embedder

Ilan Schnell, 2008-07-13

SVN: https://svn.enthought.com/svn/sandbox/embedder/

This tool generates C code suitable for the simplest form of embedding a Python script in C (very high level embedding). The generated C code, which is basically a call to PyRun_SimpleString, features different levels of obfuscation for the string passed to this C/API function, such that inspecting a compiled binary which includes the generated code does not include the Python source as a plain string.

Examples and use cases:

insert_into_python.sh -- how to insert a snippet of Python code into the main Python interpreter itself
- The main interpreter can check for registration, trail period, expiration date, ...
standalone/ -- how to create a standalone C file (which will of course still link to libpython) which executes Python code.
- A python script can be turned into an obfuscated binary executable. This is be useful when the author does not want to expose his/her code (although a hacker can still get at the code, for example by recompiling libpython in such a way that it prints the Python code string).
extend/ -- how to create an extension module which executes some Python code (from C) when imported.
- A large custom application could have several import statements in various places which check registration, trail period, expiration date, ...

There are many other situations in which one might want to call Python from C. However, most of them will go below very high level embedding, i.e. calling a Python function from C (with arguments and return value). These cases are more complicated and there are almost no tools for automating such tasks; these tool would be the opposite of wrapper tools like SWIG.

References: