Sharing Declarations Between Cython Modules

This section describes a new set of facilities introduced in Cython 0.8 for making C declarations and extension types in one Cython module available for use in another Cython module. These facilities are closely modelled on the Python import mechanism, and can be thought of as a compile-time version of it.

Contents

Definition and Implementation files

A Cython module can be split into two parts: a definition file with a .pxd suffix, containing C declarations that are to be available to other Cython modules, and an implementation file with a .pyx suffix, containing everything else. When a module wants to use something declared in another module's definition file, it imports it using the cimport statement.

What a Definition File contains

A definition file can contain: It cannot currently contain any non-extern C function or variable declarations (although this may be possible in a future version).

It cannot contain the implementations of any C or Python functions, or any Python class definitions, or any executable statements.

NOTE: You don't need to (and shouldn't) declare anything in a declaration file public in order to make it available to other Cython modules; its mere presence in a definition file does that. You only need a public declaration if you want to make something available to external C code.

What an Implementation File contains

An implementation file can contain any kind of Cython statement, although there are some restrictions on the implementation part of an extension type if the corresponding definition file also defines that type (see below).

The cimport statement

The cimport statement is used in a definition or implementation file to gain access to names declared in another definition file. Its syntax exactly parallels that of the normal Python import statement:
cimport module [, module...]
from module cimport name [as name] [, name [as name] ...]
Here is an example. The file on the left is a definition file which exports a C data type. The file on the right is an implementation file which imports and uses it.
 
dishes.pxd restaurant.pyx
cdef enum otherstuff:
    sausage, eggs, lettuce

cdef struct spamdish:
    int oz_of_spam
    otherstuff filler

 cimport dishes
from dishes cimport spamdish

cdef void prepare(spamdish *d):
    d.oz_of_spam = 42
    d.filler = dishes.sausage

def serve():
    spamdish d
    prepare(&d)
    print "%d oz spam, filler no. %d" % \
         (d->oz_of_spam, d->otherstuff)

It is important to understand that the cimport statement can only be used to import C data types, external C functions and variables, and extension types. It cannot be used to import any Python objects, and (with one exception) it doesn't imply any Python import at run time. If you want to refer to any Python names from a module that you have cimported, you will have to include a regular import statement for it as well.

The exception is that when you use cimport to import an extension type, its type object is imported at run time and made available by the name under which you imported it. Using cimport to import extension types is covered in more detail below.

Search paths for definition files

When you cimport a module called modulename, the Cython compiler searches for a file called modulename.pxd along the search path for include files, as specified by -I command line options.

Also, whenever you compile a file modulename.pyx, the corresponding definition file modulename.pxd is first searched for along the same path, and if found, it is processed before processing the .pyx file.

Using cimport to resolve naming conflicts

The cimport mechanism provides a clean and simple way to solve the problem of wrapping external C functions with Python functions of the same name. All you need to do is put the extern C declarations into a .pxd file for an imaginary module, and cimport that module. You can then refer to the C functions by qualifying them with the name of the module. Here's an example:
 
c_lunch.pxd lunch.pyx
cdef extern from "lunch.h":
    void eject_tomato(float)		 cimport c_lunch

def eject_tomato(float speed):
    c_lunch.eject_tomato(speed)

You don't need any c_lunch.pyx file, because the only things defined in c_lunch.pxd are extern C entities. There won't be any actual c_lunch module at run time, but that doesn't matter -- c_lunch has done its job of providing an additional namespace at compile time.

Sharing Extension Types

An extension type declaration can also be split into two parts, one in a definition file and the other in the corresponding implementation file.

The definition part of the extension type can only declare C attributes and C methods, not Python methods, and it must declare all of that type's C attributes and C methods.

The implementation part must implement all of the C methods declared in the definition part, and may not add any further C attributes. It may also define Python methods.

Here is an example of a module which defines and exports an extension type, and another module which uses it.
 
Shrubbing.pxd Shrubbing.pyx
cdef class Shrubbery:
    cdef int width
    cdef int length		 cdef class Shrubbery:
    def __new__(self, int w, int l):
        self.width = w
        self.length = l

def standard_shrubbery():
    return Shrubbery(3, 7)
Landscaping.pyx
cimport Shrubbing
import Shrubbing

cdef Shrubbing.Shrubbery sh
sh = Shrubbing.standard_shrubbery()
print "Shrubbery size is %d x %d" % (sh.width, sh.height)
 

Some things to note about this example:

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