=== Pycairo 1.8.10 ===

Many changes to make the code work with Python 3.

25 files changed, 711 insertions, 585 deletions

diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 30f0383..a1cff13 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 Original Author
 ---------------
-James Henstridge <james@daa.com.au>
+James Henstridge
 
 Maintainer
 ----------
-Steve Chaplin <stevech1097 # yahoo.com.au>
+Steve Chaplin
 
 Contributors
 ------------
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e69de29..10ea500 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+pycairo 1.8.10 (2010-09-12)
+===========================
+A new version of pycairo which requires and supports Python 3.
+The current pycairo for Python 2 has been renamed to py2cairo.
+
+Waf is the tool used to build and install the package.
+It is licensed under the LGPL version 3.
+The functions image_surface_create_for_data, image_surface_get_data, and
+xpyb2struct use the old Python 2.x buffer protocol, and have been disabled.
diff --git a/RELEASING b/RELEASING
index 84cfb0f..c243f8e 100644
--- a/RELEASING
+++ b/RELEASING
@@ -5,29 +5,26 @@ Sift through the information in 'git log' since the last release. Summarize
 major changes briefly in a style similar to other entries in NEWS.
 
 2) Increment pycairo and cairo version numbers in:
-   configure.ac
    doc/conf.py
    README
-   setup.py
    wscript
 
-Increment pycairo_major/minor/micro_version in configure.ac
-Increase the cairo_required_version - to an even numbered version.
-Increment pycairo_major/minor version to match the cairo major/minor version
-that pycairo requires (and increment the micro version if necessary for any
-subsequent pycairo updates).
+3) Create the archive
+Delete *.pdf *.png *.ps *.svg files in
+  examples/
+  examples/cairo_snippets/snippets/
 
-3) Run "make distcheck" and verify that it gives no warnings or errors and
-   ends with a message of the form:
+$ ./waf distcheck  # ensure there are no errors
 
-	===============================================
-	pycairo-X.Y.Z archives ready for distribution:
-	pycairo-X.Y.Z.tar.gz
-	===============================================
+$ ./waf clean distclean
+$ ./waf dist  # to create pycairo-x.x.x.tar.bz2
 
-Install from the tar.gz archive, run tests and examples.
+create sha1 sum
+$ sha1sum pycairo-x.x.x.tar.bz2 > pycairo-x.x.x.tar.bz2.sha1
 
-4) Commit the changes to NEWS, configure.ac etc
+Copy to /tmp, install from the archive, run tests and examples.
+
+4) git commit  # the changes to NEWS, etc
 It's especially important to mention the new version number in the git commit
 comment.
 Add a '=== Pycairo x.x.x ===' header.
@@ -54,11 +51,8 @@ $ git push origin master
    Update the pycairo webpage to reference the new release.
    Update http://cheeseshop.python.org entry for pycairo.
 
-7) Edit:
-   configure.ac
-   setup.py
-   wscript
-   to increment pycairo_version_micro to the next larger (odd) number.
+7) Edit wscript to increment pycairo_version_micro to the next larger (odd)
+number.
 $ git push origin master
 
 8) Send a message to cairo-announce@cairographics.org
diff --git a/doc/reference/context.rst b/doc/reference/context.rst
index 277bd16..dfcd78a 100644
--- a/doc/reference/context.rst
+++ b/doc/reference/context.rst
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ safely be changed, without loosing the current state. Use
    .. method:: select_font_face(family[, slant[, weight]])
 
       :param family: a font family name
-      :type family: str or unicode
+      :type family: str
       :param slant: the :ref:`FONT_SLANT <constants_FONT_SLANT>` of the font,
         defaults to :data:`cairo.FONT_SLANT_NORMAL`.
       :param weight: the :ref:`FONT_WEIGHT <constants_FONT_WEIGHT>` of the
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ safely be changed, without loosing the current state. Use
    .. method:: show_text(text)
 
       :param text: text
-      :type text: str or unicode
+      :type text: str
 
       A drawing operator that generates the shape from a string of text,
       rendered according to the current font_face, font_size (font_matrix),
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ safely be changed, without loosing the current state. Use
    .. method:: text_extents(text)
 
       :param text: text to get extents for
-      :type text: string or unicode
+      :type text: str
       :returns: x_bearing, y_bearing, width, height, x_advance, y_advance
       :rtype: 6-tuple of float
 
@@ -1409,7 +1409,7 @@ safely be changed, without loosing the current state. Use
    .. method:: text_path(text)
 
       :param text: text
-      :type text: string or unicode
+      :type text: string
 
       Adds closed paths for text to the current path. The generated path if
       filled, achieves an effect similar to that of :meth:`Context.show_text`.
diff --git a/doc/reference/text.rst b/doc/reference/text.rst
index b0a261f..f7bb854 100644
--- a/doc/reference/text.rst
+++ b/doc/reference/text.rst
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ The *cairo.ToyFontFace* class can be used instead of :meth:`Context.select_font_
 .. class:: ToyFontFace(family[, slant[, weight]])
 
    :param family: a font family name
-   :type family: str or unicode
+   :type family: str
    :param slant: the :ref:`FONT_SLANT <constants_FONT_SLANT>` of the font,
      defaults to :data:`cairo.FONT_SLANT_NORMAL`.
    :param weight: the :ref:`FONT_WEIGHT <constants_FONT_WEIGHT>` of the font,
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ use.
    .. method:: text_extents(text)
 
       :param text: text
-      :type text: str or unicode
+      :type text: str
       :returns: (x_bearing, y_bearing, width, height, x_advance, y_advance)
       :rtype: 6-tuple of float
 
diff --git a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets/__init__.py b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets/__init__.py
index 70b4813..a3bc4fa 100755
--- a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets/__init__.py
+++ b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets/__init__.py
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ snip_list.sort()
 
 # function used by some or all snippets
 def snippet_normalize (ctx, width, height):
-    ctx.scale (width, height)
-    ctx.set_line_width (0.04)
+  ctx.scale (width, height)
+  ctx.set_line_width (0.04)
diff --git a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_pdf.py b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_pdf.py
index 0606804..65b9c3e 100755
--- a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_pdf.py
+++ b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_pdf.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import sys
 
 import cairo
 if not cairo.HAS_PDF_SURFACE:
-    raise SystemExit ('cairo was not compiled with PDF support')
+  raise SystemExit ('cairo was not compiled with PDF support')
 
 from snippets import snip_list, snippet_normalize
 
@@ -20,37 +20,39 @@ width, height = width_in_points, height_in_points # used by snippet_normalize()
 
 
 def do_snippet (snippet):
-    if verbose_mode:
-        print 'processing %s' % snippet,
-
-    filename = 'snippets/%s.pdf' % snippet
-    surface = cairo.PDFSurface (filename, width_in_points, height_in_points)
-    cr = cairo.Context (surface)
-
-    cr.save()
-    try:
-        execfile ('snippets/%s.py' % snippet, globals(), locals())
-    except:
-        exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
-        print >> sys.stderr, exc_type, exc_value
-    else:
-        cr.restore()
-        cr.show_page()
-        surface.finish()
-
-    if verbose_mode:
-        print
+  if verbose_mode:
+    print('processing %s' % snippet)
+
+  filename = 'snippets/%s.pdf' % snippet
+  surface = cairo.PDFSurface (filename, width_in_points, height_in_points)
+  cr = cairo.Context (surface)
+
+  cr.save()
+  try:
+    fName = 'snippets/%s.py' % snippet
+    code = open(fName).read()
+    exec (code, globals(), locals())
+  except:
+    exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+    print(exc_type, exc_value, file=sys.stderr)
+  else:
+    cr.restore()
+    cr.show_page()
+    surface.finish()
+
+  if verbose_mode:
+    print
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    verbose_mode = True
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == '-s':
-        verbose_mode = False
-        del sys.argv[1]
-
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1: # do specified snippets
-        snippet_list = sys.argv[1:]
-    else:                 # do all snippets
-        snippet_list = snip_list
-
-    for s in snippet_list:
-        do_snippet (s)
+  verbose_mode = True
+  if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == '-s':
+    verbose_mode = False
+    del sys.argv[1]
+
+  if len(sys.argv) > 1: # do specified snippets
+    snippet_list = sys.argv[1:]
+  else:                 # do all snippets
+    snippet_list = snip_list
+
+  for s in snippet_list:
+    do_snippet (s)
diff --git a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_png.py b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_png.py
index 5341979..94b5fb9 100755
--- a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_png.py
+++ b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_png.py
@@ -18,14 +18,16 @@ width, height = 256, 256 # used by snippet_normalize()
 
 def do_snippet (snippet):
   if verbose_mode:
-    print 'processing %s' % snippet,
+    print('processing %s' % snippet)
 
   surface = cairo.ImageSurface (cairo.FORMAT_ARGB32, width, height)
   cr = cairo.Context (surface)
 
   cr.save()
   try:
-    execfile ('snippets/%s.py' % snippet, globals(), locals())
+    fName = 'snippets/%s.py' % snippet
+    code = open(fName).read()
+    exec (code, globals(), locals())
   except:
 #    exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
 #    print >> sys.stderr, exc_type, exc_value
diff --git a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_ps.py b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_ps.py
index 364402a..0015973 100755
--- a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_ps.py
+++ b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_ps.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import sys
 
 import cairo
 if not cairo.HAS_PS_SURFACE:
-    raise SystemExit ('cairo was not compiled with PS support')
+  raise SystemExit ('cairo was not compiled with PS support')
 
 from snippets import snip_list, snippet_normalize
 
@@ -20,37 +20,39 @@ width, height = width_in_points, height_in_points # used by snippet_normalize()
 
 
 def do_snippet (snippet):
-    if verbose_mode:
-        print 'processing %s' % snippet,
-
-    filename = 'snippets/%s.ps' % snippet
-    surface = cairo.PSSurface (filename, width_in_points, height_in_points)
-    cr = cairo.Context (surface)
-
-    cr.save()
-    try:
-        execfile ('snippets/%s.py' % snippet, globals(), locals())
-    except:
-        exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
-        print >> sys.stderr, exc_type, exc_value
-    else:
-        cr.restore()
-        cr.show_page()
-        surface.finish()
-
-    if verbose_mode:
-        print
+  if verbose_mode:
+    print('processing %s' % snippet)
+
+  filename = 'snippets/%s.ps' % snippet
+  surface = cairo.PSSurface (filename, width_in_points, height_in_points)
+  cr = cairo.Context (surface)
+
+  cr.save()
+  try:
+    fName = 'snippets/%s.py' % snippet
+    code = open(fName).read()
+    exec (code, globals(), locals())
+  except:
+    exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+    print >> sys.stderr, exc_type, exc_value
+  else:
+    cr.restore()
+    cr.show_page()
+    surface.finish()
+
+  if verbose_mode:
+    print
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    verbose_mode = True
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == '-s':
-        verbose_mode = False
-        del sys.argv[1]
-
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1: # do specified snippets
-        snippet_list = sys.argv[1:]
-    else:                 # do all snippets
-        snippet_list = snip_list
-
-    for s in snippet_list:
-        do_snippet (s)
+  verbose_mode = True
+  if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == '-s':
+    verbose_mode = False
+    del sys.argv[1]
+
+  if len(sys.argv) > 1: # do specified snippets
+    snippet_list = sys.argv[1:]
+  else:                 # do all snippets
+    snippet_list = snip_list
+
+  for s in snippet_list:
+    do_snippet (s)
diff --git a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_svg.py b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_svg.py
index 3620ee7..e9c9d8f 100755
--- a/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_svg.py
+++ b/examples/cairo_snippets/snippets_svg.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import sys
 
 import cairo
 if not cairo.HAS_SVG_SURFACE:
-    raise SystemExit ('cairo was not compiled with SVG support')
+  raise SystemExit ('cairo was not compiled with SVG support')
 
 from snippets import snip_list, snippet_normalize
 
@@ -17,37 +17,39 @@ width, height = width_in_points, height_in_points # used by snippet_normalize()
 
 
 def do_snippet (snippet):
-    if verbose_mode:
-        print 'processing %s' % snippet,
-
-    filename = 'snippets/%s.svg' % snippet
-    surface = cairo.SVGSurface (filename, width_in_points, height_in_points)
-    cr = cairo.Context (surface)
-
-    cr.save()
-    try:
-        execfile ('snippets/%s.py' % snippet, globals(), locals())
-    except:
-        exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
-        print >> sys.stderr, exc_type, exc_value
-    else:
-        cr.restore()
-        cr.show_page()
-        surface.finish()
-
-    if verbose_mode:
-        print
+  if verbose_mode:
+    print('processing %s' % snippet)
+
+  filename = 'snippets/%s.svg' % snippet
+  surface = cairo.SVGSurface (filename, width_in_points, height_in_points)
+  cr = cairo.Context (surface)
+
+  cr.save()
+  try:
+    fName = 'snippets/%s.py' % snippet
+    code = open(fName).read()
+    exec (code, globals(), locals())
+  except:
+    exc_type, exc_value = sys.exc_info()[:2]
+    print >> sys.stderr, exc_type, exc_value
+  else:
+    cr.restore()
+    cr.show_page()
+    surface.finish()
+
+  if verbose_mode:
+    print
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    verbose_mode = True
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == '-s':
-        verbose_mode = False
-        del sys.argv[1]
-
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1: # do specified snippets
-        snippet_list = sys.argv[1:]
-    else:                 # do all snippets
-        snippet_list = snip_list
-
-    for s in snippet_list:
-        do_snippet (s)
+  verbose_mode = True
+  if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == '-s':
+    verbose_mode = False
+    del sys.argv[1]
+
+  if len(sys.argv) > 1: # do specified snippets
+    snippet_list = sys.argv[1:]
+  else:                 # do all snippets
+    snippet_list = snip_list
+
+  for s in snippet_list:
+    do_snippet (s)
diff --git a/examples/hering.py b/examples/hering.py
index e400e15..1d3cf60 100755
--- a/examples/hering.py
+++ b/examples/hering.py
@@ -10,37 +10,37 @@ WIDTH  = 300
 HEIGHT = 600
 
 def draw_hering (ctx, width, height):
-    LINES= 32
-    MAX_THETA = .80 * math.pi * 2
-    THETA_INC = 2.0 * MAX_THETA / (LINES-1)
+  LINES= 32
+  MAX_THETA = .80 * math.pi * 2
+  THETA_INC = 2.0 * MAX_THETA / (LINES-1)
 
-    ctx.set_source_rgb (0, 0, 0)
-    ctx.set_line_width (2.0)
+  ctx.set_source_rgb (0, 0, 0)
+  ctx.set_line_width (2.0)
 
-    ctx.save()
+  ctx.save()
 
-    ctx.translate (width / 2, height / 2)
-    ctx.rotate (MAX_THETA)
+  ctx.translate (width / 2, height / 2)
+  ctx.rotate (MAX_THETA)
 
-    for i in range (LINES):
-        ctx.move_to (-2 * width, 0)
-        ctx.line_to (2 * width, 0)
-        ctx.stroke()
+  for i in range (LINES):
+    ctx.move_to (-2 * width, 0)
+    ctx.line_to (2 * width, 0)
+    ctx.stroke()
 
-        ctx.rotate (- THETA_INC)
+    ctx.rotate (- THETA_INC)
 
-    ctx.restore()
+  ctx.restore()
 
-    ctx.set_line_width (6)
-    ctx.set_source_rgb (1, 0, 0)
+  ctx.set_line_width (6)
+  ctx.set_source_rgb (1, 0, 0)
 
-    ctx.move_to (width / 4.0, 0)
-    ctx.rel_line_to (0, height)
-    ctx.stroke()
+  ctx.move_to (width / 4.0, 0)
+  ctx.rel_line_to (0, height)
+  ctx.stroke()
 
-    ctx.move_to (3 * width / 4.0, 0)
-    ctx.rel_line_to (0, height)
-    ctx.stroke()
+  ctx.move_to (3 * width / 4.0, 0)
+  ctx.rel_line_to (0, height)
+  ctx.stroke()
 
 
 surface = cairo.ImageSurface(cairo.FORMAT_ARGB32, WIDTH, HEIGHT)
diff --git a/examples/spiral.py b/examples/spiral.py
index 7be9af2..b0f3952 100755
--- a/examples/spiral.py
+++ b/examples/spiral.py
@@ -7,21 +7,21 @@ import cairo
 WIDTH, HEIGHT = 600, 600
 
 def draw_spiral (ctx, width, height):
-    wd = .02 * width
-    hd = .02 * height
+  wd = .02 * width
+  hd = .02 * height
 
-    width -= 2
-    height -= 2
+  width -= 2
+  height -= 2
 
-    ctx.move_to (width + 1, 1-hd)
-    for i in range(9):
-	ctx.rel_line_to (0, height - hd * (2 * i - 1))
-	ctx.rel_line_to (- (width - wd * (2 *i)), 0)
-	ctx.rel_line_to (0, - (height - hd * (2*i)))
-	ctx.rel_line_to (width - wd * (2 * i + 1), 0)
+  ctx.move_to (width + 1, 1-hd)
+  for i in range(9):
+    ctx.rel_line_to (0, height - hd * (2 * i - 1))
+    ctx.rel_line_to (- (width - wd * (2 *i)), 0)
+    ctx.rel_line_to (0, - (height - hd * (2*i)))
+    ctx.rel_line_to (width - wd * (2 * i + 1), 0)
 
-    ctx.set_source_rgb (0, 0, 1)
-    ctx.stroke()
+  ctx.set_source_rgb (0, 0, 1)
+  ctx.stroke()
 
 
 surface = cairo.ImageSurface (cairo.FORMAT_ARGB32, WIDTH, HEIGHT)
diff --git a/examples/warpedtext.py b/examples/warpedtext.py
index cd83ee7..0c8257d 100755
--- a/examples/warpedtext.py
+++ b/examples/warpedtext.py
@@ -4,44 +4,44 @@ import cairo
 import math
 
 def warpPath(ctx, function):
-    first = True
-
-    for type, points in ctx.copy_path():
-        if type == cairo.PATH_MOVE_TO:
-            if first:
-                ctx.new_path()
-                first = False
-            x, y = function(*points)
-            ctx.move_to(x, y)
-
-        elif type == cairo.PATH_LINE_TO:
-            x, y = function(*points)
-            ctx.line_to(x, y)
-
-        elif type == cairo.PATH_CURVE_TO:
-            x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3 = points
-            x1, y1 = function(x1, y1)
-            x2, y2 = function(x2, y2)
-            x3, y3 = function(x3, y3)
-            ctx.curve_to(x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3)
-
-        elif type == cairo.PATH_CLOSE_PATH:
-            ctx.close_path()
+  first = True
+
+  for type, points in ctx.copy_path():
+    if type == cairo.PATH_MOVE_TO:
+      if first:
+        ctx.new_path()
+        first = False
+      x, y = function(*points)
+      ctx.move_to(x, y)
+
+    elif type == cairo.PATH_LINE_TO:
+      x, y = function(*points)
+      ctx.line_to(x, y)
+
+    elif type == cairo.PATH_CURVE_TO:
+      x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3 = points
+      x1, y1 = function(x1, y1)
+      x2, y2 = function(x2, y2)
+      x3, y3 = function(x3, y3)
+      ctx.curve_to(x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3)
+
+    elif type == cairo.PATH_CLOSE_PATH:
+      ctx.close_path()
 
 def spiral(x, y):
-    theta0 = -math.pi * 3 / 4
-    theta = x / Width * math.pi * 2 + theta0
-    radius = y + 200 - x/7
-    xnew = radius*math.cos(theta)
-    ynew = radius*math.sin(-theta)
-    return xnew + Width/2, ynew + Height/2
+  theta0 = -math.pi * 3 / 4
+  theta = x / Width * math.pi * 2 + theta0
+  radius = y + 200 - x/7
+  xnew = radius*math.cos(theta)
+  ynew = radius*math.sin(-theta)
+  return xnew + Width/2, ynew + Height/2
 
 def curl(x, y):
-    xn = x - Textwidth/2
-    #yn = y - Textheight/2
-    xnew = xn
-    ynew = y + xn ** 3 / ((Textwidth/2)**3) * 70
-    return xnew + Width/2, ynew + Height*2/5
+  xn = x - Textwidth/2
+  #yn = y - Textheight/2
+  xnew = xn
+  ynew = y + xn ** 3 / ((Textwidth/2)**3) * 70
+  return xnew + Width/2, ynew + Height*2/5
 
 
 Width, Height = 512, 512
diff --git a/src/__init__.py b/src/__init__.py
index 85e07e2..b0f3bf6 100755
--- a/src/__init__.py
+++ b/src/__init__.py
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ more details.
 You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 along with pycairo. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 '''
-from _cairo import *
+from ._cairo import *
diff --git a/src/cairomodule.c b/src/cairomodule.c
index 02da659..58e665c 100644
--- a/src/cairomodule.c
+++ b/src/cairomodule.c
@@ -145,15 +145,16 @@ static Pycairo_CAPI_t CAPI = {
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_cairo_version (PyObject *self) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_version());
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_version());
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_cairo_version_string (PyObject *self) {
-  return PyString_FromString (cairo_version_string());
+  return PyUnicode_FromString (cairo_version_string());
 }
 
-static PyMethodDef cairo_functions[] = {
+//static PyMethodDef cairo_functions[] = {
+static PyMethodDef cairo_methods[] = {
   {"cairo_version",    (PyCFunction)pycairo_cairo_version, METH_NOARGS},
   {"cairo_version_string", (PyCFunction)pycairo_cairo_version_string,
    METH_NOARGS},
@@ -161,77 +162,133 @@ static PyMethodDef cairo_functions[] = {
 };
 
 
-DL_EXPORT(void)
-init_cairo(void)
+// Module initialization
+struct cairo_state {
+  PyObject *ErrorObject;
+};
+
+#define GETSTATE(m) ((struct cairo_state*)PyModule_GetState(m))
+
+static int
+cairo_traverse(PyObject *m, visitproc v, void *arg)
+{
+  //  Py_VISIT(GETSTATE(m)->ErrorObject);
+  /* gives error
+     ImportError: ./_cairo.so: undefined symbol: visit
+  */
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+cairo_clear(PyObject *m)
 {
-  PyObject *m;
+  Py_CLEAR(GETSTATE(m)->ErrorObject);
+  return 0;
+}
 
+static struct PyModuleDef cairomodule = {
+  PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
+  "cairo",
+  NULL,
+  sizeof(struct cairo_state),
+  cairo_methods,
+  0,  /* m_reload */
+  cairo_traverse,
+  cairo_clear,
+  0,  /* m_free - not needed, since all is done in m_clear */
+};
+
+PyObject *
+PyInit__cairo(void)
+{
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoContext_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoFontFace_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoToyFontFace_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoFontOptions_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoMatrix_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoPath_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   PycairoPathiter_Type.tp_iter=&PyObject_SelfIter;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoPathiter_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoPattern_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoSolidPattern_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoSurfacePattern_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoGradient_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoLinearGradient_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoRadialGradient_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoScaledFont_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_IMAGE_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoImageSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_PDF_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoPDFSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_PS_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoPSSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_SVG_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoSVGSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_WIN32_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoWin32Surface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoWin32PrintingSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_XCB_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoXCBSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_XLIB_SURFACE
   if (PyType_Ready(&PycairoXlibSurface_Type) < 0)
-    return;
+    return NULL;
 #endif
 
-  m = Py_InitModule("cairo._cairo", cairo_functions);
+
+  PyObject *m = PyModule_Create(&cairomodule);
+  //PyObject *m;
+  //m = Py_InitModule("cairo._cairo", cairo_functions);
+  if (m==NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  GETSTATE(m)->ErrorObject = PyErr_NewException("cairo.Error", NULL, NULL);
+  if (GETSTATE(m)->ErrorObject == NULL) {
+    Py_DECREF(m);
+    return NULL;
+  }
+  /* Add 'cairo.Error' to the module */
+  //  if (CairoError == NULL) {
+  //  CairoError = PyErr_NewException("cairo.Error", NULL, NULL);
+  //  if (CairoError == NULL)
+  //    return NULL;
+  //}
+  //Py_INCREF(CairoError);
+  // not needed ?
+  //if (PyModule_AddObject(m, "Error", CairoError) < 0)
+  // return NULL;
+
+
 
   PyModule_AddStringConstant(m, "version", VERSION);
   PyModule_AddObject(m, "version_info",
@@ -322,16 +379,6 @@ init_cairo(void)
 
   PyModule_AddObject(m, "CAPI", PyCObject_FromVoidPtr(&CAPI, NULL));
 
-  /* Add 'cairo.Error' to the module */
-  if (CairoError == NULL) {
-    CairoError = PyErr_NewException("cairo.Error", NULL, NULL);
-    if (CairoError == NULL)
-      return;
-  }
-  Py_INCREF(CairoError);
-  if (PyModule_AddObject(m, "Error", CairoError) < 0)
-    return;
-
     /* constants */
 #if CAIRO_HAS_ATSUI_FONT
   PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "HAS_ATSUI_FONT", 1);
@@ -493,4 +540,6 @@ init_cairo(void)
   CONSTANT(SUBPIXEL_ORDER_VRGB);
   CONSTANT(SUBPIXEL_ORDER_VBGR);
 #undef CONSTANT
+
+  return m;
 }
diff --git a/src/context.c b/src/context.c
index cf56f5d..60cb0d7 100644
--- a/src/context.c
+++ b/src/context.c
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ pycairo_dealloc(PycairoContext *o) {
     o->ctx = NULL;
   }
   Py_CLEAR(o->base);
-
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ pycairo_font_extents (PycairoContext *o) {
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_get_antialias (PycairoContext *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_get_antialias (o->ctx));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_get_antialias (o->ctx));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -328,12 +328,12 @@ pycairo_get_dash (PycairoContext *o) {
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_get_dash_count (PycairoContext *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_get_dash_count (o->ctx));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_get_dash_count (o->ctx));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_get_fill_rule (PycairoContext *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong(cairo_get_fill_rule (o->ctx));
+  return PyLong_FromLong(cairo_get_fill_rule (o->ctx));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -368,12 +368,12 @@ pycairo_get_group_target (PycairoContext *o) {
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_get_line_cap (PycairoContext *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong(cairo_get_line_cap (o->ctx));
+  return PyLong_FromLong(cairo_get_line_cap (o->ctx));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_get_line_join (PycairoContext *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong(cairo_get_line_join (o->ctx));
+  return PyLong_FromLong(cairo_get_line_join (o->ctx));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ pycairo_get_miter_limit (PycairoContext *o) {
 
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_get_operator (PycairoContext *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_get_operator (o->ctx));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_get_operator (o->ctx));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ _PyGlyphs_AsGlyphs (PyObject *py_object, int *num_glyphs)
 		      "each glyph item must be an (i,x,y) sequence");
       goto error;
     }
-    glyph->index = PyInt_AsLong(PySequence_Fast_GET_ITEM(py_seq, 0));
+    glyph->index = PyLong_AsLong(PySequence_Fast_GET_ITEM(py_seq, 0));
     glyph->x = PyFloat_AsDouble(PySequence_Fast_GET_ITEM(py_seq, 1));
     glyph->y = PyFloat_AsDouble(PySequence_Fast_GET_ITEM(py_seq, 2));
     if (PyErr_Occurred())
@@ -784,32 +784,21 @@ pycairo_scale (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *args) {
 static PyObject *
 pycairo_select_font_face (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *args) {
   PyObject *obj;
-  PyObject *pyUTF8 = NULL;
-  const char *utf8family = NULL;
   cairo_font_slant_t slant   = CAIRO_FONT_SLANT_NORMAL;
   cairo_font_weight_t weight = CAIRO_FONT_WEIGHT_NORMAL;
 
-  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O!|ii:Context.select_font_face",
-			&PyBaseString_Type, &obj, &slant, &weight))
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U|ii:Context.select_font_face",
+			&obj, &slant, &weight))
     return NULL;
 
-  /* accept str and unicode family, auto convert to utf8 as required */
-  if (PyString_Check(obj)) {
-    /* A plain ASCII string is also a valid UTF-8 string */
-    utf8family = PyString_AS_STRING(obj);
-  } else if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-    pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
-    if (pyUTF8 != NULL) {
-      utf8family = PyString_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
-    }
-  } else {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		    "Context.select_font_face: family must be str or unicode");
-  }
-  if (utf8family == NULL)
+  PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+  if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+  if (utf8 == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
-  cairo_select_font_face (o->ctx, utf8family, slant, weight);
+  cairo_select_font_face (o->ctx, utf8, slant, weight);
   Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
   RETURN_NULL_IF_CAIRO_CONTEXT_ERROR(o->ctx);
   Py_RETURN_NONE;
@@ -1109,23 +1098,16 @@ pycairo_show_page (PycairoContext *o) {
 }
 
 static PyObject *
-pycairo_show_text (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *obj) {
-  PyObject *pyUTF8 = NULL;
-  const char *utf8 = NULL;
+pycairo_show_text (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *args) {
+  PyObject *obj;
 
-  /* accept str and unicode text, auto convert to utf8 as required */
-  if (PyString_Check(obj)) {
-    /* A plain ASCII string is also a valid UTF-8 string */
-    utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(obj);
-  } else if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-    pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
-    if (pyUTF8 != NULL) {
-      utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
-    }
-  } else {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		    "Context.show_text: text must be str or unicode");
-  }
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U:Context.show_text", &obj))
+    return NULL;
+
+  PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+  if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
   if (utf8 == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
@@ -1164,27 +1146,20 @@ pycairo_stroke_preserve (PycairoContext *o) {
 }
 
 static PyObject *
-pycairo_text_extents (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *obj) {
-  cairo_text_extents_t extents;
-  PyObject *pyUTF8 = NULL;
-  const char *utf8 = NULL;
-
-  /* accept str and unicode text, auto convert to utf8 as required */
-  if (PyString_Check(obj)) {
-    /* A plain ASCII string is also a valid UTF-8 string */
-    utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(obj);
-  } else if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-    pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
-    if (pyUTF8 != NULL) {
-      utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
-    }
-  } else {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		    "Context.text_extents: text must be str or unicode");
-  }
+pycairo_text_extents (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *args) {
+  PyObject *obj;
+
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U:Context.text_extents", &obj))
+    return NULL;
+
+  PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+  if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
   if (utf8 == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
+  cairo_text_extents_t extents;
   cairo_text_extents (o->ctx, utf8, &extents);
   Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
   RETURN_NULL_IF_CAIRO_CONTEXT_ERROR(o->ctx);
@@ -1194,23 +1169,16 @@ pycairo_text_extents (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *obj) {
 }
 
 static PyObject *
-pycairo_text_path (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *obj) {
-  PyObject *pyUTF8 = NULL;
-  const char *utf8 = NULL;
+pycairo_text_path (PycairoContext *o, PyObject *args) {
+  PyObject *obj;
 
-  /* accept str and unicode text, auto convert to utf8 as required */
-  if (PyString_Check(obj)) {
-    /* A plain ASCII string is also a valid UTF-8 string */
-    utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(obj);
-  } else if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-    pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
-    if (pyUTF8 != NULL) {
-      utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
-    }
-  } else {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		    "Context.text_path: text must be str or unicode");
-  }
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U:Context.text_path", &obj))
+    return NULL;
+
+  PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+  if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
   if (utf8 == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
@@ -1373,12 +1341,12 @@ static PyMethodDef pycairo_methods[] = {
   {"set_tolerance",   (PyCFunction)pycairo_set_tolerance,    METH_VARARGS},
   {"show_glyphs",     (PyCFunction)pycairo_show_glyphs,      METH_VARARGS},
   {"show_page",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_show_page,        METH_NOARGS},
-  {"show_text",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_show_text,        METH_O},
+  {"show_text",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_show_text,        METH_VARARGS},
   {"stroke",          (PyCFunction)pycairo_stroke,           METH_NOARGS},
   {"stroke_extents",  (PyCFunction)pycairo_stroke_extents,   METH_NOARGS},
   {"stroke_preserve", (PyCFunction)pycairo_stroke_preserve,  METH_NOARGS},
-  {"text_extents",    (PyCFunction)pycairo_text_extents,     METH_O},
-  {"text_path",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_text_path,        METH_O},
+  {"text_extents",    (PyCFunction)pycairo_text_extents,     METH_VARARGS},
+  {"text_path",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_text_path,        METH_VARARGS},
   {"transform",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_transform,        METH_VARARGS},
   {"translate",       (PyCFunction)pycairo_translate,        METH_VARARGS},
   {"user_to_device",  (PyCFunction)pycairo_user_to_device,   METH_VARARGS},
@@ -1388,8 +1356,9 @@ static PyMethodDef pycairo_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoContext_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Context",                    /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoContext),             /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
diff --git a/src/font.c b/src/font.c
index 4377aeb..10d90e7 100644
--- a/src/font.c
+++ b/src/font.c
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ font_face_dealloc (PycairoFontFace *o) {
     cairo_font_face_destroy (o->font_face);
     o->font_face = NULL;
   }
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *) o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *) o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -89,8 +90,9 @@ static PyMethodDef font_face_methods[] = {
 */
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoFontFace_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.FontFace",                   /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoFontFace),            /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -139,50 +141,39 @@ PyTypeObject PycairoFontFace_Type = {
 static PyObject *
 toy_font_face_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   PyObject *obj;
-  PyObject *pyUTF8 = NULL;
-  const char *utf8family = NULL;
   cairo_font_slant_t slant   = CAIRO_FONT_SLANT_NORMAL;
   cairo_font_weight_t weight = CAIRO_FONT_WEIGHT_NORMAL;
 
-  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "O!|ii:ToyFontFace.__new__",
-			&PyBaseString_Type, &obj, &slant, &weight))
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U|ii:ToyFontFace.__new__",
+			&obj, &slant, &weight))
     return NULL;
 
-  /* accept str and unicode family, auto convert to utf8 as required */
-  if (PyString_Check(obj)) {
-    /* A plain ASCII string is also a valid UTF-8 string */
-    utf8family = PyString_AS_STRING(obj);
-  } else if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-    pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
-    if (pyUTF8 != NULL) {
-      utf8family = PyString_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
-    }
-  } else {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		    "ToyFontFace.__new__: family must be str or unicode");
-  }
-  if (utf8family == NULL)
+  PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+  if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+  if (utf8 == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
   PyObject *o = PycairoFontFace_FromFontFace (
-		     cairo_toy_font_face_create (utf8family, slant, weight));
+		     cairo_toy_font_face_create (utf8, slant, weight));
   Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
   return o;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 toy_font_get_family (PycairoToyFontFace *o) {
-  return PyString_FromString (cairo_toy_font_face_get_family (o->font_face));
+  return PyUnicode_FromString (cairo_toy_font_face_get_family (o->font_face));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 toy_font_get_slant (PycairoToyFontFace *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_toy_font_face_get_slant (o->font_face));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_toy_font_face_get_slant (o->font_face));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 toy_font_get_weight (PycairoToyFontFace *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_toy_font_face_get_weight (o->font_face));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_toy_font_face_get_weight (o->font_face));
 }
 
 static PyMethodDef toy_font_face_methods[] = {
@@ -194,8 +185,9 @@ static PyMethodDef toy_font_face_methods[] = {
 
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoToyFontFace_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.ToyFontFace",                /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoToyFontFace),         /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -272,7 +264,8 @@ scaled_font_dealloc(PycairoScaledFont *o) {
     cairo_scaled_font_destroy (o->scaled_font);
     o->scaled_font = NULL;
   }
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *) o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *) o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -317,27 +310,20 @@ scaled_font_get_scale_matrix (PycairoScaledFont *o) {
 }
 
 static PyObject *
-scaled_font_text_extents (PycairoScaledFont *o, PyObject *obj) {
-  cairo_text_extents_t extents;
-  PyObject *pyUTF8 = NULL;
-  const char *utf8 = NULL;
-
-  /* accept str and unicode text, auto convert to utf8 as required */
-  if (PyString_Check(obj)) {
-    /* A plain ASCII string is also a valid UTF-8 string */
-    utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(obj);
-  } else if (PyUnicode_Check(obj)) {
-    pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
-    if (pyUTF8 != NULL) {
-      utf8 = PyString_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
-    }
-  } else {
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		    "ScaledFont.text_extents: text must be str or unicode");
-  }
+scaled_font_text_extents (PycairoScaledFont *o, PyObject *args) {
+  PyObject *obj;
+
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "U:ScaledFont.text_extents", &obj))
+    return NULL;
+
+  PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+  if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
   if (utf8 == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
+  cairo_text_extents_t extents;
   cairo_scaled_font_text_extents (o->scaled_font, utf8, &extents);
   Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
   RETURN_NULL_IF_CAIRO_SCALED_FONT_ERROR(o->scaled_font);
@@ -362,14 +348,15 @@ static PyMethodDef scaled_font_methods[] = {
   {"extents",       (PyCFunction)scaled_font_extents,        METH_NOARGS},
   {"get_font_face", (PyCFunction)scaled_font_get_font_face,  METH_NOARGS},
   {"get_scale_matrix", (PyCFunction)scaled_font_get_scale_matrix, METH_VARARGS},
-  {"text_extents",  (PyCFunction)scaled_font_text_extents,   METH_O},
+  {"text_extents",  (PyCFunction)scaled_font_text_extents,   METH_VARARGS},
   {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL},
 };
 
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoScaledFont_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.ScaledFont",                 /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoScaledFont),          /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -446,7 +433,8 @@ font_options_dealloc(PycairoFontOptions *o) {
     cairo_font_options_destroy (o->font_options);
     o->font_options = NULL;
   }
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *) o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *) o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -456,24 +444,24 @@ font_options_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
 
 static PyObject *
 font_options_get_antialias (PycairoFontOptions *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_antialias (o->font_options));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_antialias (o->font_options));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 font_options_get_hint_metrics (PycairoFontOptions *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_hint_metrics
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_hint_metrics
 			 (o->font_options));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 font_options_get_hint_style (PycairoFontOptions *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_hint_style
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_hint_style
 			 (o->font_options));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 font_options_get_subpixel_order (PycairoFontOptions *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_subpixel_order
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_font_options_get_subpixel_order
 			 (o->font_options));
 }
 
@@ -553,8 +541,9 @@ static PyMethodDef font_options_methods[] = {
 
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoFontOptions_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.FontOptions",                /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoFontOptions),         /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
diff --git a/src/matrix.c b/src/matrix.c
index 98ccd9f..122e700 100644
--- a/src/matrix.c
+++ b/src/matrix.c
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ PycairoMatrix_FromMatrix (const cairo_matrix_t *matrix) {
 
 static void
 matrix_dealloc (PycairoMatrix *o) {
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ matrix_repr (PycairoMatrix *o) {
 		o->matrix.xx, o->matrix.yx,
 		o->matrix.xy, o->matrix.yy,
 		o->matrix.x0, o->matrix.y0);
-  return PyString_FromString(buf);
+  return PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -213,45 +214,41 @@ matrix_item (PycairoMatrix *o, Py_ssize_t i) {
 }
 
 static PyNumberMethods matrix_as_number = {
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_add*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_subtract*/
-  (binaryfunc)matrix_operator_multiply,  /*nb_multiply*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_divide*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_remainder*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_divmod*/
-  (ternaryfunc)0,  /*nb_power*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_negative*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_positive*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_absolute*/
-  (inquiry)0,      /*nb_nonzero*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_invert*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_lshift*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_rshift*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_and*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_xor*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /*nb_or*/
-  (coercion)0,     /*nb_coerce*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_int*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_long*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_float*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_oct*/
-  (unaryfunc)0,    /*nb_hex*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_add*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_subtract*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_multiply*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_divide*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_remainder*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_power*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_lshift*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_rshift*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_and*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_xor*/
-  0,		   /*nb_inplace_or*/
-  (binaryfunc)0,   /* nb_floor_divide */
-  0,	           /* nb_true_divide */
-  0,		   /* nb_inplace_floor_divide */
-  0,		   /* nb_inplace_true_divide */
-  (unaryfunc)0,	   /* nb_index */
+  0,                                     /* nb_add*/
+  0,                                     /* nb_subtract*/
+  (binaryfunc)matrix_operator_multiply,  /* nb_multiply*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_remainder*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_divmod*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_power*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_negative*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_positive*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_absolute*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_bool*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_invert*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_lshift*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_rshift*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_and*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_xor*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_or*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_int*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_reserved*/
+  0,    	   			 /* nb_float*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_add*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_subtract*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_multiply*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_divide*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_remainder*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_power*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_lshift*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_rshift*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_and*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_xor*/
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_or*/
+  0,               			 /* nb_floor_divide */
+  0,	           			 /* nb_true_divide */
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_floor_divide */
+  0,		   			 /* nb_inplace_true_divide */
+  //  0,      	   			 /* nb_index */
 };
 
 static PySequenceMethods matrix_as_sequence = {
@@ -287,8 +284,9 @@ static PyMethodDef matrix_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoMatrix_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Matrix",                     /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoMatrix),              /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
diff --git a/src/path.c b/src/path.c
index 394f25c..e0814d8 100644
--- a/src/path.c
+++ b/src/path.c
@@ -55,15 +55,16 @@ PycairoPath_FromPath (cairo_path_t *path) {
 }
 
 static void
-path_dealloc(PycairoPath *p) {
+path_dealloc(PycairoPath *o) {
 #ifdef DEBUG
   printf("path_dealloc start\n");
 #endif
-  if (p->path) {
-    cairo_path_destroy(p->path);
-    p->path = NULL;
+  if (o->path) {
+    cairo_path_destroy(o->path);
+    o->path = NULL;
   }
-  p->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)p);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 #ifdef DEBUG
   printf("path_dealloc end\n");
 #endif
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ path_str(PycairoPath *p) {
     case CAIRO_PATH_MOVE_TO:
       PyOS_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "move_to %f %f",
 		    data[1].point.x, data[1].point.y);
-      s = PyString_FromString(buf);
+      s = PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
       if (!s)
 	goto Done;
       ret = PyList_Append(pieces, s);
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ path_str(PycairoPath *p) {
     case CAIRO_PATH_LINE_TO:
       PyOS_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "line_to %f %f",
 		    data[1].point.x, data[1].point.y);
-      s = PyString_FromString(buf);
+      s = PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
       if (!s)
 	goto Done;
       ret = PyList_Append(pieces, s);
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ path_str(PycairoPath *p) {
 		    data[1].point.x, data[1].point.y,
 		    data[2].point.x, data[2].point.y,
 		    data[3].point.x, data[3].point.y);
-      s = PyString_FromString(buf);
+      s = PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
       if (!s)
 	goto Done;
       ret = PyList_Append(pieces, s);
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ path_str(PycairoPath *p) {
       break;
 
     case CAIRO_PATH_CLOSE_PATH:
-      s = PyString_FromString("close path");
+      s = PyUnicode_FromString("close path");
       if (!s)
 	goto Done;
       ret = PyList_Append(pieces, s);
@@ -149,10 +150,10 @@ path_str(PycairoPath *p) {
     }
   }
   /* result = "\n".join(pieces) */
-  s = PyString_FromString("\n");
+  s = PyUnicode_FromString("\n");
   if (s == NULL)
     goto Done;
-  result = _PyString_Join(s, pieces);
+  result = PyUnicode_Join(s, pieces);
   Py_DECREF(s);
 
 Done:
@@ -164,8 +165,9 @@ static PyObject * path_iter(PyObject *seq); /* forward declaration */
 
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoPath_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,				        /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,				        /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Path",			/* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoPath),		/* tp_basicsize */
   0,					/* tp_itemsize */
@@ -284,8 +286,9 @@ pathiter_next(PycairoPathiter *it) {
 }
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoPathiter_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Pathiter",                   /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoPathiter),            /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
diff --git a/src/pattern.c b/src/pattern.c
index 0676114..61ae1c5 100644
--- a/src/pattern.c
+++ b/src/pattern.c
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ pattern_dealloc (PycairoPattern *o) {
   }
   Py_CLEAR(o->base);
 
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ pattern_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
 
 static PyObject *
 pattern_get_extend (PycairoPattern *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_pattern_get_extend (o->pattern));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_pattern_get_extend (o->pattern));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -152,8 +153,9 @@ static PyMethodDef pattern_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoPattern_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Pattern",                    /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoPattern),             /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -221,8 +223,9 @@ static PyMethodDef solid_pattern_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoSolidPattern_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.SolidPattern",               /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoSolidPattern),        /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -279,7 +282,7 @@ surface_pattern_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
 
 static PyObject *
 surface_pattern_get_filter (PycairoSurfacePattern *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_pattern_get_filter (o->pattern));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_pattern_get_filter (o->pattern));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -313,8 +316,9 @@ static PyMethodDef surface_pattern_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoSurfacePattern_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.SurfacePattern",             /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoSurfacePattern),      /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -398,8 +402,9 @@ static PyMethodDef gradient_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoGradient_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Gradient",                   /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoGradient),            /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -468,8 +473,9 @@ static PyMethodDef linear_gradient_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoLinearGradient_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.LinearGradient",             /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoLinearGradient),      /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -540,8 +546,9 @@ static PyMethodDef radial_gradient_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoRadialGradient_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.RadialGradient",             /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoRadialGradient),      /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
diff --git a/src/surface.c b/src/surface.c
index 2e19f14..50480df 100644
--- a/src/surface.c
+++ b/src/surface.c
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@ PycairoSurface_FromSurface (cairo_surface_t *surface, PyObject *base) {
 static cairo_status_t
 _write_func (void *closure, const unsigned char *data, unsigned int length) {
   PyGILState_STATE gstate = PyGILState_Ensure();
-  PyObject *res = PyObject_CallMethod ((PyObject *)closure, "write", "(s#)",
+  //  PyObject *res = PyObject_CallMethod ((PyObject *)closure, "write", "(s#)",
+  //				       data, (Py_ssize_t)length);
+  PyObject *res = PyObject_CallMethod ((PyObject *)closure, "write", "(y#)",
 				       data, (Py_ssize_t)length);
   if (res == NULL) {
     /* an exception has occurred, it will be picked up later by
@@ -139,7 +141,8 @@ surface_dealloc (PycairoSurface *o) {
   }
   Py_CLEAR(o->base);
 
-  o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  //o->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)o);
+  Py_TYPE(o)->tp_free(o);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -190,7 +193,7 @@ surface_flush (PycairoSurface *o) {
 
 static PyObject *
 surface_get_content (PycairoSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_surface_get_content (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_surface_get_content (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -271,18 +274,27 @@ surface_show_page (PycairoSurface *o) {
 #ifdef CAIRO_HAS_PNG_FUNCTIONS
 /* METH_O */
 static PyObject *
-surface_write_to_png (PycairoSurface *o, PyObject *file) {
+surface_write_to_png (PycairoSurface *o, PyObject *obj) {
   cairo_status_t status;
 
-  if (PyObject_TypeCheck (file, &PyString_Type)) {
-    /* string (filename) argument */
+  if (PyObject_TypeCheck (obj, &PyUnicode_Type)) {
+    /* unicode (filename) argument */
+
+    PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+    if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+    const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+    if (utf8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    status = cairo_surface_write_to_png (o->surface,
-					 PyString_AsString(file));
+    status = cairo_surface_write_to_png (o->surface, utf8);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
 
+    Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
+
   } else {  /* file or file-like object argument */
-    PyObject* writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (file, "write");
+    PyObject* writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (obj, "write");
     if (writer == NULL || !PyCallable_Check (writer)) {
       Py_XDECREF(writer);
       PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -293,7 +305,7 @@ surface_write_to_png (PycairoSurface *o, PyObject *file) {
     Py_DECREF(writer);
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
     status = cairo_surface_write_to_png_stream (o->surface, _write_func,
-						file);
+						obj);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
   }
   RETURN_NULL_IF_CAIRO_ERROR(status);
@@ -334,8 +346,9 @@ static PyMethodDef surface_methods[] = {
 
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Surface",                    /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoSurface),             /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -404,6 +417,10 @@ image_surface_create_for_data (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args) {
   Py_ssize_t buffer_len;
   PyObject *obj;
 
+  // buffer function disabled
+  PyErr_SetString(PyExc_NotImplementedError, "Surface.create_for_data: Not Implemented yet.");
+  return NULL;
+
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Oiii|i:Surface.create_for_data",
 			&obj, &format, &width, &height, &stride))
     return NULL;
@@ -448,15 +465,15 @@ _read_func (void *closure, unsigned char *data, unsigned int length) {
   Py_ssize_t str_length;
   cairo_status_t status = CAIRO_STATUS_READ_ERROR;
   PyGILState_STATE gstate = PyGILState_Ensure();
-  PyObject *pystr = PyObject_CallMethod ((PyObject *)closure, "read", "(i)",
+  PyObject *pyBytes = PyObject_CallMethod ((PyObject *)closure, "read", "(i)",
 					 length);
-  if (pystr == NULL) {
+  if (pyBytes == NULL) {
     /* an exception has occurred, it will be picked up later by
      * Pycairo_Check_Status()
      */
     goto end;
   }
-  int ret = PyString_AsStringAndSize(pystr, &buffer, &str_length);
+  int ret = PyBytes_AsStringAndSize(pyBytes, &buffer, &str_length);
   if (ret == -1 || str_length < length) {
     goto end;
   }
@@ -464,26 +481,38 @@ _read_func (void *closure, unsigned char *data, unsigned int length) {
   memcpy (data, buffer, str_length);
   status = CAIRO_STATUS_SUCCESS;
  end:
-  Py_XDECREF(pystr);
+  Py_XDECREF(pyBytes);
   PyGILState_Release(gstate);
   return status;
 }
 
 /* METH_O | METH_CLASS */
 static PyObject *
-image_surface_create_from_png (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *file) {
+image_surface_create_from_png (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *obj) {
   PyObject* reader;
   cairo_surface_t *is;
 
-  if (PyObject_TypeCheck (file, &PyBaseString_Type)) {
+  // filename (str)
+  if (PyObject_TypeCheck (obj, &PyUnicode_Type)) {
+
+    PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+    if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+    const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+    if (utf8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    is = cairo_image_surface_create_from_png (PyString_AsString(file));
+    is = cairo_image_surface_create_from_png (utf8);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
+
+    Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
+
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (is, NULL);
   }
 
   /* file or file-like object argument */
-  reader = PyObject_GetAttrString (file, "read");
+  reader = PyObject_GetAttrString (obj, "read");
   if (reader == NULL || !PyCallable_Check (reader)) {
     Py_XDECREF(reader);
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -494,7 +523,7 @@ image_surface_create_from_png (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *file) {
   Py_DECREF(reader);
 
   Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  is = cairo_image_surface_create_from_png_stream (_read_func, file);
+  is = cairo_image_surface_create_from_png_stream (_read_func, obj);
   Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
   return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (is, NULL);
 }
@@ -507,36 +536,39 @@ image_surface_format_stride_for_width (PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
   int width;
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ii:format_stride_for_width", &format, &width))
     return NULL;
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_format_stride_for_width (format, width));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_format_stride_for_width (format, width));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 image_surface_get_data (PycairoImageSurface *o) {
-  return PyBuffer_FromReadWriteObject((PyObject *)o, 0, Py_END_OF_BUFFER);
+  PyErr_SetString(PyExc_NotImplementedError, "Surface.get_data: Not Implemented yet.");
+  return NULL;
+  // return PyBuffer_FromReadWriteObject((PyObject *)o, 0, Py_END_OF_BUFFER);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 image_surface_get_format (PycairoImageSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_format (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_format (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 image_surface_get_height (PycairoImageSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_height (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_height (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 image_surface_get_stride (PycairoImageSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_stride (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_stride (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 image_surface_get_width (PycairoImageSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_width (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_image_surface_get_width (o->surface));
 }
 
 
 /* Buffer interface functions, used by ImageSurface.get_data() */
+/*
 static int
 image_surface_buffer_getreadbuf (PycairoImageSurface *o, int segment,
 				 const void **ptr) {
@@ -574,22 +606,25 @@ image_surface_buffer_getwritebuf (PycairoImageSurface *o, int segment,
 static int
 image_surface_buffer_getsegcount (PycairoImageSurface *o, int *lenp) {
   if (lenp) {
-    /* report the sum of the sizes (in bytes) of all segments */
+  // report the sum of the sizes (in bytes) of all segments
     cairo_surface_t *surface = o->surface;
     int height = cairo_image_surface_get_height (surface);
     int stride = cairo_image_surface_get_stride (surface);
     *lenp = height * stride;
   }
-  return 1;  /* surface data is all in one segment */
+  return 1;  // surface data is all in one segment
 }
+*/
 
 /* See Python C API Manual 10.7 */
+/*
 static PyBufferProcs image_surface_as_buffer = {
   (readbufferproc) image_surface_buffer_getreadbuf,
   (writebufferproc)image_surface_buffer_getwritebuf,
   (segcountproc)   image_surface_buffer_getsegcount,
   (charbufferproc) NULL,
 };
+*/
 
 static PyMethodDef image_surface_methods[] = {
   {"create_for_data",(PyCFunction)image_surface_create_for_data,
@@ -611,8 +646,9 @@ static PyMethodDef image_surface_methods[] = {
 
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoImageSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.ImageSurface",               /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoImageSurface),        /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -630,7 +666,8 @@ PyTypeObject PycairoImageSurface_Type = {
   0,                                  /* tp_str */
   0,                                  /* tp_getattro */
   0,                                  /* tp_setattro */
-  &image_surface_as_buffer,		/* tp_as_buffer */
+  //  &image_surface_as_buffer,		/* tp_as_buffer */
+  0,                    		/* tp_as_buffer */
   Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT,                 /* tp_flags */
   0,                                  /* tp_doc */
   0,                                  /* tp_traverse */
@@ -664,29 +701,39 @@ PyTypeObject PycairoImageSurface_Type = {
 static PyObject *
 pdf_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   double width_in_points, height_in_points;
-  PyObject *file, *writer;
+  PyObject *obj, *writer;
   cairo_surface_t *sfc;
 
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Odd:PDFSurface.__new__",
-			&file, &width_in_points, &height_in_points))
+			&obj, &width_in_points, &height_in_points))
     return NULL;
 
-  if (file == Py_None) {
+  if (obj == Py_None) {
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    sfc = cairo_pdf_surface_create (NULL,
-				    width_in_points, height_in_points);
+    sfc = cairo_pdf_surface_create (NULL, width_in_points, height_in_points);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, NULL);
-  }else if (PyObject_TypeCheck (file, &PyBaseString_Type)) {
+
+  }else if (PyObject_TypeCheck (obj, &PyUnicode_Type)) {
     /* string (filename) argument */
+
+    PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+    if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+    const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+    if (utf8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    sfc = cairo_pdf_surface_create (PyString_AsString(file),
-				    width_in_points, height_in_points);
+    sfc = cairo_pdf_surface_create (utf8, width_in_points, height_in_points);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
+
+    Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, NULL);
   }
+
   /* file or file-like object argument */
-  writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (file, "write");
+  writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (obj, "write");
   if (writer == NULL || !PyCallable_Check (writer)) {
     Py_XDECREF(writer);
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -701,10 +748,10 @@ pdf_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   Py_DECREF(writer);
 
   Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  sfc = cairo_pdf_surface_create_for_stream (_write_func, file,
+  sfc = cairo_pdf_surface_create_for_stream (_write_func, obj,
 					     width_in_points, height_in_points);
   Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, file);
+  return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, obj);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -725,8 +772,9 @@ static PyMethodDef pdf_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoPDFSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.PDFSurface",                 /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoPDFSurface),          /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -778,29 +826,38 @@ PyTypeObject PycairoPDFSurface_Type = {
 static PyObject *
 ps_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   double width_in_points, height_in_points;
-  PyObject *file, *writer;
+  PyObject *obj, *writer;
   cairo_surface_t *sfc;
 
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Odd:PSSurface.__new__",
-			&file, &width_in_points, &height_in_points))
+			&obj, &width_in_points, &height_in_points))
     return NULL;
 
-  if (file == Py_None) {
+  if (obj == Py_None) {
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    sfc = cairo_ps_surface_create (NULL,
-				   width_in_points, height_in_points);
+    sfc = cairo_ps_surface_create (NULL, width_in_points, height_in_points);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, NULL);
-  }else if (PyObject_TypeCheck (file, &PyBaseString_Type)) {
+
+  }else if (PyObject_TypeCheck (obj, &PyUnicode_Type)) {
     /* string (filename) argument */
+
+    PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+    if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+    const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+    if (utf8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    sfc = cairo_ps_surface_create (PyString_AsString(file),
-				   width_in_points, height_in_points);
+    sfc = cairo_ps_surface_create (utf8, width_in_points, height_in_points);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
+
+    Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, NULL);
   }
   /* else: file or file-like object argument */
-  writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (file, "write");
+  writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (obj, "write");
   if (writer == NULL || !PyCallable_Check (writer)) {
     Py_XDECREF(writer);
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -815,10 +872,10 @@ ps_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   Py_DECREF(writer);
 
   Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  sfc = cairo_ps_surface_create_for_stream (_write_func, file,
+  sfc = cairo_ps_surface_create_for_stream (_write_func, obj,
 					    width_in_points, height_in_points);
   Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, file);
+  return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, obj);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -865,7 +922,8 @@ ps_surface_ps_level_to_string (PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {
 		    "invalid level argument");
     return NULL;
   }
-  return PyString_FromString(s);
+  //return PyUnicode_FromString(s);
+  return PyUnicode_DecodeASCII(s, strlen(s), NULL);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -918,8 +976,9 @@ static PyMethodDef ps_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoPSSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.PSSurface",                  /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoPSSurface),           /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -971,29 +1030,38 @@ PyTypeObject PycairoPSSurface_Type = {
 static PyObject *
 svg_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   double width_in_points, height_in_points;
-  PyObject *file, *writer;
+  PyObject *obj, *writer;
   cairo_surface_t *sfc;
 
   if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "Odd:SVGSurface.__new__",
-			&file, &width_in_points, &height_in_points))
+			&obj, &width_in_points, &height_in_points))
     return NULL;
 
-  if (file == Py_None) {
+  if (obj == Py_None) {
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    sfc = cairo_svg_surface_create (NULL,
-				    width_in_points, height_in_points);
+    sfc = cairo_svg_surface_create (NULL, width_in_points, height_in_points);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, NULL);
-  }else if (PyObject_TypeCheck (file, &PyBaseString_Type)) {
+
+  }else if (PyObject_TypeCheck (obj, &PyUnicode_Type)) {
     /* string (filename) argument */
+
+    PyObject *pyUTF8 = PyUnicode_AsUTF8String(obj);
+    if (pyUTF8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+    const char *utf8 = PyBytes_AS_STRING(pyUTF8);
+    if (utf8 == NULL)
+      return NULL;
+
     Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-    sfc = cairo_svg_surface_create (PyString_AsString(file),
-				    width_in_points, height_in_points);
+    sfc = cairo_svg_surface_create (utf8, width_in_points, height_in_points);
     Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
+
+    Py_XDECREF(pyUTF8);
     return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, NULL);
   }
   /* else: file or file-like object argument */
-  writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (file, "write");
+  writer = PyObject_GetAttrString (obj, "write");
   if (writer == NULL || !PyCallable_Check (writer)) {
     Py_XDECREF(writer);
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
@@ -1008,10 +1076,10 @@ svg_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
   Py_DECREF(writer);
 
   Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  sfc = cairo_svg_surface_create_for_stream (_write_func, file,
+  sfc = cairo_svg_surface_create_for_stream (_write_func, obj,
 					     width_in_points, height_in_points);
   Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
-  return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, file);
+  return PycairoSurface_FromSurface (sfc, obj);
 }
 
 static PyMethodDef svg_surface_methods[] = {
@@ -1024,8 +1092,9 @@ static PyMethodDef svg_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoSVGSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.SVGSurface",                 /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoSVGSurface),          /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -1089,8 +1158,9 @@ static PyMethodDef win32_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoWin32Surface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Win32Surface",               /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoWin32Surface),        /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -1151,8 +1221,9 @@ static PyMethodDef win32_printing_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoWin32PrintingSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.Win32PrintingSurface",       /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoWin32PrintingSurface), /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -1212,12 +1283,14 @@ PyTypeObject PycairoWin32PrintingSurface_Type = {
 const void *
 xpyb2struct(PyObject *obj, Py_ssize_t *len)
 {
-    const void *data;
+  const void *data;
 
-    if (PyObject_AsReadBuffer(obj, &data, len) < 0)
-        return NULL;
+  // buffer function disabled
+  return NULL;
+  if (PyObject_AsReadBuffer(obj, &data, len) < 0)
+    return NULL;
 
-    return data;
+  return data;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1298,8 +1371,9 @@ static PyMethodDef xcb_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoXCBSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.XCBSurface",                 /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoXCBSurface),          /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
@@ -1357,17 +1431,17 @@ xlib_surface_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds) {
 
 static PyObject *
 xlib_surface_get_depth (PycairoXlibSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_xlib_surface_get_depth (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_xlib_surface_get_depth (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 xlib_surface_get_height (PycairoXlibSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_xlib_surface_get_height (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_xlib_surface_get_height (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 xlib_surface_get_width (PycairoXlibSurface *o) {
-  return PyInt_FromLong (cairo_xlib_surface_get_width (o->surface));
+  return PyLong_FromLong (cairo_xlib_surface_get_width (o->surface));
 }
 
 static PyMethodDef xlib_surface_methods[] = {
@@ -1378,8 +1452,9 @@ static PyMethodDef xlib_surface_methods[] = {
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PycairoXlibSurface_Type = {
-  PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
-  0,                                  /* ob_size */
+  PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+  //PyObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL)
+  //0,                                  /* ob_size */
   "cairo.XlibSurface",                /* tp_name */
   sizeof(PycairoXlibSurface),         /* tp_basicsize */
   0,                                  /* tp_itemsize */
diff --git a/src/wscript b/src/wscript
index 41b89c7..7fdeffc 100644
--- a/src/wscript
+++ b/src/wscript
@@ -5,18 +5,18 @@ import os
 
 d = 'src'
 
-def build(bld):
-  print('  %s/build' %d)
+def build(ctx):
+  print('  %s/build()' %d)
 
   # .py files
-  bld.new_task_gen(
-    features = 'py',
-    source = '__init__.py',
+  ctx.new_task_gen(
+    features     = 'py',
+    source       = '__init__.py',
     install_path = '${PYTHONDIR}/cairo',
     )
 
   # C extension module
-  bld.new_task_gen(
+  ctx.new_task_gen(
     features = 'cc cshlib pyext',
     source = 'cairomodule.c context.c font.c path.c pattern.c matrix.c surface.c',
     target = '_cairo',
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def build(bld):
     )
 
   # C API
-  bld.install_files(os.path.join(bld.env['PREFIX'], 'include', 'pycairo'),
+  ctx.install_files(os.path.join(ctx.env['PREFIX'], 'include', 'pycairo'),
                     'py3cairo.h')
 
   # how to strip binaries ?
diff --git a/test/isurface_create_for_data1.py b/test/isurface_create_for_data1.py
index 867fde4..7ad5496 100755
--- a/test/isurface_create_for_data1.py
+++ b/test/isurface_create_for_data1.py
@@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ surface = cairo.ImageSurface.create_for_data(data, cairo.FORMAT_ARGB32,
                                              width, height)
 ctx = cairo.Context(surface)
 surface.write_to_png(fileName)
-print "see %s output file" % fileName
+print("see %s output file" % fileName)
diff --git a/waf b/waf
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..5d00bdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/waf
diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index a98e7ee..30e986c 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -2,71 +2,96 @@
 
 import os
 
+top = '.'
+out = 'build_directory'
+d = top
+
 APPNAME='pycairo'
 VERSION='1.8.10'
 cairo_version_required = '1.8.10'
-srcdir = '.'
-blddir = '../%s-build' % APPNAME
 
-d = srcdir
 
+def set_options(ctx):
+  print('  %s/set_options()' %d)
+  ctx.tool_options('compiler_cc')
+  ctx.tool_options('python') # options for disabling pyc or pyo compilation
 
-def set_options(opt):
-  print('  %s/set_options' %d)
-  opt.tool_options('compiler_cc')
-  opt.tool_options('python') # options for disabling pyc or pyo compilation
 
+def init():  # run at start of any waf invocation
+  print('  %s/init()' %d)
 
-def init():
-  print('  %s/init' %d)
+def shutdown():  # run at end of any waf invocation
+  print('  %s/shutdown()' %d)
 
 
-def configure(conf):
-  print('  %s/configure' %d)
+def configure(ctx):
+  print('  %s/configure()' %d)
 
-  env = conf.env
-  conf.check_tool('misc')
-  conf.check_tool('compiler_cc')
-  conf.check_tool('python')
-  conf.check_python_version((2,6,0))
-  conf.check_python_headers()
-  conf.check_cfg(package='cairo', atleast_version=cairo_version_required,
-                 args='--cflags --libs')
+  env = ctx.env
+  ctx.check_tool('misc')
+  ctx.check_tool('compiler_cc')
+  ctx.check_tool('python')
+  ctx.check_python_version((3,1,0))
+  ctx.check_python_headers()
+  ctx.check_cfg(package='cairo', atleast_version=cairo_version_required,
+                args='--cflags --libs')
 
   # add gcc options
   if env['CC_NAME'] == 'gcc':
-    for opt in ('-std=c99', '-Wall'):
-      if opt not in env['CCFLAGS']:
-        env.append_value('CCFLAGS', opt)
+    env.append_unique('CCFLAGS', ['-std=c99', '-Wall'])
 
   version = [int(s) for s in VERSION.split('.')]
-  conf.define('VERSION', VERSION)
-  conf.define('PYCAIRO_VERSION_MAJOR', version[0])
-  conf.define('PYCAIRO_VERSION_MINOR', version[1])
-  conf.define('PYCAIRO_VERSION_MICRO', version[2])
+  ctx.define('VERSION', VERSION)
+  ctx.define('PYCAIRO_VERSION_MAJOR', version[0])
+  ctx.define('PYCAIRO_VERSION_MINOR', version[1])
+  ctx.define('PYCAIRO_VERSION_MICRO', version[2])
+
+  ctx.write_config_header('src/config.h')
 
-  conf.write_config_header('src/config.h')
+  import Options
+  print("%-40s : %s" % ('Prefix', Options.options.prefix))
 
 
-def build(bld):
-  print('  %s/build' %d)
-  bld.add_subdirs('src')
+def build(ctx):
+  print('  %s/build()' %d)
+  ctx.add_subdirs('src')
 
   # generate and install the .pc file
-  obj = bld.new_task_gen('subst')
+  obj = ctx.new_task_gen('subst')
   obj.source = 'py3cairo.pc.in'
   obj.target = 'py3cairo.pc'
   obj.dict = {
     'VERSION'   : VERSION,
-    'prefix'    : bld.env['PREFIX'],
-    'includedir': os.path.join(bld.env['PREFIX'], 'include'),
+    'prefix'    : ctx.env['PREFIX'],
+    'includedir': os.path.join(ctx.env['PREFIX'], 'include'),
     }
-  obj.install_path = os.path.join(bld.env['PREFIX'], 'lib', 'pkgconfig')
+  obj.install_path = os.path.join(ctx.env['PREFIX'], 'lib', 'pkgconfig')
+
+
+#def dist():  # create archives of project
+#  print('  %s/dist()' %d)
+# dist is predefined
+
 
+def dist_hook():
+  # remove unwanted files from the archive
 
-def dist():  # create archives of project
-  print('  %s/dist' %d)
+  # individual files
+  for f in [
+    'RELEASING',
+    'examples/cairo_snippets/c_to_python.py',
+    'doc/html_docs_create.sh',
+    'doc/html_docs_upload.sh',
+    ]:
+    os.remove(f)
 
+  # rm examples/*.{pdf,png,ps,svg}
+  D='examples'
+  for f in os.listdir(D):
+    if f.endswith(('.pdf', '.png', '.ps', '.svg')):
+      os.remove(os.path.join(D, f))
 
-def shutdown():
-  print('  %s/shutdown' %d)
+  D='examples/cairo_snippets/snippets'
+  for f in os.listdir(D):
+    if f.endswith(('.pdf', '.png', '.ps', '.svg')):
+      os.remove(os.path.join(D, f))