Python-purple HowTo
Introduction
Python-purple is a python bind for libpurple. It was written using Cython extension. As the Cython's website says: "Cython is a language that makes writing C extensions for the Python language as easy as Python itself. Cython is based on the well-known Pyrex, but supports more cutting edge functionality and optimizations.".
Python-purple provides access to libpurple functions from python programs. You only need to import purple.so module (e.g. import purple from python shell) to start using python-purple. This HOWTO is not about modifying/extending python-purple bind itself, but how to write a python application using python-purple.
Downloading python-purple
To download from GIT repository, issue the following command:
git clone https://vcs.maemo.org/git/python-purple
You will find python-purple source code inside python-purple/ directory.
Building and installing python-purple
In order to build python-purple, you need the following packages:
- cdbs
- debhelper
- libpurple-dev
- libglib2.0-dev
- python2.5-dev
- python2.5-distutils
- cython (optional)
NOTE: Although it's not dependent, cython should also needed if you want to re-create purple.c file (generated from cython using purple.pyx).
Building cython-generated purple.c file (optional):
$ cython purple.pyx -I libpurple/
This is also done by setup.py when running:
$ python2.5 setup.py build
If you don't need to generate purple.c file, you can use setup_dist.py:
$ python2.5 setup_dist.py build
Both setups generates purple.so inside build/ directory. The difference is that setup.py also generates purple.c file, if it doesn't exists.
To install files inside your system:
$ sudo python2.5 setup.py install --root=/usr
You can also create a debian package of it:
$ dpkg-buildpackage -rfakeroot
Run python-purple module
To import purple module inside a python program, you need to call python interpreter and/or run the python script with LD_PRELOAD tag attached. For example:
$ LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libpurple.so.0 python2.5 nullclient.py
