point. */
|
|
PyGILState_Release(gstate);
|
|
|
|
Note that the :cfunc:`PyGILState_\*` functions assume there is only one global
|
|
interpreter (created automatically by :cfunc:`Py_Initialize`). Python still
|
|
supports the creation of additional interpreters (using
|
|
:cfunc:`Py_NewInterpreter`), but mixing multiple interpreters and the
|
|
:cfunc:`PyGILState_\*` API is unsupported.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. ctype:: PyInterpreterState
|
|
|
|
This data structure represents the state shared by a number of cooperating
|
|
threads. Threads belonging to the same interpreter share their module
|
|
administration and a few other internal items. There are no public members in
|
|
this structure.
|
|
|
|
Threads belonging to different interpreters initially share nothing, except
|
|
process state like available memory, open file descriptors and such. The global
|
|
interpreter lock is also shared by all threads, regardless of to which
|
|
interpreter they belong.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. ctype:: PyThreadState
|
|
|
|
This data structure represents the state of a single thread. The only public
|
|
data member is :ctype:`PyInterpreterState \*`:attr:`interp`, which points to
|
|
this thread's interpreter state.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_InitThreads()
|
|
|
|
.. index::
|
|
single: PyEval_ReleaseLock()
|
|
single: PyEval_ReleaseThread()
|
|
single: PyEval_SaveThread()
|
|
single: PyEval_RestoreThread()
|
|
|
|
Initialize and acquire the global interpreter lock. It should be called in the
|
|
main thread before creating a second thread or engaging in any other thread
|
|
operations such as :cfunc:`PyEval_ReleaseLock` or
|
|
``PyEval_ReleaseThread(tstate)``. It is not needed before calling
|
|
:cfunc:`PyEval_SaveThread` or :cfunc:`PyEval_RestoreThread`.
|
|
|
|
.. index:: single: Py_Initialize()
|
|
|
|
This is a no-op when called for a second time. It is safe to call this function
|
|
before calling :cfunc:`Py_Initialize`.
|
|
|
|
.. index:: module: thread
|
|
|
|
When only the main thread exists, no lock operations are needed. This is a
|
|
common situation (most Python programs do not use threads), and the lock
|
|
operations slow the interpreter down a bit. Therefore, the lock is not created
|
|
initially. This situation is equivalent to having acquired the lock: when
|
|
there is only a single thread, all object accesses are safe. Therefore, when
|
|
this function initializes the lock, it also acquires it. Before the Python
|
|
:mod:`thread` module creates a new thread, knowing that either it has the lock
|
|
or the lock hasn't been created yet, it calls :cfunc:`PyEval_InitThreads`. When
|
|
this call returns, it is guaranteed that the lock has been created and that the
|
|
calling thread has acquired it.
|
|
|
|
It is **not** safe to call this function when it is unknown which thread (if
|
|
any) currently has the global interpreter lock.
|
|
|
|
This function is not available when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: int PyEval_ThreadsInitialized()
|
|
|
|
Returns a non-zero value if :cfunc:`PyEval_InitThreads` has been called. This
|
|
function can be called without holding the lock, and therefore can be used to
|
|
avoid calls to the locking API when running single-threaded. This function is
|
|
not available when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_AcquireLock()
|
|
|
|
Acquire the global interpreter lock. The lock must have been created earlier.
|
|
If this thread already has the lock, a deadlock ensues. This function is not
|
|
available when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_ReleaseLock()
|
|
|
|
Release the global interpreter lock. The lock must have been created earlier.
|
|
This function is not available when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_AcquireThread(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Acquire the global interpreter lock and set the current thread state to
|
|
*tstate*, which should not be *NULL*. The lock must have been created earlier.
|
|
If this thread already has the lock, deadlock ensues. This function is not
|
|
available when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_ReleaseThread(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Reset the current thread state to *NULL* and release the global interpreter
|
|
lock. The lock must have been created earlier and must be held by the current
|
|
thread. The *tstate* argument, which must not be *NULL*, is only used to check
|
|
that it represents the current thread state --- if it isn't, a fatal error is
|
|
reported. This function is not available when thread support is disabled at
|
|
compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyThreadState* PyEval_SaveThread()
|
|
|
|
Release the interpreter lock (if it has been created and thread support is
|
|
enabled) and reset the thread state to *NULL*, returning the previous thread
|
|
state (which is not *NULL*). If the lock has been created, the current thread
|
|
must have acquired it. (This function is available even when thread support is
|
|
disabled at compile time.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_RestoreThread(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Acquire the interpreter lock (if it has been created and thread support is
|
|
enabled) and set the thread state to *tstate*, which must not be *NULL*. If the
|
|
lock has been created, the current thread must not have acquired it, otherwise
|
|
deadlock ensues. (This function is available even when thread support is
|
|
disabled at compile time.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_ReInitThreads()
|
|
|
|
This function is called from :cfunc:`PyOS_AfterFork` to ensure that newly
|
|
created child processes don't hold locks referring to threads which
|
|
are not running in the child process.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following macros are normally used without a trailing semicolon; look for
|
|
example usage in the Python source distribution.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cmacro:: Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
|
|
|
|
This macro expands to ``{ PyThreadState *_save; _save = PyEval_SaveThread();``.
|
|
Note that it contains an opening brace; it must be matched with a following
|
|
:cmacro:`Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS` macro. See above for further discussion of this
|
|
macro. It is a no-op when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cmacro:: Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
|
|
|
|
This macro expands to ``PyEval_RestoreThread(_save); }``. Note that it contains
|
|
a closing brace; it must be matched with an earlier
|
|
:cmacro:`Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS` macro. See above for further discussion of
|
|
this macro. It is a no-op when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cmacro:: Py_BLOCK_THREADS
|
|
|
|
This macro expands to ``PyEval_RestoreThread(_save);``: it is equivalent to
|
|
:cmacro:`Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS` without the closing brace. It is a no-op when
|
|
thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cmacro:: Py_UNBLOCK_THREADS
|
|
|
|
This macro expands to ``_save = PyEval_SaveThread();``: it is equivalent to
|
|
:cmacro:`Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS` without the opening brace and variable
|
|
declaration. It is a no-op when thread support is disabled at compile time.
|
|
|
|
All of the following functions are only available when thread support is enabled
|
|
at compile time, and must be called only when the interpreter lock has been
|
|
created.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyInterpreterState* PyInterpreterState_New()
|
|
|
|
Create a new interpreter state object. The interpreter lock need not be held,
|
|
but may be held if it is necessary to serialize calls to this function.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyInterpreterState_Clear(PyInterpreterState *interp)
|
|
|
|
Reset all information in an interpreter state object. The interpreter lock must
|
|
be held.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyInterpreterState_Delete(PyInterpreterState *interp)
|
|
|
|
Destroy an interpreter state object. The interpreter lock need not be held.
|
|
The interpreter state must have been reset with a previous call to
|
|
:cfunc:`PyInterpreterState_Clear`.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyThreadState* PyThreadState_New(PyInterpreterState *interp)
|
|
|
|
Create a new thread state object belonging to the given interpreter object. The
|
|
interpreter lock need not be held, but may be held if it is necessary to
|
|
serialize calls to this function.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyThreadState_Clear(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Reset all information in a thread state object. The interpreter lock must be
|
|
held.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyThreadState_Delete(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Destroy a thread state object. The interpreter lock need not be held. The
|
|
thread state must have been reset with a previous call to
|
|
:cfunc:`PyThreadState_Clear`.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyThreadState* PyThreadState_Get()
|
|
|
|
Return the current thread state. The interpreter lock must be held. When the
|
|
current thread state is *NULL*, this issues a fatal error (so that the caller
|
|
needn't check for *NULL*).
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyThreadState* PyThreadState_Swap(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Swap the current thread state with the thread state given by the argument
|
|
*tstate*, which may be *NULL*. The interpreter lock must be held.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyObject* PyThreadState_GetDict()
|
|
|
|
Return a dictionary in which extensions can store thread-specific state
|
|
information. Each extension should use a unique key to use to store state in
|
|
the dictionary. It is okay to call this function when no current thread state
|
|
is available. If this function returns *NULL*, no exception has been raised and
|
|
the caller should assume no current thread state is available.
|
|
|
|
.. versionchanged:: 2.3
|
|
Previously this could only be called when a current thread is active, and *NULL*
|
|
meant that an exception was raised.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: int PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc(long id, PyObject *exc)
|
|
|
|
Asynchronously raise an exception in a thread. The *id* argument is the thread
|
|
id of the target thread; *exc* is the exception object to be raised. This
|
|
function does not steal any references to *exc*. To prevent naive misuse, you
|
|
must write your own C extension to call this. Must be called with the GIL held.
|
|
Returns the number of thread states modified; this is normally one, but will be
|
|
zero if the thread id isn't found. If *exc* is :const:`NULL`, the pending
|
|
exception (if any) for the thread is cleared. This raises no exceptions.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyGILState_STATE PyGILState_Ensure()
|
|
|
|
Ensure that the current thread is ready to call the Python C API regardless of
|
|
the current state of Python, or of its thread lock. This may be called as many
|
|
times as desired by a thread as long as each call is matched with a call to
|
|
:cfunc:`PyGILState_Release`. In general, other thread-related APIs may be used
|
|
between :cfunc:`PyGILState_Ensure` and :cfunc:`PyGILState_Release` calls as long
|
|
as the thread state is restored to its previous state before the Release(). For
|
|
example, normal usage of the :cmacro:`Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS` and
|
|
:cmacro:`Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS` macros is acceptable.
|
|
|
|
The return value is an opaque "handle" to the thread state when
|
|
:cfunc:`PyGILState_Ensure` was called, and must be passed to
|
|
:cfunc:`PyGILState_Release` to ensure Python is left in the same state. Even
|
|
though recursive calls are allowed, these handles *cannot* be shared - each
|
|
unique call to :cfunc:`PyGILState_Ensure` must save the handle for its call
|
|
to :cfunc:`PyGILState_Release`.
|
|
|
|
When the function returns, the current thread will hold the GIL. Failure is a
|
|
fatal error.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyGILState_Release(PyGILState_STATE)
|
|
|
|
Release any resources previously acquired. After this call, Python's state will
|
|
be the same as it was prior to the corresponding :cfunc:`PyGILState_Ensure` call
|
|
(but generally this state will be unknown to the caller, hence the use of the
|
|
GILState API.)
|
|
|
|
Every call to :cfunc:`PyGILState_Ensure` must be matched by a call to
|
|
:cfunc:`PyGILState_Release` on the same thread.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asynchronous Notifications
|
|
==========================
|
|
|
|
A mechanism is provided to make asynchronous notifications to the main
|
|
interpreter thread. These notifications take the form of a function
|
|
pointer and a void argument.
|
|
|
|
.. index:: single: setcheckinterval() (in module sys)
|
|
|
|
Every check interval, when the interpreter lock is released and reacquired,
|
|
python will also call any such provided functions. This can be used for
|
|
example by asynchronous IO handlers. The notification can be scheduled
|
|
from a worker thread and the actual call than made at the earliest
|
|
convenience by the main thread where it has possession of the global
|
|
interpreter lock and can perform any Python API calls.
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void Py_AddPendingCall( int (*func)(void *, void *arg) )
|
|
|
|
.. index:: single: Py_AddPendingCall()
|
|
|
|
Post a notification to the Python main thread. If successful,
|
|
*func* will be called with the argument *arg* at the earliest
|
|
convenience. *func* will be called having the global interpreter
|
|
lock held and can thus use the full Python API and can take any
|
|
action such as setting object attributes to signal IO completion.
|
|
It must return 0 on success, or -1 signalling an exception.
|
|
The notification function won't be interrupted to perform another
|
|
asynchronous notification recursively,
|
|
but it can still be interrupted to switch threads if the interpreter
|
|
lock is released, for example, if it calls back into python code.
|
|
|
|
This function returns 0 on success in which case the notification has been
|
|
scheduled. Otherwise, for example if the notification buffer is full,
|
|
it returns -1 without setting any exception.
|
|
|
|
This function can be called on any thread, be it a Python thread or
|
|
some other system thread. If it is a Python thread, it doesn't matter if
|
|
it holds the global interpreter lock or not.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. _profiling:
|
|
|
|
Profiling and Tracing
|
|
=====================
|
|
|
|
.. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Python interpreter provides some low-level support for attaching profiling
|
|
and execution tracing facilities. These are used for profiling, debugging, and
|
|
coverage analysis tools.
|
|
|
|
Starting with Python 2.2, the implementation of this facility was substantially
|
|
revised, and an interface from C was added. This C interface allows the
|
|
profiling or tracing code to avoid the overhead of calling through Python-level
|
|
callable objects, making a direct C function call instead. The essential
|
|
attributes of the facility have not changed; the interface allows trace
|
|
functions to be installed per-thread, and the basic events reported to the trace
|
|
function are the same as had been reported to the Python-level trace functions
|
|
in previous versions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. ctype:: int (*Py_tracefunc)(PyObject *obj, PyFrameObject *frame, int what, PyObject *arg)
|
|
|
|
The type of the trace function registered using :cfunc:`PyEval_SetProfile` and
|
|
:cfunc:`PyEval_SetTrace`. The first parameter is the object passed to the
|
|
registration function as *obj*, *frame* is the frame object to which the event
|
|
pertains, *what* is one of the constants :const:`PyTrace_CALL`,
|
|
:const:`PyTrace_EXCEPTION`, :const:`PyTrace_LINE`, :const:`PyTrace_RETURN`,
|
|
:const:`PyTrace_C_CALL`, :const:`PyTrace_C_EXCEPTION`, or
|
|
:const:`PyTrace_C_RETURN`, and *arg* depends on the value of *what*:
|
|
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| Value of *what* | Meaning of *arg* |
|
|
+==============================+======================================+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_CALL` | Always *NULL*. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_EXCEPTION` | Exception information as returned by |
|
|
| | :func:`sys.exc_info`. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_LINE` | Always *NULL*. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_RETURN` | Value being returned to the caller. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_C_CALL` | Name of function being called. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_C_EXCEPTION` | Always *NULL*. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
| :const:`PyTrace_C_RETURN` | Always *NULL*. |
|
|
+------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_CALL
|
|
|
|
The value of the *what* parameter to a :ctype:`Py_tracefunc` function when a new
|
|
call to a function or method is being reported, or a new entry into a generator.
|
|
Note that the creation of the iterator for a generator function is not reported
|
|
as there is no control transfer to the Python bytecode in the corresponding
|
|
frame.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_EXCEPTION
|
|
|
|
The value of the *what* parameter to a :ctype:`Py_tracefunc` function when an
|
|
exception has been raised. The callback function is called with this value for
|
|
*what* when after any bytecode is processed after which the exception becomes
|
|
set within the frame being executed. The effect of this is that as exception
|
|
propagation causes the Python stack to unwind, the callback is called upon
|
|
return to each frame as the exception propagates. Only trace functions receives
|
|
these events; they are not needed by the profiler.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_LINE
|
|
|
|
The value passed as the *what* parameter to a trace function (but not a
|
|
profiling function) when a line-number event is being reported.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_RETURN
|
|
|
|
The value for the *what* parameter to :ctype:`Py_tracefunc` functions when a
|
|
call is returning without propagating an exception.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_C_CALL
|
|
|
|
The value for the *what* parameter to :ctype:`Py_tracefunc` functions when a C
|
|
function is about to be called.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_C_EXCEPTION
|
|
|
|
The value for the *what* parameter to :ctype:`Py_tracefunc` functions when a C
|
|
function has thrown an exception.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cvar:: int PyTrace_C_RETURN
|
|
|
|
The value for the *what* parameter to :ctype:`Py_tracefunc` functions when a C
|
|
function has returned.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_SetProfile(Py_tracefunc func, PyObject *obj)
|
|
|
|
Set the profiler function to *func*. The *obj* parameter is passed to the
|
|
function as its first parameter, and may be any Python object, or *NULL*. If
|
|
the profile function needs to maintain state, using a different value for *obj*
|
|
for each thread provides a convenient and thread-safe place to store it. The
|
|
profile function is called for all monitored events except the line-number
|
|
events.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: void PyEval_SetTrace(Py_tracefunc func, PyObject *obj)
|
|
|
|
Set the tracing function to *func*. This is similar to
|
|
:cfunc:`PyEval_SetProfile`, except the tracing function does receive line-number
|
|
events.
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyObject* PyEval_GetCallStats(PyObject *self)
|
|
|
|
Return a tuple of function call counts. There are constants defined for the
|
|
positions within the tuple:
|
|
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| Name | Value |
|
|
+===============================+=======+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_ALL` | 0 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_FUNCTION` | 1 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_FAST_FUNCTION` | 2 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_FASTER_FUNCTION`| 3 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_METHOD` | 4 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_BOUND_METHOD` | 5 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_CFUNCTION` | 6 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_TYPE` | 7 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_GENERATOR` | 8 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_OTHER` | 9 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
| :const:`PCALL_POP` | 10 |
|
|
+-------------------------------+-------+
|
|
|
|
:const:`PCALL_FAST_FUNCTION` means no argument tuple needs to be created.
|
|
:const:`PCALL_FASTER_FUNCTION` means that the fast-path frame setup code is used.
|
|
|
|
If there is a method call where the call can be optimized by changing
|
|
the argument tuple and calling the function directly, it gets recorded
|
|
twice.
|
|
|
|
This function is only present if Python is compiled with :const:`CALL_PROFILE`
|
|
defined.
|
|
|
|
.. _advanced-debugging:
|
|
|
|
Advanced Debugger Support
|
|
=========================
|
|
|
|
.. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>
|
|
|
|
|
|
These functions are only intended to be used by advanced debugging tools.
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyInterpreterState* PyInterpreterState_Head()
|
|
|
|
Return the interpreter state object at the head of the list of all such objects.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyInterpreterState* PyInterpreterState_Next(PyInterpreterState *interp)
|
|
|
|
Return the next interpreter state object after *interp* from the list of all
|
|
such objects.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyThreadState * PyInterpreterState_ThreadHead(PyInterpreterState *interp)
|
|
|
|
Return the a pointer to the first :ctype:`PyThreadState` object in the list of
|
|
threads associated with the interpreter *interp*.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
.. cfunction:: PyThreadState* PyThreadState_Next(PyThreadState *tstate)
|
|
|
|
Return the next thread state object after *tstate* from the list of all such
|
|
objects belonging to the same :ctype:`PyInterpreterState` object.
|
|
|
|
.. versionadded:: 2.2
|
|
|