Calling a python method from C/C++, and extracting its return value

As explained before, using PyRun_SimpleString seems to be a bad idea.

You should definitely use the methods provided by the C-API (http://docs.python.org/c-api/).

Reading the introduction is the first thing to do to understand the way it works.

First, you have to learn about PyObject that is the basic object for the C API. It can represent any kind of python basic types (string, float, int,...).

Many functions exist to convert for example python string to char* or PyFloat to double.

First, import your module :

PyObject* myModuleString = PyString_FromString((char*)"mytest");
PyObject* myModule = PyImport_Import(myModuleString);

Then getting a reference to your function :

PyObject* myFunction = PyObject_GetAttrString(myModule,(char*)"myabs");
PyObject* args = PyTuple_Pack(1,PyFloat_FromDouble(2.0));

Then getting your result :

PyObject* myResult = PyObject_CallObject(myFunction, args)

And getting back to a double :

double result = PyFloat_AsDouble(myResult);

You should obviously check the errors (cf. link given by Mark Tolonen).

If you have any question, don't hesitate. Good luck.

To prevent the extra .py file as in the other answers, you can just retrieve the __main__ module, which is created by the first call to PyRun_SimpleString:

PyObject *moduleMainString = PyString_FromString("__main__");
PyObject *moduleMain = PyImport_Import(moduleMainString);

PyRun_SimpleString(
    "def mul(a, b):                                 \n"\
    "   return a * b                                \n"\
);

PyObject *func = PyObject_GetAttrString(moduleMain, "mul");
PyObject *args = PyTuple_Pack(2, PyFloat_FromDouble(3.0), PyFloat_FromDouble(4.0));

PyObject *result = PyObject_CallObject(func, args);

printf("mul(3,4): %.2f\n", PyFloat_AsDouble(result)); // 12

A complete example of calling a Python function and retrieving the result is located at http://docs.python.org/release/2.6.5/extending/embedding.html#pure-embedding:

#include <Python.h>

int
main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
    PyObject *pName, *pModule, *pDict, *pFunc;
    PyObject *pArgs, *pValue;
    int i;

    if (argc < 3) {
        fprintf(stderr,"Usage: call pythonfile funcname [args]\n");
        return 1;
    }

    Py_Initialize();
    pName = PyString_FromString(argv[1]);
    /* Error checking of pName left out */

    pModule = PyImport_Import(pName);
    Py_DECREF(pName);

    if (pModule != NULL) {
        pFunc = PyObject_GetAttrString(pModule, argv[2]);
        /* pFunc is a new reference */

        if (pFunc && PyCallable_Check(pFunc)) {
            pArgs = PyTuple_New(argc - 3);
            for (i = 0; i < argc - 3; ++i) {
                pValue = PyInt_FromLong(atoi(argv[i + 3]));
                if (!pValue) {
                    Py_DECREF(pArgs);
                    Py_DECREF(pModule);
                    fprintf(stderr, "Cannot convert argument\n");
                    return 1;
                }
                /* pValue reference stolen here: */
                PyTuple_SetItem(pArgs, i, pValue);
            }
            pValue = PyObject_CallObject(pFunc, pArgs);
            Py_DECREF(pArgs);
            if (pValue != NULL) {
                printf("Result of call: %ld\n", PyInt_AsLong(pValue));
                Py_DECREF(pValue);
            }
            else {
                Py_DECREF(pFunc);
                Py_DECREF(pModule);
                PyErr_Print();
                fprintf(stderr,"Call failed\n");
                return 1;
            }
        }
        else {
            if (PyErr_Occurred())
                PyErr_Print();
            fprintf(stderr, "Cannot find function \"%s\"\n", argv[2]);
        }
        Py_XDECREF(pFunc);
        Py_DECREF(pModule);
    }
    else {
        PyErr_Print();
        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load \"%s\"\n", argv[1]);
        return 1;
    }
    Py_Finalize();
    return 0;
}

Here is a sample code I wrote (with the help of various online sources) to send a string to a Python code, then return a value.

Here is the C code call_function.c:

#include <Python.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
   // Set PYTHONPATH TO working directory
   setenv("PYTHONPATH",".",1);

   PyObject *pName, *pModule, *pDict, *pFunc, *pValue, *presult;


   // Initialize the Python Interpreter
   Py_Initialize();


   // Build the name object
   pName = PyString_FromString((char*)"arbName");

   // Load the module object
   pModule = PyImport_Import(pName);


   // pDict is a borrowed reference 
   pDict = PyModule_GetDict(pModule);


   // pFunc is also a borrowed reference 
   pFunc = PyDict_GetItemString(pDict, (char*)"someFunction");

   if (PyCallable_Check(pFunc))
   {
       pValue=Py_BuildValue("(z)",(char*)"something");
       PyErr_Print();
       printf("Let's give this a shot!\n");
       presult=PyObject_CallObject(pFunc,pValue);
       PyErr_Print();
   } else 
   {
       PyErr_Print();
   }
   printf("Result is %d\n",PyInt_AsLong(presult));
   Py_DECREF(pValue);

   // Clean up
   Py_DECREF(pModule);
   Py_DECREF(pName);

   // Finish the Python Interpreter
   Py_Finalize();


    return 0;
}

Here is the Python code, in file arbName.py:

 def someFunction(text):
    print 'You passed this Python program '+text+' from C! Congratulations!'
    return 12345

I use the command gcc call_function.c -I/usr/include/python2.6 -lpython2.6 ; ./a.out to run this process. I'm on redhat. I recommend using PyErr_Print(); for error checking.