Import library inside plugin (but it's cpython)

[Tyronnosaurus 7]

Some time ago I made a python application which I am now integrating into a Cura plugin.  It uses the h5py library, which is usually installed through pip.

 

I assumed that copying the source code and using an 'import h5py' would be enough, but nope: the library is written in cpython, and when installed with pip it actually compiles into a bunch of dll and pyd files:

 

 

I've unsuccessfully tried many ways to import it from this forum (1, 2), from StackOverflow (1), etc.

Most methods involved copying the files compiled for my system, and loading them with ctypes or adding them to Path.

 

The following method manages to import it without errors, but as soon as I use one of its classes it tells me it doesn't exist:

import os
from ctypes import *

def LoadHDF5Data(filetoload):

    #We need to chdir because otherwise it will fail to find many dependencies
    os.chdir("C:\\Users\\myname\\AppData\\Roaming\\cura\\4.7\\plugins\\FemPlugin\\ResultsNode\\h5py")

    path = "C:\\Users\\myname\\AppData\\Roaming\\cura\\4.7\\plugins\\FemPlugin\\ResultsNode\\h5py\\hdf5_hl.dll"
    h5py = cdll.LoadLibrary(path)  #This replaces the usual "import h5py". h5py is now a usable module

    f = h5py.File(filetoload, 'r')    #Crashes Cura:  "AttributeError: function 'File' not found"

 

Anyone knows what the correct approach is?

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2020 by Tyronnosaurus

[Tyronnosaurus 7]

I noticed that the compiled files were made for Python 3.8. Since Cura comes with Pyton 3.5.0, I repeated the process but this time using h5py compiled in a Windows system with Python 3.5.0 installed.

 

This time, Cura crashes with this error:

[...]
    h5py = cdll.LoadLibrary(path)  #This replaces the usual "import h5py". h5py is now a usable module
  File "ctypes\__init__.py", line 429, in LoadLibrary
  File "ctypes\__init__.py", line 351, in __init__
OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

 

[nallath 1,120]

The library itself mentions that it needs python 3.6 or higher.

[Tyronnosaurus 7]

nallath's observation saved my skin: h5py's latest version requires Python 3.6, so it can't run on Cura (Python 3.5.x). However, a previous version (2.10.0) is still compatible.

 

I've prepared a clean Windows 10 install (on a virtual machine to prevent any mix-up with different Python versions), There, I've installed the same Python version as Cura (3.5.4, 64 bit), pip-installed h5py 2.10.0, and copied the folder with the compiled files:

  C:/Users/xxxx/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python35/Lib/site-packages/h5py

  (might be Roaming instead of Local for some installs)

 

This folder can now be used as a Python package. For some reason, a simple import fails so I have to do this:

import os, sys
dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) #This script's path
sys.path.append(dir)	#Look for packages here
import h5py

f = h5py.File(testFile,"r")

 

I still need to ensure an old h5py version suits my needs, and later repeat the process for Linux and macOS.

 

[ahoeben 1,948]

5 hours ago, Tyronnosaurus said:

I've prepared a clean Windows 10 install (on a virtual machine to prevent any mix-up with different Python versions)

Learn to love python virtualenv.