circuitpython/examples/natmod/README.md
Jim Mussared 607548f32d examples/natmod: Add features4 as a class definition example.
Also provide a basic README.md for dynamic native modules.

This work was funded through GitHub Sponsors.

Signed-off-by: Jim Mussared <jim.mussared@gmail.com>
2023-09-02 00:16:16 +10:00

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# Dynamic Native Modules
Dynamic Native Modules are .mpy files that contain native machine code from a
language other than Python. For more info see [the documentation]
(https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/develop/natmod.html).
This should not be confused with [User C Modules]
(https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/develop/cmodules.html) which are a
mechanism to add additional out-of-tree modules into the firmware build.
## Examples
This directory contains several examples of writing dynamic native modules, in
two main categories:
1. Feature examples.
* `features0` - A module containing a single "factorial" function which
demonstrates working with integers.
* `features1` - A module that demonstrates some common tasks:
- defining simple functions exposed to Python
- defining local, helper C functions
- defining constant integers and strings exposed to Python
- getting and creating integer objects
- creating Python lists
- raising exceptions
- allocating memory
- BSS and constant data (rodata)
- relocated pointers in rodata
* `features2` - This is a hybrid module containing both Python and C code,
and additionally the C code is spread over multiple files. It also
demonstrates using floating point (only when the target supports
hardware floating point).
* `features3` - A module that shows how to use types, constant objects,
and creating dictionary instances.
* `features4` - A module that demonstrates how to define a class.
2. Dynamic version of existing built-ins.
This provides a way to add missing functionality to firmware that doesn't
include certain built-in modules. See the `heapq`, `random`, `re`,
`deflate`, `btree`, and `framebuf` directories.
So for example, if your firmware was compiled with `MICROPY_PY_FRAMEBUF`
disabled (e.g. to save flash space), then it would not include the
`framebuf` module. The `framebuf` native module provides a way to add the
`framebuf` module dynamically.
The way these work is they define a dynamic native module which
`#include`'s the original module and then does the necessary
initialisation of the module's globals dict.
## Build instructions
To compile an example, you need to have the same toolchain available as
required for your target port. e.g. `arm-none-eabi-gcc` for any ARM Cortex M
target. See the port instructions for details.
You also need to have the `pyelftools` Python package available, either via
your system package manager or installed from PyPI in a virtual environment
with `pip`.
Each example provides a Makefile. You should specify the `ARCH` argument to
make (one of x86, x64, armv6m, armv7m, xtensa, xtensawin):
```
$ cd features0
$ make ARCH=armv7m
$ mpremote cp features0.mpy :
```