Using Python in Lazarus on Windows/Linux

Intro

I need to make app, cross platform, Win/Linux/Mac, which embeds Python engine. I tried Python4Delphi, it doesn't compile and work on Linux x64 and Mac. App must use: portable Python on Win, system Python on Linux, Python installer on Mac.

Result

Github repo: https://github.com/Alexey-T/Python-for-Lazarus

Shot on Ubuntu 14.04 x64:

Shot on Windows 7 x64:

Shot on Mac OS 10.8:

P4D fork

You need modified P4D package, see link to Github above. Compile and install the package. You must see "Python" tab appeared in component pallette. What is changed:

• deleted all refs to units "..Delphi..", seems units aren't needed for Lazarus apps.
• modifications to PythonEngine.pas, see lines with "//AT".
• added support for Mac for ex. by replacing "ifdef linux" with "ifdef unix".

Files on Windows

On Windows you need to copy files to app folder. From "Sublime Text 3" installation for win, take Python files and copy them to app folder:

• python33.dll
• msvcr100.dll
• python33.zip
• .pyd files, to folder DLLs

Manifest on Windows: "appname.exe.manifest":

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
 <assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
   <noInheritable/>
   <assemblyIdentity
       type="win32"
       name="DelphiApplication"
       version="1.0.0.0" 
       processorArchitecture="*"/>
   <dependency>
     <dependentAssembly>
       <assemblyIdentity type='win32' name='Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls' version='6.0.0.0' processorArchitecture='*' publicKeyToken='6595b64144ccf1df' language='*' />
     </dependentAssembly>
   </dependency>
   <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
     <security>
       <requestedPrivileges>
         <requestedExecutionLevel level='asInvoker' uiAccess='false' />
       </requestedPrivileges>
     </security>
   </trustInfo>
 </assembly>

Files on MacOS

OSX 10.8 doesn't have Python. User needs to install official Py 3.4 pack.

Full path to library must be set in code, I could not load it w/out path. (Maybe I can read some env-var, I didn't try.)

Code

Form

Put on form:

• TPythonEngine
• TPythonInputOutput
• TCombobox (edConsole)
• TMemo (memoConsole)

Properties of PythonEngine:

• AutoLoad=False
• DllName empty
• DllPath empty
• FatalAbort=False
• InitScript="import sys; print('Python', sys.version)"
• IO=PythonInputOutput1
• PyFlags=[pfIgnoreEnvironmentFlag]
• UseLastKnownVersion=False

Event handlers

• PythonEngine.OnAfterInit: must set "sys.path" for Win (remember, we use portable py for Win).

procedure TfmMain.PythonEngineAfterInit(Sender: TObject);
var
  dir: string;
begin
  {$ifdef windows}
  dir:= ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName);
  Py_SetSysPath([
    dir + 'DLLs',
    dir + 'python33.zip'
    ]);
  {$endif}
end;

procedure Py_SetSysPath(const Dirs: array of string);
var
  Str: string;
  i: Integer;
begin
  Str:= '';
  for i:= 0 to Length(Dirs)-1 do
    Str:= Str + 'r"' + Dirs[i] + '"' + ',';
  Str:= Format('sys.path = [%s]', [Str]);
  GetPythonEngine.ExecString(Str);
end;

• PythonInputOutput.OnSendData, OnSendUniData:

procedure TfmMain.PythonInputOutput1SendData(Sender: TObject;
  const Data: AnsiString);
begin
  memoConsole.Lines.Add(Data);
end;

procedure TfmMain.PythonInputOutput1SendUniData(Sender: TObject;
  const Data: UnicodeString);
begin
  memoConsole.Lines.Add(Data);
end;

• edConsole.OnKeyPress:

procedure TfmMain.edConsoleKeyPress(Sender: TObject; var Key: char);
var
  Str: string;
begin
  if Key=#13 then
  begin
    Str:= edConsole.Text;

    //support entering "=some cmd"
    if (Str<>'') and (Str[1]='=') then
      Str:= 'print('+Copy(Str, 2, MaxInt) + ')';

    memoConsole.Lines.Add('>>> '+Str);
    edConsole.Text:= '';
    edConsole.Items.Insert(0, Str);
    try
      GetPythonEngine.ExecString(Str);
    except
    end;
  end;
end;

• main form OnCreate:

const
  cPyLibraryWindows = 'python33.dll';
  cPyLibraryLinux = 'libpython3.4m.so.1.0';
  cPyLibraryMac = '/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.4/lib/libpython3.4.dylib';

procedure TfmMain.FormCreate(Sender: TObject);
var
  S: string;
begin
  S:=
    {$ifdef windows} cPyLibraryWindows {$endif}
    {$ifdef linux} cPyLibraryLinux {$endif}
    {$ifdef darwin} cPyLibraryMac {$endif} ;
  PythonEngine.DllPath:= ExtractFileDir(S);
  PythonEngine.DllName:= ExtractFileName(S);
  PythonEngine.LoadDll;
end;