Execute arbitrary JavaScript code from Python. Allows you to reference arbitrary Python objects and functions in the JavaScript VM

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Requirements

Pkg-Config

Mac OS X:

This should be installed by default. If not there is a port package:

$ sudo port install pkgconfig

Debian/Ubuntu:

This is also generally installed by default, but I have reports of it being otherwise.

$ sudo apt-get install pkg-config

Gentoo:

$ sudo emerge dev-util/pkgconfig

Python Development Files

Mac OS X:

If you installed Python via port then the headers should already be installed. I have not heard reports of problems from people using the bundled interpreters.

Debian/Ubuntu:

$ sudo apt-get install pythonX.X-dev

Where X.X is the version of Python you are using. I have not tested python-spidermonkey on Py3K so it may be horribly broken there.

Gentoo:

If you have python installed, then the headers should already be installed.

Netscape Portable Runtime (nspr)

The nspr library is required for building the Spidermonkey sources. You should be able to grab it from your package manager of choice with something like the following:

Mac OS X:

$ sudo port install nspr

Debian/Ubuntu:

$ sudo apt-get install libnspr4-dev

Gentoo:

$ sudo emerge dev-libs/nspr

Alternatively you can build from source. If you choose this route make sure that the nspr-config command is on your $PATH when running the install commands below.

If you choose this route make sure that the pkg-config command is on your $PATH when running the install commands below. Additionally, make sure that $PKG_CONFIG_PATH is properly set.

XULRunner (optional)

You can optionally build the extension linked to your system's spidermonkey library, which is installed with XULRunner. You should be able to grab it from your package manager of choice with something like the following:

Mac OS X:

$ sudo port install xulrunner

Debian/Ubuntu:

$ sudo apt-get install xulrunner-1.9-dev

Gentoo:

$ sudo emerge net-libs/xulrunner

As with nspr, you can also build xulrunner from source. And as with nspr you need to make sure hat $PATH and $PKG_CONFIG_PATH are properly set when building the module.

Installation

$ git clone git://github.com/davisp/python-spidermonkey.git
$ cd python-spidermonkey
$ python setup.py build
$ python setup.py test

$ sudo python setup.py install

*OR*

$ sudo python setup.py develop

If you want to build with the system spidermonkey library, replace the build command with the following:

$ python setup.py --system-library build

Examples

Basics

>>> import spidermonkey
>>> rt = spidermonkey.Runtime()
>>> cx = rt.new_context()
>>> cx.execute("var x = 3; x *= 4; x;")
12
>>> class Orange(object):
...   def is_ripe(self,arg):
...       return "ripe %s" % arg
...
>>> fruit = Orange()
>>> cx.add_global("apple", fruit)
>>> cx.execute('"Show me the " + apple.is_ripe("raisin");')
u'Show me the ripe raisin'

Playing with Classes

>>> import spidermonkey
>>> class Monkey(object):
...     def __init__(self):
...         self.baz = "blammo"
...     def wrench(self, arg):
...         return "%s now wrenched" % arg
...
>>> rt = spidermonkey.Runtime()
>>> cx = rt.new_context()
>>> cx.add_global("Monkey", Monkey)
>>> monkey = cx.execute('var x = new Monkey(); x.baz = "schmammo"; x;')
>>> monkey.baz
u'schmammo'
>>> monkey.__class__.__name__
'Monkey'

JavaScript Functions

>>> import spidermonkey
>>> rt = spidermonkey.Runtime()
>>> cx = rt.new_context()
>>> func = cx.execute('function(val) {return "whoosh: " + val;}')
>>> func("zipper!");
u'whoosh: zipper!'

Filtering access to Python

>>> import spidermonkey
>>> rt = spidermonkey.Runtime()
>>> def checker(obj, name):
...     return not name.startswith("_")
...
>>> cx = rt.new_context(access=checker)
>>> # Alternatively:
>>> cx.set_access()                                     #doctest: +ELLIPSIS
<function checker at ...>
>>> cx.set_access(checker)                              #doctest: +ELLIPSIS
<function checker at ...>
>>> cx.add_global("fish", {"gold": "gone", "_old_lady": "huzza"})
>>> cx.execute('fish["_old_lady"];')
Traceback (most recent call last):
        ...
JSError: Error executing JavaScript.

Previous Authors

• John J. Lee
• Atul Varma