[C API] Add PyImport_ImportModuleAttr(mod_name, attr_name) helper function #128911
Description
Feature or enhancement
Proposal:
Python has an internal _PyImport_GetModuleAttrString(mod_name, attr_name) helper function to import a module and get a module attribute. I propose to make this function public to be able to use it outside Python.
UPDATE: Function renamed to PyImport_ImportModuleAttrString().
The function is convenient to use and is used by the following files in Python:
- Modules/arraymodule.c
- Modules/cjkcodecs/cjkcodecs.h
- Modules/_ctypes/callbacks.c
- Modules/_datetimemodule.c
- Modules/_decimal/_decimal.c
- Modules/_elementtree.c
- Modules/faulthandler.c
- Modules/_lsprof.c
- Modules/_operator.c
- Modules/_pickle.c
- Modules/posixmodule.c
- Modules/selectmodule.c
- Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
- Modules/_sqlite/module.c
- Modules/_sre/sre.c
- Modules/timemodule.c
- Modules/_zoneinfo.c
- Objects/abstract.c
- Objects/fileobject.c
- Objects/memoryobject.c
- Parser/pegen.c
- Parser/tokenizer/file_tokenizer.c
- Python/import.c
- Python/pylifecycle.c
Has this already been discussed elsewhere?
No response given
Links to previous discussion of this feature:
No response
Linked PRs
- gh-128911: Add PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function #128912
- gh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API #128915
- [3.13] gh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (#128915) #128960
- [3.12] gh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (GH-128915) (GH-128960) #128989
- gh-128911: Use PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function #129657
Activity
pythongh-128911: Add PyImport_GetModuleAttrString() function
encukou commentedon Jan 16, 2025
IMO, the
*Stringfunctions should generally have variants that takePyObject*.So, if we add this we should also add
PyImport_GetModuleAttr.pythongh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API
pythongh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API
vstinner commentedon Jan 16, 2025
Ok, I added PyImport_GetModuleAttr() to my PR.
gh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (#128915)
pythongh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (python#128915)
pythongh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (python#128915)
[3.13] gh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (#128915) (#128960)
[3.12] [3.13] pythongh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (pytho…
[3.12] gh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (GH-128915) (GH-128960
malemburg commentedon Jan 20, 2025
This sounds like a useful addition. The fact that the internal API is already used a lot in CPython is evidence enough 😄
And BTW: I like that you're starting to approach C API design from the perspective of a C programmer again.
Rich C APIs make it a joy programming against them, while minimalist APIs only result in others creating additional layers on top, which adds fragmentation, overall increased maintenance and loss of design control. 👍
pythongh-128911: Add tests on the PyImport C API (python#128915)
[-][C API] Add PyImport_GetModuleAttrString(mod_name, attr_name) helper function[/-][+][C API] Add PyImport_ImportModuleAttr(mod_name, attr_name) helper function[/+]vstinner commentedon Jan 27, 2025
See also #129367 which proposes adding
PySys_GetAttr().gh-128911: Add PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function (#128912)
pythongh-128911: Use PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function
gh-128911: Use PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function (#129657)
pythongh-128911: Add PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function (python#128912
pythongh-128911: Use PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function (python#129657
pythongh-128911: Use PyImport_ImportModuleAttr() function (python#129657