Question

I have a C++ app that uses Python to load some scripts. It calls some functions in the scripts, and everything works fine until the app exits and calls Py_Finalize. Then it displays the following: (GetName is a function in one of the scripts)

Exception AttributeError: “‘module’ object has no attribute ‘GetName'” in ‘garbage collection’ ignored
Fatal Python error: unexpected exception during garbage collection

Then the app crashes.
I’m using Python 3.1 on Windows. Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer 1

From the docs to Py_Finalize():

Bugs and caveats: The destruction of
modules and objects in modules is done
in random order; this may cause
destructors (__del__() methods) to
fail when they depend on other objects
(even functions) or modules.
Dynamically loaded extension modules
loaded by Python are not unloaded.
Small amounts of memory allocated by
the Python interpreter may not be
freed (if you find a leak, please
report it). Memory tied up in circular
references between objects is not
freed. Some memory allocated by
extension modules may not be freed.
Some extensions may not work properly
if their initialization routine is
called more than once; this can happen
if an application calls
Py_Initialize() and Py_Finalize() more
than once.

Most likely a __del__ contains a call to <somemodule>.GetName(), but that module has already been destroyed by the time __del__ is called.