[Python-Dev] Linux Python linking with G++? (original) (raw)

"Martin v. Löwis" martin at v.loewis.de
Sun Jul 10 09:12:07 CEST 2005

David Abrahams wrote:

Yes, and that becomes important in programs that have constructors. I.e., C++ programs. The Python executable is not such a program, except for one C++ file: ccpython.cc.

That is not true. ccpython was introduced to support builds of the Python interpreter where some modules are C++. As you know, people do write extension modules in C++.

There is no reason that file couldn't be rewritten as a pure 'C' file and any need for Python to be linked with G++ would disappear.

There is already a version of that file in C, Modules/python.c. This is used when --with-cxx is not given.

The configure option --with-cxx (documented as "enable C++ support") make Python C++ options work on such systems.

What are "Python C++ options?"

Oops, meant "Python C++ extension modules" (it must have been late when I wrote that).

I could personally accept if ccpython and --with-cxx would be dropped entirely (i.e. deliberately breaking systems which require it);

I don't believe any systems require it. I realize you have said otherwise, but after years of working with Boost.Python I'm very familiar with the issues of dynamic linking and C/C++ interoperability on a wide variety of platforms, and I'm not convinced by your assertion. If such a system exists, it should be easy for someone to point me at it, and show that something breaks.

I well remember that gcc 2.5.8 on Linux a.out required this sort of setup. Dynamic linking was not supported at all on that system (atleast not in a way where users could easily write shared libraries themselves). Rebuilding the Python interpreter was the only option to integrate additional modules.

Regards, Martin

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