Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter

4. Building C and C++ Extensions on Windows

This chapter briefly explains how to create a Windows extension module for Python using Microsoft Visual C++, and follows with more detailed background information on how it works. The explanatory material is useful for both the Windows programmer learning to build Python extensions and the Unix programmer interested in producing software which can be successfully built on both Unix and Windows.

Module authors are encouraged to use the distutils approach for building extension modules, instead of the one described in this section. You will still need the C compiler that was used to build Python; typically Microsoft Visual C++.

• 4.1 A Cookbook Approach
• 4.2 Differences Between Unix and Windows
• 4.3 Using DLLs in Practice

Extending and Embedding the Python Interpreter

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Release 2.4c1, documentation updated on 18 November 2004.