[PyQt] Global Interpreter Lock

[Giovanni Bajo]

On 4/10/2009 8:26 PM, Jason Voegele wrote:
> I am a relative newcomer to Python and I don't know much about the Global 
> Interpreter Lock (GIL) in general.  However, I am developing a PyQt 
> application that makes fairly heavy use of QThread to perform multiple tasks 
> concurrently. 

Usually, Qt applications don't require many threads because many things 
(eg: network) can be easily done without.

> I've heard some vague statements that PyQt manages the GIL 
> automatically, but can someone give a more precise statement about how the GIL 
> works for PyQt applications, especially when QThread is involved?  Are there 
> any gotchas that I need to look out for?

Not specifically. The presence of the GIL means that two concurrent 
threads executing Python code can't run at the same time. The fact that 
your threads have been created through QThread is immaterial. PyQt 
releases the GIL at the C++ boundary: this means that when one thread is 
executing Qt's C++ code, it's not blocking the execution of other threads.

So if you call a blocking Qt operation, other threads can still continue 
their execution. If PyQt weren't handling GIL the correctly, any 
blocking Qt operation would keep the GIL locked and thus block all other 
threads at the same time.
-- 
Giovanni Bajo
Develer S.r.l.
http://www.develer.com