[Bf-python] Reference Count Owners Manual

[Ken Hughes]

Joseph Gilbert wrote:
> Hello to all,
> 
> I'm am getting myself clear on reference count in the C/API and i've put 
> together a little document to help me :)  If anyone would like to 
> disscuss it or verify ideas presented here that would be great. I would 
> like to use this personally in my coding efforts and if it's useful,  to 
> also place on the wiki. Anyway without further ado:

This is a good idea; I spend a lot of time reading to see if I've just 
been handed a new reference or a borrowed reference.  Two brief suggestions:

>...
> C/API Functions beginning with PyObject_, PySequence_, PyMapping_, 
> PyNumber_ return references that you own.

Not all of them; some like PySequence_Fast_GET_ITEM() return borrowed 
references.

>...
> Functions beginning with PyList_, PyTuple_, PyDict_, etc. return a 
> borrowed reference.

Almost all, PyList_New() and the like being exceptions (obviously :-) )


Ken