What's a negative index?
Python sequences are indexed with positive numbers and negative numbers. For positive numbers 0 is the first index 1 is the second index and so forth. For negative indices -1 is the last index and -2 is the penultimate (next to last) index and so forth. Think of seq[-n] as the same as seq[len(seq)-n]. Using negative indices can be very convenient. For example S[:-1] is all of the string except for its last character, which is useful for removing the trailing newline from a string.
Is there a scanf() or sscanf() equivalent?
Not as such. For simple input parsing, the easiest approach is usually to split the line into whitespace-delimited words using the split() method of string objects and then convert decimal strings to numeric values using int() or float(). split() supports an optional "sep" parameter which is useful if the line uses something other than whitespace as a separator. For more complicated input parsing, regular expressions more powerful than C's sscanf() and better suited for the task.
How do you make an array in Python?
Use a list: ["this", 1, "is", "an", "array"] Lists are equivalent to C or Pascal arrays in their time complexity; the primary difference is that a Python list can contain objects of many different types. The array module also provides methods for creating arrays of fixed types with compact representations, but they are slower to index than lists. Also note that the Numeric extensions and others define array-like structures with various characteristics as well. To get Lisp-style linked lists, you can emulate cons cells using tuples: lisp_list = ("like", ("this", ("example", None) ) ) If mutability is desired, you could use lists instead of tuples. Here the analogue of lisp car is lisp_list[0] and the analogue of cdr is lisp_list[1]. Only do this if you're sure you really need to, because it's usually a lot slower than using Python lists.
What is self?
Self is merely a conventional name for the first argument of a method. A method defined as meth(self, a, b, c) should be called as x.meth(a, b, c) for some instance x of the class in which the definition occurs; the called method will think it is called as meth(x, a, b, c).
Where is the math.py (socket.py, regex.py, etc.) source file?
There are (at least) three kinds of modules in Python: 1. modules written in Python (.py); 2. modules written in C and dynamically loaded (.dll, .pyd, .so, .sl, etc); 3. modules written in C and linked with the interpreter; to get a list of these, type: import sys print sys.builtin_module_names
How do I read (or write) binary data?
or complex data formats, it's best to use the struct module. It allows you to take a string containing binary data (usually numbers) and convert it to Python objects; and vice versa. For example, the following code reads two 2-byte integers and one 4-byte integer in big-endian format from a file: import struct f = open(filename, "rb") # Open in binary mode for portability s = f.read(8) x, y, z = struct.unpack(">hhl", s) The '>' in the format string forces big-endian data; the letter 'h' reads one "short integer" (2 bytes), and 'l' reads one "long integer" (4 bytes) from the string.
Are there any interfaces to database packages in Python?
Yes. Python 2.3 includes the bsddb package which provides an interface to the BerkeleyDB library. Interfaces to disk-based hashes such as DBM and GDBM are also included with standard Python.
How can I execute arbitrary Python statements from C?
The highest-level function to do this is PyRun_SimpleString() which takes a single string argument to be executed in the context of the module __main__ and returns 0 for success and -1 when an exception occurred (including SyntaxError). If you want more control, use PyRun_String(); see the source for PyRun_SimpleString() in Python/pythonrun.c.
How can I evaluate an arbitrary Python expression from C?
Call the function PyRun_String() from the previous question with the start symbol Py_eval_input; it parses an expression, evaluates it and returns its value.
How do I debug an extension?
When using GDB with dynamically loaded extensions, you can't set a breakpoint in your extension until your extension is loaded. In your .gdbinit file (or interactively), add the command: br _PyImport_LoadDynamicModule Then, when you run GDB: $ gdb /local/bin/python gdb) run myscript.py gdb) continue # repeat until your extension is loaded gdb) finish # so that your extension is loaded gdb) br myfunction.c:50 gdb) continue
Where is Freeze for Windows?
"Freeze" is a program that allows you to ship a Python program as a single stand-alone executable file. It is not a compiler; your programs don't run any faster, but they are more easily distributable, at least to platforms with the same OS and CPU.
Python sequences are indexed with positive numbers and negative numbers. For positive numbers 0 is the first index 1 is the second index and so forth. For negative indices -1 is the last index and -2 is the penultimate (next to last) index and so forth. Think of seq[-n] as the same as seq[len(seq)-n]. Using negative indices can be very convenient. For example S[:-1] is all of the string except for its last character, which is useful for removing the trailing newline from a string.
Is there a scanf() or sscanf() equivalent?
Not as such. For simple input parsing, the easiest approach is usually to split the line into whitespace-delimited words using the split() method of string objects and then convert decimal strings to numeric values using int() or float(). split() supports an optional "sep" parameter which is useful if the line uses something other than whitespace as a separator. For more complicated input parsing, regular expressions more powerful than C's sscanf() and better suited for the task.
How do you make an array in Python?
Use a list: ["this", 1, "is", "an", "array"] Lists are equivalent to C or Pascal arrays in their time complexity; the primary difference is that a Python list can contain objects of many different types. The array module also provides methods for creating arrays of fixed types with compact representations, but they are slower to index than lists. Also note that the Numeric extensions and others define array-like structures with various characteristics as well. To get Lisp-style linked lists, you can emulate cons cells using tuples: lisp_list = ("like", ("this", ("example", None) ) ) If mutability is desired, you could use lists instead of tuples. Here the analogue of lisp car is lisp_list[0] and the analogue of cdr is lisp_list[1]. Only do this if you're sure you really need to, because it's usually a lot slower than using Python lists.
What is self?
Self is merely a conventional name for the first argument of a method. A method defined as meth(self, a, b, c) should be called as x.meth(a, b, c) for some instance x of the class in which the definition occurs; the called method will think it is called as meth(x, a, b, c).
Where is the math.py (socket.py, regex.py, etc.) source file?
There are (at least) three kinds of modules in Python: 1. modules written in Python (.py); 2. modules written in C and dynamically loaded (.dll, .pyd, .so, .sl, etc); 3. modules written in C and linked with the interpreter; to get a list of these, type: import sys print sys.builtin_module_names
How do I read (or write) binary data?
or complex data formats, it's best to use the struct module. It allows you to take a string containing binary data (usually numbers) and convert it to Python objects; and vice versa. For example, the following code reads two 2-byte integers and one 4-byte integer in big-endian format from a file: import struct f = open(filename, "rb") # Open in binary mode for portability s = f.read(8) x, y, z = struct.unpack(">hhl", s) The '>' in the format string forces big-endian data; the letter 'h' reads one "short integer" (2 bytes), and 'l' reads one "long integer" (4 bytes) from the string.
Are there any interfaces to database packages in Python?
Yes. Python 2.3 includes the bsddb package which provides an interface to the BerkeleyDB library. Interfaces to disk-based hashes such as DBM and GDBM are also included with standard Python.
How can I execute arbitrary Python statements from C?
The highest-level function to do this is PyRun_SimpleString() which takes a single string argument to be executed in the context of the module __main__ and returns 0 for success and -1 when an exception occurred (including SyntaxError). If you want more control, use PyRun_String(); see the source for PyRun_SimpleString() in Python/pythonrun.c.
How can I evaluate an arbitrary Python expression from C?
Call the function PyRun_String() from the previous question with the start symbol Py_eval_input; it parses an expression, evaluates it and returns its value.
How do I debug an extension?
When using GDB with dynamically loaded extensions, you can't set a breakpoint in your extension until your extension is loaded. In your .gdbinit file (or interactively), add the command: br _PyImport_LoadDynamicModule Then, when you run GDB: $ gdb /local/bin/python gdb) run myscript.py gdb) continue # repeat until your extension is loaded gdb) finish # so that your extension is loaded gdb) br myfunction.c:50 gdb) continue
Where is Freeze for Windows?
"Freeze" is a program that allows you to ship a Python program as a single stand-alone executable file. It is not a compiler; your programs don't run any faster, but they are more easily distributable, at least to platforms with the same OS and CPU.