[PyQt] operator new/delete and PyMem_New/Del

[Kevin Watters]

I was profiling my SIP extension, seeing that I allocate lots and lots
of a certain class of small objects, whose ownership is never 
transferred to C++. I remembered reading a section from the Python C API
manual on memory management, here:

http://docs.python.org/api/memoryOverview.html -- the relevant bit is:

"In most situations, however, it is recommended to allocate memory 
from the Python heap specifically because the latter is under control
of the Python memory manager. For example, this is required when the
interpreter is extended with new object types written in C. Another
reason for using the Python heap is the desire to inform the Python
memory manager about the memory needs of the extension module. Even
when the requested memory is used exclusively for internal, 
highly-specific purposes, delegating all memory requests to the 
Python memory manager causes the interpreter to have a more accurate
image of its memory footprint as a whole. Consequently, under certain
circumstances, the Python memory manager may or may not trigger
appropriate actions, like garbage collection, memory compaction or
other preventive procedures. Note that by using the C library
allocator as shown in the previous example, the allocated memory for
the I/O buffer escapes completely the Python memory manager."

Overriding operator new and operator delete in SIP's generated code for
this class with the PyMem_New and PyMem_Delete functions would
effectively accomplish what that passage is talking about.

This might, of course, be pointless, without more detailed profiling.
But I was wondering if anyone had an experience trying anything like
this this in extensions of their own.

- Kevin