Embed Python/Numpy/Matplotlib in a C++ Qt application?

Question

I am currently working on a small C++ Qt 4.8 (and 5.0 when it will be released) scientific application, and I would like to know if it is possible to embed Python+Numpy+Maptplotlib (and to have a portable app even for people without Python installed) in a C++ Qt application in order to make beautiful plots inside my application ?

Is there any tutorial / example available of a such thing ?

Thank you very much.

P.S. : it is not a problem for me to have to generate temporary files, but it is important that the user doesn't have to have already python installed.

Answer 1

The common way to deal with Python from C++ is with Boost.Python, but it is possible to get along without it.

What you need to remember is that the "Python interpreter" consists of two parts: The Python DLL/SO and the Python stdlib, both of which you will need to provide. The only things a Python installation adds is configuration and an executable which is only a thin wrapper around the other three parts.

Since you don't have a configuration, once the interpreter is initialized you will need to use PySys_SetPath() to set sys.path to point to the stdlib and any additional packages. From there you can use the rest of the C API to manipulate the interpreter as you would with a native installation.