How do you extend python with C++?
<p>I've successfully extended python with C, thanks to <a href="http://www.nevada.edu/~cwebster/Python/MPWHOWTO/xxmodule.c">this handy skeleton module</a>. But I can't find one for C++, and I have circular dependency trouble when trying to fix the errors that C++ gives when I compile this skeleton module.</p>

<p>How do you extend Python with C++?</p>

<p>I'd rather not depend on Boost (or SWIP or other libraries) if I don't have to. Dependencies are a pain in the butt. Best case scenario, I find a skeleton file that already compiles with C++.</p>

<p>Here's the edited skeleton I've made for C++:</p>

<pre><code>#include &lt;Python.h&gt;

#include "Flp.h"

static PyObject * ErrorObject;

typedef struct {
    PyObject_HEAD
    PyObject * x_attr; // attributes dictionary
} FlpObject;

static void Flp_dealloc(FlpObject * self);
static PyObject * Flp_getattr(FlpObject * self, char * name);
static int Flp_setattr(FlpObject * self, char * name, PyObject * v);
DL_EXPORT(void) initflp();

static PyTypeObject Flp_Type = {
    /* The ob_type field must be initialized in the module init function
     * to be portable to Windows without using C++. */
    PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
    0,          /*ob_size*/
    "Flp",          /*tp_name*/
    sizeof(FlpObject),  /*tp_basicsize*/
    0,          /*tp_itemsize*/
    /* methods */
    (destructor)Flp_dealloc, /*tp_dealloc*/
    0,          /*tp_print*/
    (getattrfunc)Flp_getattr, /*tp_getattr*/
    (setattrfunc)Flp_setattr, /*tp_setattr*/
    0,          /*tp_compare*/
    0,          /*tp_repr*/
    0,          /*tp_as_number*/
    0,          /*tp_as_sequence*/
    0,          /*tp_as_mapping*/
    0,          /*tp_hash*/
};

#define FlpObject_Check(v) ((v)-&gt;ob_type == &amp;Flp_Type)

static FlpObject * newFlpObject(PyObject * arg)
{
    FlpObject * self;
    self = PyObject_NEW(FlpObject, &amp;Flp_Type);
    if (self == NULL)
        return NULL;
    self-&gt;x_attr = NULL;
    return self;
}

// Flp methods

static void Flp_dealloc(FlpObject * self)
{
    Py_XDECREF(self-&gt;x_attr);
    PyMem_DEL(self);
}

static PyObject * Flp_demo(FlpObject * self, PyObject * args)
{
    if (! PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))
        return NULL;
    Py_INCREF(Py_None);
    return Py_None;
}

static PyMethodDef Flp_methods[] = {
    {"demo",    (PyCFunction)Flp_demo,  1},
    {NULL,      NULL} // sentinel
};

static PyObject * Flp_getattr(FlpObject * self, char * name)
{
    if (self-&gt;x_attr != NULL) {
        PyObject * v = PyDict_GetItemString(self-&gt;x_attr, name);
        if (v != NULL) {
            Py_INCREF(v);
            return v;
        }
    }
    return Py_FindMethod(Flp_methods, (PyObject *)self, name);
}

static int Flp_setattr(FlpObject * self, char * name, PyObject * v)
{
    if (self-&gt;x_attr == NULL) {
        self-&gt;x_attr = PyDict_New();
        if (self-&gt;x_attr == NULL)
            return -1;
    }
    if (v == NULL) {
        int rv = PyDict_DelItemString(self-&gt;x_attr, name);
        if (rv &lt; 0)
            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_AttributeError,
                    "delete non-existing Flp attribute");
        return rv;
    }
    else
        return PyDict_SetItemString(self-&gt;x_attr, name, v);
}
/* --------------------------------------------------------------------- */

/* Function of two integers returning integer */

static PyObject * flp_foo(PyObject * self, PyObject * args)
{
    long i, j;
    long res;
    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ll", &amp;i, &amp;j))
        return NULL;
    res = i+j; /* flpX Do something here */
    return PyInt_FromLong(res);
}


/* Function of no arguments returning new Flp object */

static PyObject * flp_new(PyObject * self, PyObject * args)
{
    FlpObject *rv;

    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))
        return NULL;
    rv = newFlpObject(args);
    if ( rv == NULL )
        return NULL;
    return (PyObject *)rv;
}

/* Example with subtle bug from extensions manual ("Thin Ice"). */

static PyObject * flp_bug(PyObject * self, PyObject * args)
{
    PyObject *list, *item;

    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O", &amp;list))
        return NULL;

    item = PyList_GetItem(list, 0);
    /* Py_INCREF(item); */
    PyList_SetItem(list, 1, PyInt_FromLong(0L));
    PyObject_Print(item, stdout, 0);
    printf("\n");
    /* Py_DECREF(item); */

    Py_INCREF(Py_None);
    return Py_None;
}

/* Test bad format character */

static PyObject * flp_roj(PyObject * self, PyObject * args)
{
    PyObject *a;
    long b;
    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O#", &amp;a, &amp;b))
        return NULL;
    Py_INCREF(Py_None);
    return Py_None;
}


/* List of functions defined in the module */

static PyMethodDef flp_methods[] = {
    {"roj",     flp_roj,     1},
    {"foo",     flp_foo,     1},
    {"new",     flp_new,     1},
    {"bug",     flp_bug,     1},
    {NULL,      NULL}       /* sentinel */
};


/* Initialization function for the module (*must* be called initflp) */

DL_EXPORT(void) initflp()
{
    PyObject *m, *d;

    /* Initialize the type of the new type object here; doing it here
     * is required for portability to Windows without requiring C++. */
    Flp_Type.ob_type = &amp;PyType_Type;

    /* Create the module and add the functions */
    m = Py_InitModule("flp", flp_methods);

    /* Add some symbolic constants to the module */
    d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
    ErrorObject = PyErr_NewException("flp.error", NULL, NULL);
    PyDict_SetItemString(d, "error", ErrorObject);
}
</code></pre>

<p>This compiles fine for me, but when I test it:</p>

<pre><code>$ python
Python 2.6.5 (r265:79063, Apr 16 2010, 13:57:41) 
[GCC 4.4.3] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
&gt;&gt;&gt; import flp
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "&lt;stdin&gt;", line 1, in &lt;module&gt;
ImportError: dynamic module does not define init function (initflp)
&gt;&gt;&gt; 
</code></pre>
