1. In the BCC package that can be downloaded are some useful tools but you should note that the compiler does not contain a debugger.
2. If you want an IDE to which is compatible with BCC you can try VIDE at http://www.objectcentral.com/vide/. (The steps below do not use an IDE so it is not required)

1. Download the BCC package from http://www.borland.com/bcppbuilder/freecompiler/. As well as the BCC package which contains BCB5TOOL.HLP you should also download the other on-line help files depending on your needs:

- The core C++Builder Help file (BCB5.HLP),

- Standard C++ Library Help (BCB5SCL.HLP),

- C++Builder Language Guide Help (BCB5LANG.HLP),

- The C Runtime Library Reference (BCB5RTL.HLP), and

- The Errors Messages and Warnings listing (BCB5ERRS.HLP).

All of these files (and more!) are available for free download from the Borland C++Builder documentation site at http:\\www.borland.com\techpubs\bcppbuilder.

 

2. Install the BCC package and read the README.TXT and pay special attention to the .cfg files for the compiler and linker. I have provided in the "Other_Files" directory my .cfg files so you can use them as a reference for setting up yours.

 

The bcc32.cfg file is:

-w

-I"E:\BORLAND\BCC55\INCLUDE;.\;E:\PROGRAM FILES\PYTHON\INCLUDE"

-L"E:\BORLAND\BCC55\LIB;e:\Borland\Bcc55\lib\psdk;E:\PROGRAM FILES\PYTHON\LIBS"

 

You will need to substitute the correct path to the BCC and Python INCLUDE directories as well as the BCC LIB and Python LIBS directories.

The ilink32.cfg is:

-x

-L"E:\BORLAND\BCC55\LIB;e:\Borland\bcc55\lib\psdk;E:\PROGRAM FILES\PYTHON\LIBS"

 

Likewise, you will have to change the paths so they match yours.

 

3. In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file add the following lines:

That is all there is to the setup of the compiler.

Now that you have done the difficult part, here are the files that you need to make it all work.

1. Create a directory where you want to build your extension. Put your C source code, your .def file and .bat file in it (and maybe mypylib.lib as well).
2. The mypylib.lib file (in "Other_Files") is the .lib file for the python15.dll. This was created by using the COFF2OMF import library conversion tool on the python15.lib file. We link to mypylib.lib rather than python15.lib. This tool is in the BCC package. (You do not need to redo this as I have already done it and call it mypylib.lib.) This file (mypylib.lib) needs to be in place were the linker can find it. This can be in your C extension source code directory, in the linker search path shown in the ilink32.cfg file that you set above, or some other path that will be searched by the linker.
3. The .DEF file gets the .pyd export name sorted out so that the module can be imported properly into Python. BCC likes to put underscores on the exported names while MSVC does not. Because Python was created with MSVC, Python expects the import not to have these underscores. If modulename.pyd is your module name, your source code (modulename.c) will contain the lines:

__declspec(dllexport)

void initmodulename()

to export the initmodulename for module initialization.

As noted above, BCC put underscores on the exported name. Therefore to rectify this the modulename.def should contain:

EXPORTS

initmodulename=_initmodulename

The left hand side must start with init followed by the name of the extension as this is what Python expects.

 

4. A batch file can be used to run the compiler and linker so you do not have to retype every time you want to build the extension. I have given you ones for dynamic and static linking with the run time libraries in the examples. All you need to do is change the file name and then run it. The two important lines in the .BAT file are:

Static RTL Linking

bcc32 -c -tWM example.c

ilink32 -Tpd example c0d32,example.pyd,,mypylib import32 cw32mt,example

Dynamic RTL Linking

bcc32 -c -tWM -tWR example.c

ilink32 -Tpd example c0d32,example.pyd,,mypylib import32 cw32mti,example

In both the above the module name is example.pyd. The difference between the static and dynamic linking is the extension size and the fact that you need to distribute cc3250mt.dll with your .pyd when it is dynamically linked. Most of the time I think that you will want to link it statically and not distribute the rather large cc3250mt.dll.

5. To make it work, all you need to do is double click on the .bat file and the .pyd file will appear in the same directory. You can open a dosbox, start up python and then try and import the file. You may get a compiler warning about "self" not being used. This is expected and normal and can be ignored.

1. ExTest1_Stat

This example is from Quick Python. It is statically linked to the RTL. It takes two integers and adds or multiplies them. For example:

E:\Borland\MYSOURCE\pyExtension\ExTest1_Stat>python

Python 1.5.2 (#0, Apr 13 1999, 10:51:12) [MSC 32 bit (Intel)] on win32

Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam

>>> import example

>>> example.add(2,3)

5

>>> example.mult(3,6)

18

>>>

 

2. ExTest2_Stat and ExTest2_Dyn

This example is from Quick Python. It has both a statically linked and dynamically linked version. It takes a single Python object as an argument, and returns a two-element Python list, with each consisting of a reference to the object past in as an argument. Memory management using Py_INCREF is used. As an example:

E:\Borland\MYSOURCE\pyExtension\ExTest2_Stat>python

Python 1.5.2 (#0, Apr 13 1999, 10:51:12) [MSC 32 bit (Intel)] on win32

Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam

>>> import example

>>> example.makelist([1,2,(5,6,7),"abc"])

[[1, 2, (5, 6, 7), 'abc'], [1, 2, (5, 6, 7), 'abc']]

>>>

 

3. ExTest3_Stat

1. BCC Compiler/Linker/Tools Information - Use the downloaded online help files.

2. BCC Compiler/Linker/Tools NewsGroups through link on http://www.borland.com/bcppbuilder/freecompiler/

3. Michael P. Reilly's "How to write a Python Extension" at http://starship.python.net/~arcege/extwriting/pyext.html

4. Python Extending/Embedding Manual - Part of the standard Python Documents

5. Hammond and Robinson, "Python Programming on Win32" - Good on how to use MSVC to make an extension but weak on how to write and extension. Lots of good information about Win32 programming.

6. Harms and McDonald, "The Quick Python Book" - Better on how to write an extension. Good info about general Python Programming.

7. Do your own Web Search.