[Python-Dev] A little GC confusion (original) (raw)

Jeremy Hylton jeremy@alum.mit.edu
Fri, 22 Feb 2002 22:51:28 -0500

[David Abrahams]

I /guess/ there's a bug in my code if you measure it against the standard that says "if it doesn't work with the current Python source code, it's buggy". I'd consider that standard a bit more legitimate if I could find, for example, a mention of PyTPFLAGSHEAPTYPE anywhere in the Python docs.

I've been struggling with the meaning of the various TPFLAGS myself. I don't think it's documented anywhere, and I don't think anyone except Guido really understands what all the flags mean.

One property of types that do not have define HEAPTYPE is that their module attribute is always builtin. This makes them mighty hard to pickle. It further suggests that every type that isn't a builtin type should define HEAPTYPE.

There are lots of other cases affected by HEAPTYPE. I imagine you've done the same grep that I did.

Jeremy