source: trunk/essentials/dev-lang/python/Doc/lib/libnew.tex@ 3398

\section{\module{new} ---
         Creation of runtime internal objects}

\declaremodule{builtin}{new}
\sectionauthor{Moshe Zadka}{[email protected]}
\modulesynopsis{Interface to the creation of runtime implementation objects.}


The \module{new} module allows an interface to the interpreter object
creation functions. This is for use primarily in marshal-type functions,
when a new object needs to be created ``magically'' and not by using the
regular creation functions. This module provides a low-level interface
to the interpreter, so care must be exercised when using this module.
It is possible to supply non-sensical arguments which crash the
interpreter when the object is used.

The \module{new} module defines the following functions:

\begin{funcdesc}{instance}{class\optional{, dict}}
This function creates an instance of \var{class} with dictionary
\var{dict} without calling the \method{__init__()} constructor.  If
\var{dict} is omitted or \code{None}, a new, empty dictionary is
created for the new instance.  Note that there are no guarantees that
the object will be in a consistent state.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{instancemethod}{function, instance, class}
This function will return a method object, bound to \var{instance}, or
unbound if \var{instance} is \code{None}.  \var{function} must be
callable.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{function}{code, globals\optional{, name\optional{,
                           argdefs\optional{, closure}}}}
Returns a (Python) function with the given code and globals. If
\var{name} is given, it must be a string or \code{None}.  If it is a
string, the function will have the given name, otherwise the function
name will be taken from \code{\var{code}.co_name}.  If
\var{argdefs} is given, it must be a tuple and will be used to
determine the default values of parameters.  If \var{closure} is given,
it must be \code{None} or a tuple of cell objects containing objects
to bind to the names in \code{\var{code}.co_freevars}.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{code}{argcount, nlocals, stacksize, flags, codestring,
                       constants, names, varnames, filename, name, firstlineno,
                       lnotab}
This function is an interface to the \cfunction{PyCode_New()} C
function.
%XXX This is still undocumented!!!!!!!!!!!
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{module}{name[, doc]}
This function returns a new module object with name \var{name}.
\var{name} must be a string.
The optional \var{doc} argument can have any type.
\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{classobj}{name, baseclasses, dict}
This function returns a new class object, with name \var{name}, derived
from \var{baseclasses} (which should be a tuple of classes) and with
namespace \var{dict}.
\end{funcdesc}