So, read about it. It doesn't bites. :)
As I said, I am totally unaware of the limitations of the system, but that
it did what I need, and would have liked to do that from Pharo/Squeak. I
know Dolphin has/had certain capabilities. But I don't prefer to use
non-open source software if at all possible for development. I also am very
preferential towards cross-platform software. Dolphin fails on all accounts.
I would choose my Python/Pharo blend over Dolphin any day. I know it
introduces some pain, but I am willing to accept the pain. I like tools that
allow me to use them where ever I am and whatever I am doing.
However, that said, when I look at the facilities Python offers for such
capabilities it on appearances looks quite impressive.
http://docs.python.org/library/ctypes.html
"""
ctypes is a foreign function library for Python. It provides C compatible
data types, and allows calling functions in DLLs or shared libraries. It can
be used to wrap these libraries in pure Python.
15.18.1.1. Loading dynamic link libraries
ctypes exports the cdll, and on Windows windll and oledll objects, for
loading dynamic link libraries.
You load libraries by accessing them as attributes of these objects. cdll
loads libraries which export functions using the standard cdecl calling
convention, while windll libraries call functions using the stdcall calling
convention. oledll also uses the stdcall calling convention, and assumes the
functions return a Windows HRESULT error code. The error code is used to
automatically raise a WindowsError exception when the function call fails.
Here are some examples for Windows. Note that msvcrt is the MS standard C
library containing most standard C functions, and uses the cdecl calling
convention:
from ctypes import *
print windll.kernel32 # doctest: +WINDOWS
<WinDLL 'kernel32', handle ... at ...>
print cdll.msvcrt # doctest: +WINDOWS
<CDLL 'msvcrt', handle ... at ...>
libc = cdll.msvcrt # doctest: +WINDOWS
So? Why do you think that you cannot do the same in Pharo?
Have you digested what is available before doing it in Python?
"""
It has examples for windows and linux.
I feel that you are seriously under-informed.
Just try googling for:
Squeak + FFI
Alien
NativeBoost
and just check what you can do using it:
http://www.squeaksource.com/NBOpenGL/
also check mail archives.
Forgive me, but i really can't understand , why you can't just look
for what you need by yourself?
Are google.com banned by your ISP?
For me this subject is interested in aspect, why this information
(while being available openly) didn't catch your
attention , so you using python instead.
(Okay, you might miss some functionality like being able to
automatically generate bindings to COM interfaces).
But again, i am sure that if you surf the net or ask right questions
on mailing list, you will probably discover that
there is already work being done in that direction.
And at last, if you feel that there is missing some key functionality
which you want, and you expect that it is also
could be useful to community, you can always implement it and share
with people (instead of using Python ;).
So, next who will come after you won't find himself in a desert with
couple of oasises few hundred miles away.
I didn't read it all as I am unqualified to assess its capabilities or
limitations, nor do I presently need it as the win32 extensions do easily
and well what I presently need to do.
Hopefully it can inform us as to what is expected and doable in alternative
languages which are dynamic like Smalltalk.
Jimmie
--
Best regards,
Igor Stasenko AKA sig.
