Python – PyDateTime_IMPORT macro not initializing PyDateTimeAPI variable

cdatetimepython-2.6python-c-api

I'm using the Python C API on Windows using Visual Studio 2008. When I attempt to use the PyDate_Check macro, and other related macros, they cause an access violation because the static variable PyDateTimeAPI is null. This variable is initialized using the PyDateTime_IMPORT macro which needs calling before using any date time macros. I do this when creating a new Python sub-interpreter on a separate thread.

Couple of questions:
– Why is the the PyCObject_Import function in the PyDateTime_IMPORT macro returning null. I understand a null return value is because the module cannot be found. But how can the datetime module not being found? Could it be because of an incorrect sys.path in the sub-interpreter?
– Also, am I calling PyDateTime_IMPORT macro in the correct place, should it be just after the sub-interpreter is initialized, or when the Python interpreter is initialized?

PyDateTime_IMPORT definition:

#define PyDateTime_IMPORT \
    PyDateTimeAPI = (PyDateTime_CAPI*) PyCObject_Import("datetime", \
                                                        "datetime_CAPI")`

Best Answer

I ran into this same problem using G++ and Python 3.2. It has something to do that since PyDateTimeAPI is declared in the header, each file that includes that header gets its own version of the variable.

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A pointer can be re-assigned:

int x = 5;
int y = 6;
int *p;
p = &x;
p = &y;
*p = 10;
assert(x == 5);
assert(y == 10);

A reference cannot be re-bound, and must be bound at initialization:

int x = 5;
int y = 6;
int &q; // error
int &r = x;

A pointer variable has its own identity: a distinct, visible memory address that can be taken with the unary & operator and a certain amount of space that can be measured with the sizeof operator. Using those operators on a reference returns a value corresponding to whatever the reference is bound to; the reference’s own address and size are invisible. Since the reference assumes the identity of the original variable in this way, it is convenient to think of a reference as another name for the same variable.
```
int x = 0;
int &r = x;
int *p = &x;
int *p2 = &r;

assert(p == p2); // &x == &r
assert(&p != &p2);
```

You can have arbitrarily nested pointers to pointers offering extra levels of indirection. References only offer one level of indirection.

int x = 0;
int y = 0;
int *p = &x;
int *q = &y;
int **pp = &p;

**pp = 2;
pp = &q; // *pp is now q
**pp = 4;

assert(y == 4);
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A pointer can be assigned nullptr, whereas a reference must be bound to an existing object. If you try hard enough, you can bind a reference to nullptr, but this is undefined and will not behave consistently.

/* the code below is undefined; your compiler may optimise it
 * differently, emit warnings, or outright refuse to compile it */

int &r = *static_cast<int *>(nullptr);

// prints "null" under GCC 10
std::cout
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    << std::endl;

bool f(int &r) { return &r != nullptr; }

// prints "not null" under GCC 10
std::cout
    << (f(*static_cast<int *>(nullptr))
        ? "not null" : "null")
    << std::endl;

You can, however, have a reference to a pointer whose value is nullptr.

Pointers can iterate over an array; you can use ++ to go to the next item that a pointer is pointing to, and + 4 to go to the 5th element. This is no matter what size the object is that the pointer points to.
A pointer needs to be dereferenced with * to access the memory location it points to, whereas a reference can be used directly. A pointer to a class/struct uses -> to access its members whereas a reference uses a ..
References cannot be put into an array, whereas pointers can be (Mentioned by user @litb)
Const references can be bound to temporaries. Pointers cannot (not without some indirection):
```
const int &x = int(12); // legal C++
int *y = &int(12); // illegal to take the address of a temporary.
```
This makes const & more convenient to use in argument lists and so forth.

C++ – Initializing a static std::map in C++

Using C++11:

#include <map>
using namespace std;

map<int, char> m = {{1, 'a'}, {3, 'b'}, {5, 'c'}, {7, 'd'}};

Using Boost.Assign:

#include <map>
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using namespace std;
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