pointers.py 1.0.0

Bringing the hell of pointers to Python.

pointers.py

Bringing the hell of pointers to Python

Why would you ever need this

Example

from pointers import Pointer, to_ptr

class test_class:
    pass

def some_function(ptr: Pointer[test_class]):
    print(repr(ptr)) # <pointer to test_class object at [address]>"

some_function(to_ptr(test_class()))

Installation

Linux/macOS

python3 -m pip install -U pointers.py

Windows

py -3 -m pip install -U pointers.py

Usage

To convert something to a pointer, use the pointers.to_ptr() function. Then, when annotating function types use the pointers.Pointer class, like so:

from pointers import Pointer, to_ptr

class test_class:
    pass

def some_function(ptr: Pointer[test_class]): # can be any data type (str, tuple, etc)
    ...

some_function(to_ptr(test_class())) # converts the instance to a pointer object

To dereference a pointer, use the Pointer.dereference() function:

def some_function(ptr: Pointer[test_class]):
    my_instance: test_class = ptr.dereference() # dereferences the pointer

instance = test_class()
some_function(to_ptr(instance))

If the address no longer exists, pointers.DereferenceError is raised.

You can add safe = False to the Pointer.dereference() function to use C when dereferencing. A segmentation fault will occur if the address does not exist, so only use if you are sure the pointer is valid.