How can I extend an embedded python interpreter with C++ functions?

Question

How can I extend an embedded interpreter with C++ code? I have embedded the interpreter and I can use boost.python to make a loadable module (as in a shared library) but I don't want the library floating around because I want to directly interface with my C++ application. Sorry if my writing is a bit incoherent.

Answer 1

At least for the 2.x interpreters: you write your methods as C-style code with PyObject* return values. They all basically look like:

PyObject* foo(PyObject *self, PyObject *args);

Then, you collect these methods in a static array of PyMethodDef:

static PyMethodDef MyMethods[] =
{
    {"mymethod", foo, METH_VARARGS, "What my method does"},
    {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}
};

Then, after you've created and initialized the interpreter, you can add these methods "into" the interpreter via the following:

Py_InitModule("modulename", MyMethods);

You can refer now to your methods via the modulename you've declared here.

Some additional info here: http://www.eecs.tufts.edu/~awinsl02/py_c/