How to add a python binding to C#?

Question

When you want to call C from python, you write a module like this:

http://docs.python.org/extending/extending.html

Now, I have a question:

I want to write a module for use in Python with C#.

How can I get C# to interact with native Python ?
(Note: I'm not interested in Python.NET or IronPython).

Just out of curiosity, since both IronPython and Python.Net seem to fit the description of what you say you're looking for, why are you not interested in them? — Mia Clarke
– Mia Clarke, Commented Oct 31, 2010 at 22:21

Jim Brissom · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-31 22:27:02Z

1

I know you are probably not gonna like this answer, but honestly: write it in C++, using boost::python or directly in Cython.

It'd be possible to write an extension using C#, but you'd have to convert the data structures used by Python, import a good deal of the Python C API, marshal everything back and forth between managed and unmanaged code, map object lifetimes between both Python's and C#'s garbage collector etc., which is most likely just not worth it.

You would also induce a dependency on the .NET framework, loose platform independence (probably even with Mono) while in general providing little benefit.

If you want to consume C# assemblies in CPython, your best bet actually is pywin32's win32com module on the Python side, and COM Interop on the .NET side. It allows you to expose your C# objects as COM classes with a few added attributes at the source level and easily import them into Python as objects, with events and everything. I had a lot of success integrating both platforms that way.

answered Oct 31, 2010 at 22:27

Jim Brissom

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1 Comment

Ian Ringrose Over a year ago

use managed C++ then it is easy to call your .net code (C#) from your C++ python binding. However you may still need to think about "pinning" objects to stop them being garbage collected when being used by the other side.

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