C api and exception handling

[lallous]

Hello,

Is there is a way, using the Python C api, to install an exception handler
that:
- will be triggered when an exception occurs
- analyze the reason of the exception
- correct the situation and try again (something like exception handling on
windows where the exception handler can retrieve the registers
context->faulting instruction->fix situation if needed->restart execution
from the same point)

Since I will be asked: "what are you trying to achieve?", this is what I
want:

func_call("hello") <- no exceptions, good code: function is defined and
called properly
SomeUndefinedFunction("x", "y") <- undefined function call will trigger an
exception. I want my python/C exception handler to inspect the reason of the
exception, if it was a call to an undefined function call then redirect the
execution to a certain method, say: ExecuteByName("SomeUndefinedFunction",
"x", "y")

I know if I create a small class with getattr hooked, what I want can be
achieved.

But can it be done otherwise (without using a class and instead relying on
exception handlers and correcting the exception)?

Regards,
Elias

 

[Carl Banks]

Hello,

Is there is a way, using the Python C api, to install an exception handler
that:
- will be triggered when an exception occurs
- analyze the reason of the exception
- correct the situation and try again (something like exception handling on
windows where the exception handler can retrieve the registers
context->faulting instruction->fix situation if needed->restart execution
from the same point)

Python has no concept of "retrying", at either the Python or C API
level. You might be able to do something Evil in C to get this effect
but I don't recommend it, it'll be fundamentally averse to how Python
works and future versions are likely to break it.

Since I will be asked: "what are you trying to achieve?", this is what I
want:

func_call("hello") <- no exceptions, good code: function is defined and
called properly
SomeUndefinedFunction("x", "y") <- undefined function call will trigger an
exception. I want my python/C exception handler to inspect the reason of the
exception, if it was a call to an undefined function call then redirect the
execution to a certain method, say: ExecuteByName("SomeUndefinedFunction",
"x", "y")

I know if I create a small class with getattr hooked, what I want can be
achieved.

I'd do it that way. There is ordinarily no way to hook into a plain
function call like SomeUndefinedFunction() in Python; if you go around
hacking up the interpreter to do that users will be highly confused
and surprised.

OTOH, hooking into attributes is pretty well-known. When a person
sees attribute notation they know there's an opportunity to do weird
stuff. When a strange function is called, they will be like, "oh,
someone overrode __getattr__".

But can it be done otherwise (without using a class and instead relying on
exception handlers and correcting the exception)?

Just forget about exception handling. If you REALLY insist on doing
this, and I highly recommend against it, the best chance you have is
to try to hook into the importing process and load a module that uses
a custom dictionary object.


Carl Banks

 

[lallous]

Thanks for your help Carl as usual.

Will go with the getattr override method which is cleaner as you explained.

Regards,
Elias