Attempting to get Swig to recognize std:size_t

Background

I'm specifically interested in getting std::vector<std::size_t> to be recognized by swig. This is a contrived example to facilitate solving the issue. I have a large c++ code base needs a Python interface. The code base uses std::size_t for its integer type in most places.

It this code there are 4 approaches (swig ".i" files) that deal with the c++ class StdSizeVec and generate its python wrapper and interface. The int vector just illustrates what I would expected swig to do for std::size_t.

These are explained below.

a_swig_vec_std_size.i

This is the minimal interface. The returned C++ types are Swig pointers and basically useless in python.

b_swig_vec_std_size.i

Adding the necessary %include "std_vector.i" tells swig a little more about the type but this is not useful yet.

c_swig_vec_std_size.i

Using %template(VecInt) std::vector; allows the vector of int to be returned as a tuple. This is the desired behavior for std::size_t.

// Does not compile
//%template(VecSize) std::vector<std::size_t>;

//The following compiles but does not work
%template(VecSize) std::vector<size_t>;

d_swig_vec_std_size.i, where I'm stuck

Looking at this link I tried to implement a limited portion for std::size_t in std_size_t.i which I include, but it does not compile.

Getting started / Please help!

git clone https://github.com/paulbible/swig_std_size_t
cd swig_std_size_t/

Edit the makefile with the location of your python installation (for the includes).

Call make

make

For testing, just past the first part of the test_a.txt files into the terminal. The same for b and c.

python
from a_swig_vec_std_size import StdSizeVec
ssv = StdSizeVec()
vals = ssv.getValues()
vals
ints = ssv.getInts()
ints
exit()

Program versions

python version: Python 2.7.11 g++ version: g++ (GCC) 4.4.7 swig version: SWIG Version 1.3.40

tried a newer swig (swig-3.0.10) without success

Other Links

wisdom of the ancients

2006 same problem

The std::vector::size_type wrapped as a pointer not an integer link had some helpful info but the problem is not exactly the same.

some clues?

I found this link, but thinking wishfully and importing primitivies.i did not work for me.

After that I tried to implement the SWIG_AsVal_std_size_t and SWIG_From_std_size_t, but no luck.

SO questions already consulted:

vector-vector-double-argument-with-swig-and-python

how-to-expose-stdvectorint-as-a-python-list-using-swig