[Python-Dev] PEP: Adding data-type objects to Python (original) (raw)

Travis Oliphant oliphant.travis at ieee.org
Tue Oct 31 21:56:30 CET 2006

Martin v. Löwis wrote:

Stephan Tolksdorf schrieb:

While Travis' proposal encompasses the data format functionality within the struct module and overlaps with what ctypes has to offer, it does not aim to replace ctypes. This discussion could have been a lot shorter if he had said so. Unfortunately (?) he stated that it was precisely a motivation of the PEP to provide a standard data description machinery that can then be adopted by the struct, array, and ctypes modules.

Struct and array I was sure about. Ctypes less sure. I'm very sorry for the distraction I caused by mis-stating my objective. My objective is really the extended buffer protocol. The data-type object is a means to that end.

I do think ctypes could make use of the data-type object and that there is a real difference between using Python type objects as data-format descriptions and using another Python type for those descriptions. I thought to go the ctypes route (before I even knew what ctypes did) but decided against it for a number of reasons.

But, nonetheless those are side issues. The purpose of the PEP is to provide an object that the extended buffer protocol can use to share data-format information. It should be considered primarily in that context.

-Travis

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