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[Python-Dev] Inconsistency of PyModule_AddObject()

Serhiy Storchaka storchaka at gmail.com
Wed Apr 27 14:02:19 EDT 2016 
On 27.04.16 15:31, Hrvoje Niksic wrote:
> On 04/27/2016 09:14 AM, Serhiy Storchaka wrote:
>> There are three functions (or at least three documented functions) in C
>> API that "steals" references: PyList_SetItem(), PyTuple_SetItem() and
>> PyModule_AddObject(). The first two "steals" references even on failure,
>> and this is well known behaviour. But PyModule_AddObject() "steals" a
>> reference only on success. There is nothing in the documentation that
>> points on this.
>
> This inconsistency has caused bugs (or, more fairly, potential leaks)
> before, see http://bugs.python.org/issue1782

Glad to hear I'm not the first faced with this problem.

> Unfortunately, the suggested Python 3 change to PyModule_AddObject was
> not accepted.

Bad. May be it happened because of the risk to break third-party working 
code.

I propose a gradual path to change PyModule_AddObject.

>> 1. Add a new function PyModule_AddObject2(), that steals a reference
>> even on failure.
>
> This sounds like a good idea, except the name could be prettier :), e.g.
> PyModule_InsertObject. PyModule_AddObject could be deprecated.

I have decided to not introduce new public function. But just control 
the behavior of old function with the macro. This needs minimal changes 
to user code.
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