[Discuss-gnuradio] implementing actual blocks in python

[Josh Blum]

Hello,

I was thinking of an interesting feature for gnuradio: Suppose that the 
gnuradio framework could also support blocks written in python. Not 
hier-blocks, but actual data processing done in python. Meaning, one 
would write a python class. The class would have an io signature, and a 
function called work, where work would take a vector of floats/ints, 
process the data, and return a vector of floats/ints (just like in the 
c++). Yes, of course, this would be slower than c++. The idea favors 
rapid testing, no recompiling; just run the flow graph again after 
changing your python file.

Most likely, we would need some kind of "generic forwarding block", 
written in c++/swig, that would take a custom python class as an 
argument, and swig would handle the passing of data into and out of the 
work method of the python class.

I have no idea how this could be implemented with the current framework. 
 But if possible, this would be a tremendous thing to have.

Thoughts?
-Josh