.. highlightlang:: c

.. _fileobjects:

File Objects

------------

.. index:: object: file

Python's built-in file objects are implemented entirely on the :ctype:`FILE\*`

support from the C standard library.  This is an implementation detail and may

change in future releases of Python.

.. ctype:: PyFileObject

   This subtype of :ctype:`PyObject` represents a Python file object.

.. cvar:: PyTypeObject PyFile_Type

   .. index:: single: FileType (in module types)

   This instance of :ctype:`PyTypeObject` represents the Python file type.  This is

   exposed to Python programs as ``file`` and ``types.FileType``.

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_Check(PyObject *p)

   Return true if its argument is a :ctype:`PyFileObject` or a subtype of

   :ctype:`PyFileObject`.

   .. versionchanged:: 2.2

      Allowed subtypes to be accepted.

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_CheckExact(PyObject *p)

   Return true if its argument is a :ctype:`PyFileObject`, but not a subtype of

   :ctype:`PyFileObject`.

   .. versionadded:: 2.2

.. cfunction:: PyObject* PyFile_FromString(char *filename, char *mode)

   .. index:: single: fopen()

   On success, return a new file object that is opened on the file given by

   *filename*, with a file mode given by *mode*, where *mode* has the same

   semantics as the standard C routine :cfunc:`fopen`.  On failure, return *NULL*.

.. cfunction:: PyObject* PyFile_FromFile(FILE *fp, char *name, char *mode, int (*close)(FILE*))

   Create a new :ctype:`PyFileObject` from the already-open standard C file

   pointer, *fp*.  The function *close* will be called when the file should be

   closed.  Return *NULL* on failure.

.. cfunction:: FILE* PyFile_AsFile(PyObject \*p)

   Return the file object associated with *p* as a :ctype:`FILE\*`.

   If the caller will ever use the returned :ctype:`FILE\*` object while

   the GIL is released it must also call the `PyFile_IncUseCount` and

   `PyFile_DecUseCount` functions described below as appropriate.

.. cfunction:: void PyFile_IncUseCount(PyFileObject \*p)

   Increments the PyFileObject's internal use count to indicate

   that the underlying :ctype:`FILE\*` is being used.

   This prevents Python from calling f_close() on it from another thread.

   Callers of this must call `PyFile_DecUseCount` when they are

   finished with the :ctype:`FILE\*`.  Otherwise the file object will

   never be closed by Python.

   The GIL must be held while calling this function.

   The suggested use is to call this after `PyFile_AsFile` just before

   you release the GIL.

   .. versionadded:: 2.6

.. cfunction:: void PyFile_DecUseCount(PyFileObject \*p)

   Decrements the PyFileObject's internal unlocked_count member to

   indicate that the caller is done with its own use of the :ctype:`FILE\*`.

   This may only be called to undo a prior call to `PyFile_IncUseCount`.

   The GIL must be held while calling this function.

   .. versionadded:: 2.6

.. cfunction:: PyObject* PyFile_GetLine(PyObject *p, int n)

   .. index:: single: EOFError (built-in exception)

   Equivalent to ``p.readline([n])``, this function reads one line from the

   object *p*.  *p* may be a file object or any object with a :meth:`readline`

   method.  If *n* is ``0``, exactly one line is read, regardless of the length of

   the line.  If *n* is greater than ``0``, no more than *n* bytes will be read

   from the file; a partial line can be returned.  In both cases, an empty string

   is returned if the end of the file is reached immediately.  If *n* is less than

   ``0``, however, one line is read regardless of length, but :exc:`EOFError` is

   raised if the end of the file is reached immediately.

.. cfunction:: PyObject* PyFile_Name(PyObject *p)

   Return the name of the file specified by *p* as a string object.

.. cfunction:: void PyFile_SetBufSize(PyFileObject *p, int n)

   .. index:: single: setvbuf()

   Available on systems with :cfunc:`setvbuf` only.  This should only be called

   immediately after file object creation.

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_SetEncoding(PyFileObject *p, const char *enc)

   Set the file's encoding for Unicode output to *enc*. Return 1 on success and 0

   on failure.

   .. versionadded:: 2.3

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_SetEncodingAndErrors(PyFileObject *p, const char *enc, *errors)

   Set the file's encoding for Unicode output to *enc*, and its error

   mode to *err*. Return 1 on success and 0 on failure.

   .. versionadded:: 2.6

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_SoftSpace(PyObject *p, int newflag)

   .. index:: single: softspace (file attribute)

   This function exists for internal use by the interpreter.  Set the

   :attr:`softspace` attribute of *p* to *newflag* and return the previous value.

   *p* does not have to be a file object for this function to work properly; any

   object is supported (thought its only interesting if the :attr:`softspace`

   attribute can be set).  This function clears any errors, and will return ``0``

   as the previous value if the attribute either does not exist or if there were

   errors in retrieving it.  There is no way to detect errors from this function,

   but doing so should not be needed.

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_WriteObject(PyObject *obj, PyObject *p, int flags)

   .. index:: single: Py_PRINT_RAW

   Write object *obj* to file object *p*.  The only supported flag for *flags* is

   :const:`Py_PRINT_RAW`; if given, the :func:`str` of the object is written

   instead of the :func:`repr`.  Return ``0`` on success or ``-1`` on failure; the

   appropriate exception will be set.

.. cfunction:: int PyFile_WriteString(const char *s, PyObject *p)

   Write string *s* to file object *p*.  Return ``0`` on success or ``-1`` on

   failure; the appropriate exception will be set.