[pygtk] Can't run PyGTK more than once from embedded Python

[Patrick K. O'Brien]

Johan Dahlin wrote:
>> Unfortunately, it's not possible to have a single
>> interpreter. For example, more than one document can
>> be opened and each of them can have an interpreter
>> instance. Every other Python library tested works
>> properly with multiple interpreters. 'pygtk' module
>> doesn't complain, only 'gtk' one does. If the issue
>> comes from the gtk extension modules being initialized
>> multiple times, I'll add a bug to the tracker.
> 
> 
> You can have different namespaces inside the same interpreter.

Right.  Unfortunately there *are* limits to this approach in so far as
imported modules can act as a sort of global namespace, with potentially
undesirable consequences.  On the other hand...

> Running multiple interpreters inside the same process is not
> officially supported in python. You're likely to run into many
> complex, hard to fix problem which no one wants to help you solve.

As much as I wish it were otherwise, I completely agree.  I worked very
hard to find a solution to this and came up empty-handed.  I think your
major alternatives are:

* one embedded interpreter, separate namespaces, potential disruption
due to modules as global namespace (the potential disruption usually
being fairly minimal unless you have untrusted scripts, in which case
anything can happen)

* write your main app in Python and make use of C modules from there

Here is an important question - are the scripts you are launching ones
that you have written and are supplying with your main application, or
are they being written by end-users?  And what is your level of
responsibility if one of these scripts did something evil?

-- 
Patrick K. O'Brien
Orbtech       http://www.orbtech.com
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