How can 32bit modules run on 64bit Python?

Question

I wrote a genetic algorithm program using the inspyred library with a 32bit Python2.7 version on a 64bit Win7 machine. While generating the population the program stops running when it uses memory up to 1959044K.

I have read a number of questions on this site, and I understand that it is due to a 2GB cap on 32bit programs by the OS. So I have tried to switch to a 64bit Python and install the 64bit versions of the modules I was working with, unfortunately all but one module cannot run on the 64bit platform.

I also installed pywin32 as advised in another question but that has failed to help too. This module is not a standard Python library and I have pasted it below. The error message I get is:

import AoN
ImportError: DLL load failed: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.

My understanding is that the 64bit Python does not recognize the 32bit module. I also read here: http://effbot.org/zone/python-compile.htm about compiling the source code, but I have compiled the source code in 64bit but that does not help either as it continues to give that error.

Lastly I pasted the directory path of the module in the interpreter path but that does not help too.

Is there a way to have this module run on the 64bit Python? And please can anyone explain the process of compiling source codes and if that can help me out?

Answer 1

The answer is simple - it can't work. A process is either 32 or 64 bit, it's as simple as that. So if there is one module that can't run in 64 bit, one option besides re-compiling the module for 64 bit is to delegate whatever purpose it has to a second process running in 32 bit, just doing that. This might or might not be practical, depending on the actual task of the module.