Module Objects

There are only a few functions special to module objects.

PyTypeObject PyModule_Type

This instance of PyTypeObject represents the Python module type. This is exposed to Python programs as types.ModuleType.

int PyModule_Check(PyObject *p)

Return true if p is a module object, or a subtype of a module object.

int PyModule_CheckExact(PyObject *p)

Return true if p is a module object, but not a subtype of PyModule_Type.

PyObject* PyModule_New(const char *name)

Return value: New reference.

Return a new module object with the __name__ attribute set to name. Only the module’s __doc__ and __name__ attributes are filled in; the caller is responsible for providing a __file__ attribute.

PyObject* PyModule_GetDict(PyObject *module)

Return value: Borrowed reference.

Return the dictionary object that implements module‘s namespace; this object is the same as the __dict__ attribute of the module object. This function never fails. It is recommended extensions use other PyModule_*() and PyObject_*() functions rather than directly manipulate a module’s __dict__.

char* PyModule_GetName(PyObject *module)

Return module‘s __name__ value. If the module does not provide one, or if it is not a string, SystemError is raised and NULL is returned.

char* PyModule_GetFilename(PyObject *module)

Return the name of the file from which module was loaded using module‘s __file__ attribute. If this is not defined, or if it is not a string, raise SystemError and return NULL.

void* PyModule_GetState(PyObject *module)

Return the “state” of the module, that is, a pointer to the block of memory allocated at module creation time, or NULL. See PyModuleDef.m_size.

PyModuleDef* PyModule_GetDef(PyObject *module)

Return a pointer to the PyModuleDef struct from which the module was created, or NULL if the module wasn’t created with PyModule_Create().

Initializing C modules

These functions are usually used in the module initialization function.

PyObject* PyModule_Create(PyModuleDef *module)

Create a new module object, given the definition in module. This behaves like PyModule_Create2() with module_api_version set to PYTHON_API_VERSION.

PyObject* PyModule_Create2(PyModuleDef *module, int module_api_version)

Create a new module object, given the definition in module, assuming the API version module_api_version. If that version does not match the version of the running interpreter, a RuntimeWarning is emitted.

Note

Most uses of this function should be using PyModule_Create() instead; only use this if you are sure you need it.

PyModuleDef

This struct holds all information that is needed to create a module object. There is usually only one static variable of that type for each module, which is statically initialized and then passed to PyModule_Create() in the module initialization function.

PyModuleDef_Base m_base

Always initialize this member to PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT.

char* m_name

Name for the new module.

char* m_doc

Docstring for the module; usually a docstring variable created with PyDoc_STRVAR() is used.

Py_ssize_t m_size

If the module object needs additional memory, this should be set to the number of bytes to allocate; a pointer to the block of memory can be retrieved with PyModule_GetState(). If no memory is needed, set this to -1.

This memory should be used, rather than static globals, to hold per-module state, since it is then safe for use in multiple sub-interpreters. It is freed when the module object is deallocated, after the m_free function has been called, if present.

PyMethodDef* m_methods

A pointer to a table of module-level functions, described by PyMethodDef values. Can be NULL if no functions are present.

inquiry m_reload

Currently unused, should be NULL.

traverseproc m_traverse

A traversal function to call during GC traversal of the module object, or NULL if not needed.

inquiry m_clear

A clear function to call during GC clearing of the module object, or NULL if not needed.

freefunc m_free

A function to call during deallocation of the module object, or NULL if not needed.

int PyModule_AddObject(PyObject *module, const char *name, PyObject *value)

Add an object to module as name. This is a convenience function which can be used from the module’s initialization function. This steals a reference to value. Return -1 on error, 0 on success.

int PyModule_AddIntConstant(PyObject *module, const char *name, long value)

Add an integer constant to module as name. This convenience function can be used from the module’s initialization function. Return -1 on error, 0 on success.

int PyModule_AddStringConstant(PyObject *module, const char *name, const char *value)

Add a string constant to module as name. This convenience function can be used from the module’s initialization function. The string value must be null-terminated. Return -1 on error, 0 on success.

int PyModule_AddIntMacro(PyObject *module, macro)

Add an int constant to module. The name and the value are taken from macro. For example PyModule_AddConstant(module, AF_INET) adds the int constant AF_INET with the value of AF_INET to module. Return -1 on error, 0 on success.

int PyModule_AddStringMacro(PyObject *module, macro)

Add a string constant to module.