[Python-Dev] bdb.py trace C implementation? (original) (raw)

David Christian david.christian at gmail.com
Wed Apr 1 23:49:31 CEST 2009

Hi all, I've recently written a C version of the trace function used in figleaf (the coverage tool written by Titus). After a few rewrites to add in caching, etc, it gives users a significant speedup. One person stated that switching to the C version caused coverage to decrease from a 442% slowdown to only a 56% slowdown.

You can see my C implementation at: http://github.com/ctb/figleaf/blob/e077155956c288b68704b09889ebcd675ba02240/figleaf/_coverage.c

(Specific comments about the implementation welcome off-list).

I'd like to attempt something similar for bdb.py (only for the trace function). A naive C trace function which duplicated the current python function should speed up bdb significantly. I would initially write the smallest part of the C implementation that I could. Basically the tracing function would call back out to python at any point where a line requires action.

I'd be willing to maintain the C implementation. I would be willing to write those tests that are possible as well.

Is this something that would be likely to be accepted?

Thanks, David Christian Senior Software Engineer rPath, Inc.

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