Interfacing C++ and Python

References

• interfacing C++ and Python via Boost
• Introduction to Boost.Python

Quick start

• command line under linux

:> g++ -shared myfile.cpp -I/usr/include/python2.6 -lboost_python -o myfile.so -fPIC

This compiles the basic example below:

//         myfile.h    
struct World
{
  void set(std::string msgin) {this->msg=msgin ;}
  std::string greet() {return msg ;}
  std::string msg;
} ;

//         myfile.cpp   #include <boost/python.hpp>

#include "myfile.h"

using namespace boost::python;

BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(hello)
{
  def("greet", greet, "return one of three parts of a greeting");
  class_<World>("World")
    .def("greet",&World::greet)
    .def("set",&World::set)
    ; 
}

which runs under python as

In [1]: import hello
In [2]: planet = hello.World()
In [3]: planet.set('howdy')
In [4]: planet.greet()
Out[4]: 'howdy'