# Decimal capsule API

Capsule API functions can be used in the same manner as regular library functions, provided that the API has been initialized.

## Initialize

Typically, a C extension module that uses the decimal API will do these steps in its init function:

    #include "pydecimal.h"

    static int decimal_initialized = 0;
    if (!decimal_initialized) {
        if (import_decimal() < 0) {
            return NULL;
        }

        decimal_initialized = 1;
    }

## Type checking, predicates, accessors

int `PyDec_TypeCheck`(const PyObject *dec)

  Return 1 if `dec` is a Decimal, 0 otherwise. This function does not set any exceptions.

int `PyDec_IsSpecial`(const PyObject *dec)

  Return 1 if `dec` is `NaN`, `sNaN` or `Infinity`, 0 otherwise.

  Set TypeError and return -1 if `dec` is not a Decimal. It is guaranteed that this is the only failure mode, so if `dec` has already been type-checked, no errors can occur and the function can be treated as a simple predicate.

int `PyDec_IsNaN`(const PyObject *dec)

  Return 1 if `dec` is `NaN` or `sNaN`, 0 otherwise.

  Set TypeError and return -1 if `dec` is not a Decimal. It is guaranteed that this is the only failure mode, so if `dec` has already been type-checked, no errors can occur and the function can be treated as a simple predicate.

int `PyDec_IsInfinite`(const PyObject *dec)

  Return 1 if `dec` is `Infinity`, 0 otherwise.

  Set TypeError and return -1 if `dec` is not a Decimal. It is guaranteed that this is the only failure mode, so if `dec` has already been type-checked, no errors can occur and the function can be treated as a simple predicate.

int64_t `PyDec_GetDigits`(const PyObject *dec)

  Return the number of digits in the coefficient. For `Infinity`, the number of digits is always zero. Typically, the same applies to `NaN` and `sNaN`, but both of these can have a payload that is equivalent to a coefficient. Therefore, `NaNs` can have a nonzero return value.

  Set TypeError and return -1 if `dec` is not a Decimal. It is guaranteed that this is the only failure mode, so if `dec` has already been type-checked, no errors can occur and the function can be treated as a simple accessor.

## Exact conversions between decimals and primitive C types

This API supports conversions for decimals with a coefficient up to 38 digits.

### Data structures

The conversion functions use the following status codes and data structures:

    /* status cases for getting a triple */
    enum mpd_triple_class {
      MPD_TRIPLE_NORMAL,
      MPD_TRIPLE_INF,
      MPD_TRIPLE_QNAN,
      MPD_TRIPLE_SNAN,
      MPD_TRIPLE_ERROR,
    };

    typedef struct {
      enum mpd_triple_class tag;
      uint8_t sign;
      uint64_t hi;
      uint64_t lo;
      int64_t exp;
    } mpd_uint128_triple_t;

The status cases are explained below. `sign` is 0 for positive and 1 for negative. `((uint128_t)hi << 64) + lo` is the coefficient, `exp` is the exponent.

The data structure is called “triple” because the decimal triple (sign, coeff, exp) is an established term and (`hi`, `lo`) represents a single `uint128_t` coefficient.

### Functions

mpd_uint128_triple_t `PyDec_AsUint128Triple`(const PyObject *dec)

  Convert a decimal to a triple. As above, it is guaranteed that the only Python failure mode is a TypeError, checks can be omitted if the type is known.

  For simplicity, the usage of the function and all special cases are explained in code form and comments:

    triple = PyDec_AsUint128Triple(dec);
    switch (triple.tag) {
    case MPD_TRIPLE_QNAN:
        /*
         * Success: handle a quiet NaN.
         *   1) triple.sign is 0 or 1.
         *   2) triple.exp is always 0.
         *   3) If triple.hi or triple.lo are nonzero, the NaN has a payload.
         */
        break;

    case MPD_TRIPLE_SNAN:
        /*
         * Success: handle a signaling NaN.
         *   1) triple.sign is 0 or 1.
         *   2) triple.exp is always 0.
         *   3) If triple.hi or triple.lo are nonzero, the sNaN has a payload.
         */
        break;

    case MPD_TRIPLE_INF:
        /*
         * Success: handle Infinity.
         *   1) triple.sign is 0 or 1.
         *   2) triple.exp is always 0.
         *   3) triple.hi and triple.lo are always zero.
         */
        break;

    case MPD_TRIPLE_NORMAL:
        /* Success: handle a finite value. */
        break;

    case MPD_TRIPLE_ERROR:
        /* TypeError check: can be omitted if the type of dec is known. */
        if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
            return NULL;
        }

        /* Too large for conversion.  PyDec_AsUint128Triple() does not set an
           exception so applications can choose themselves.  Typically this
           would be a ValueError. */
        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,
            "value out of bounds for a uint128 triple");
        return NULL;
    }

PyObject *`PyDec_FromUint128Triple`(const mpd_uint128_triple_t *triple)

  Create a decimal from a triple. The following rules must be observed for initializing the triple:

  1. `triple.sign` must always be 0 (for positive) or 1 (for negative).

  2. `MPD_TRIPLE_QNAN`: `triple.exp` must be 0. If `triple.hi` or `triple.lo` are nonzero, create a `NaN` with a payload.

  3. `MPD_TRIPLE_SNAN`: `triple.exp` must be 0. If `triple.hi` or `triple.lo` are nonzero, create an `sNaN` with a payload.

  4. `MPD_TRIPLE_INF`: `triple.exp`, `triple.hi` and `triple.lo` must be zero.

  5. `MPD_TRIPLE_NORMAL`: `MPD_MIN_ETINY + 38 < triple.exp < MPD_MAX_EMAX - 38`. `triple.hi` and `triple.lo` can be chosen freely.

  6. `MPD_TRIPLE_ERROR`: It is always an error to set this tag.

  If one of the above conditions is not met, the function returns `NaN` if the `InvalidOperation` trap is not set in the thread local context. Otherwise, it sets the `InvalidOperation` exception and returns NULL.

  Additionally, though extremely unlikely give the small allocation sizes, the function can set `MemoryError` and return `NULL`.

## Advanced API

This API enables the use of `libmpdec` functions. Since Python is compiled with hidden symbols, the API requires an external libmpdec and the `mpdecimal.h` header.

### Functions

PyObject *`PyDec_Alloc`(void)

  Return a new decimal that can be used in the `result` position of `libmpdec` functions.

mpd_t *`PyDec_Get`(PyObject *v)

  Get a pointer to the internal `mpd_t` of the decimal. Decimals are immutable, so this function must only be used on a new Decimal that has been created by PyDec_Alloc().

const mpd_t *`PyDec_GetConst`(const PyObject *v)

  Get a pointer to the constant internal `mpd_t` of the decimal.