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 fully 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

Python-purple source code is part of Carman's project. To download from SVN repository, issue the following command:

svn checkout https://garage.maemo.org/svn/carman

You will find python-purple source code inside carman/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