Add internal version of cffi.baserock/cffi/0.8.6

Add an internal cffi so that it can be used
within this directory and can be built on baserock.

12 files changed, 4820 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/cffi/__init__.py b/cffi/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df981fd5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+__all__ = ['FFI', 'VerificationError', 'VerificationMissing', 'CDefError',
+           'FFIError']
+
+from .api import FFI, CDefError, FFIError
+from .ffiplatform import VerificationError, VerificationMissing
+
+__version__ = "0.8.6"
+__version_info__ = (0, 8, 6)
diff --git a/cffi/api.py b/cffi/api.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aed971562
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,497 @@
+import sys, types
+from .lock import allocate_lock
+
+try:
+    callable
+except NameError:
+    # Python 3.1
+    from collections import Callable
+    callable = lambda x: isinstance(x, Callable)
+
+try:
+    basestring
+except NameError:
+    # Python 3.x
+    basestring = str
+
+
+class FFIError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+class CDefError(Exception):
+    def __str__(self):
+        try:
+            line = 'line %d: ' % (self.args[1].coord.line,)
+        except (AttributeError, TypeError, IndexError):
+            line = ''
+        return '%s%s' % (line, self.args[0])
+
+
+class FFI(object):
+    r'''
+    The main top-level class that you instantiate once, or once per module.
+
+    Example usage:
+
+        ffi = FFI()
+        ffi.cdef("""
+            int printf(const char *, ...);
+        """)
+
+        C = ffi.dlopen(None)   # standard library
+        -or-
+        C = ffi.verify()  # use a C compiler: verify the decl above is right
+
+        C.printf("hello, %s!\n", ffi.new("char[]", "world"))
+    '''
+
+    def __init__(self, backend=None):
+        """Create an FFI instance.  The 'backend' argument is used to
+        select a non-default backend, mostly for tests.
+        """
+        from . import cparser, model
+        if backend is None:
+            # You need PyPy (>= 2.0 beta), or a CPython (>= 2.6) with
+            # _cffi_backend.so compiled.
+            import _cffi_backend as backend
+            from . import __version__
+            assert backend.__version__ == __version__
+            # (If you insist you can also try to pass the option
+            # 'backend=backend_ctypes.CTypesBackend()', but don't
+            # rely on it!  It's probably not going to work well.)
+
+        self._backend = backend
+        self._lock = allocate_lock()
+        self._parser = cparser.Parser()
+        self._cached_btypes = {}
+        self._parsed_types = types.ModuleType('parsed_types').__dict__
+        self._new_types = types.ModuleType('new_types').__dict__
+        self._function_caches = []
+        self._libraries = []
+        self._cdefsources = []
+        if hasattr(backend, 'set_ffi'):
+            backend.set_ffi(self)
+        for name in backend.__dict__:
+            if name.startswith('RTLD_'):
+                setattr(self, name, getattr(backend, name))
+        #
+        with self._lock:
+            self.BVoidP = self._get_cached_btype(model.voidp_type)
+        if isinstance(backend, types.ModuleType):
+            # _cffi_backend: attach these constants to the class
+            if not hasattr(FFI, 'NULL'):
+                FFI.NULL = self.cast(self.BVoidP, 0)
+                FFI.CData, FFI.CType = backend._get_types()
+        else:
+            # ctypes backend: attach these constants to the instance
+            self.NULL = self.cast(self.BVoidP, 0)
+            self.CData, self.CType = backend._get_types()
+
+    def cdef(self, csource, override=False, packed=False):
+        """Parse the given C source.  This registers all declared functions,
+        types, and global variables.  The functions and global variables can
+        then be accessed via either 'ffi.dlopen()' or 'ffi.verify()'.
+        The types can be used in 'ffi.new()' and other functions.
+        If 'packed' is specified as True, all structs declared inside this
+        cdef are packed, i.e. laid out without any field alignment at all.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(csource, str):    # unicode, on Python 2
+            if not isinstance(csource, basestring):
+                raise TypeError("cdef() argument must be a string")
+            csource = csource.encode('ascii')
+        with self._lock:
+            self._parser.parse(csource, override=override, packed=packed)
+            self._cdefsources.append(csource)
+            if override:
+                for cache in self._function_caches:
+                    cache.clear()
+
+    def dlopen(self, name, flags=0):
+        """Load and return a dynamic library identified by 'name'.
+        The standard C library can be loaded by passing None.
+        Note that functions and types declared by 'ffi.cdef()' are not
+        linked to a particular library, just like C headers; in the
+        library we only look for the actual (untyped) symbols.
+        """
+        assert isinstance(name, basestring) or name is None
+        with self._lock:
+            lib, function_cache = _make_ffi_library(self, name, flags)
+            self._function_caches.append(function_cache)
+            self._libraries.append(lib)
+        return lib
+
+    def _typeof_locked(self, cdecl):
+        # call me with the lock!
+        key = cdecl
+        if key in self._parsed_types:
+            return self._parsed_types[key]
+        #
+        if not isinstance(cdecl, str):    # unicode, on Python 2
+            cdecl = cdecl.encode('ascii')
+        #
+        type = self._parser.parse_type(cdecl)
+        really_a_function_type = type.is_raw_function
+        if really_a_function_type:
+            type = type.as_function_pointer()
+        btype = self._get_cached_btype(type)
+        result = btype, really_a_function_type
+        self._parsed_types[key] = result
+        return result
+
+    def _typeof(self, cdecl, consider_function_as_funcptr=False):
+        # string -> ctype object
+        try:
+            result = self._parsed_types[cdecl]
+        except KeyError:
+            with self._lock:
+                result = self._typeof_locked(cdecl)
+        #
+        btype, really_a_function_type = result
+        if really_a_function_type and not consider_function_as_funcptr:
+            raise CDefError("the type %r is a function type, not a "
+                            "pointer-to-function type" % (cdecl,))
+        return btype
+
+    def typeof(self, cdecl):
+        """Parse the C type given as a string and return the
+        corresponding <ctype> object.
+        It can also be used on 'cdata' instance to get its C type.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            return self._typeof(cdecl)
+        if isinstance(cdecl, self.CData):
+            return self._backend.typeof(cdecl)
+        if isinstance(cdecl, types.BuiltinFunctionType):
+            res = _builtin_function_type(cdecl)
+            if res is not None:
+                return res
+        if (isinstance(cdecl, types.FunctionType)
+                and hasattr(cdecl, '_cffi_base_type')):
+            with self._lock:
+                return self._get_cached_btype(cdecl._cffi_base_type)
+        raise TypeError(type(cdecl))
+
+    def sizeof(self, cdecl):
+        """Return the size in bytes of the argument.  It can be a
+        string naming a C type, or a 'cdata' instance.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            BType = self._typeof(cdecl)
+            return self._backend.sizeof(BType)
+        else:
+            return self._backend.sizeof(cdecl)
+
+    def alignof(self, cdecl):
+        """Return the natural alignment size in bytes of the C type
+        given as a string.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            cdecl = self._typeof(cdecl)
+        return self._backend.alignof(cdecl)
+
+    def offsetof(self, cdecl, fieldname):
+        """Return the offset of the named field inside the given
+        structure, which must be given as a C type name.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            cdecl = self._typeof(cdecl)
+        return self._backend.typeoffsetof(cdecl, fieldname)[1]
+
+    def new(self, cdecl, init=None):
+        """Allocate an instance according to the specified C type and
+        return a pointer to it.  The specified C type must be either a
+        pointer or an array: ``new('X *')`` allocates an X and returns
+        a pointer to it, whereas ``new('X[n]')`` allocates an array of
+        n X'es and returns an array referencing it (which works
+        mostly like a pointer, like in C).  You can also use
+        ``new('X[]', n)`` to allocate an array of a non-constant
+        length n.
+
+        The memory is initialized following the rules of declaring a
+        global variable in C: by default it is zero-initialized, but
+        an explicit initializer can be given which can be used to
+        fill all or part of the memory.
+
+        When the returned <cdata> object goes out of scope, the memory
+        is freed.  In other words the returned <cdata> object has
+        ownership of the value of type 'cdecl' that it points to.  This
+        means that the raw data can be used as long as this object is
+        kept alive, but must not be used for a longer time.  Be careful
+        about that when copying the pointer to the memory somewhere
+        else, e.g. into another structure.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            cdecl = self._typeof(cdecl)
+        return self._backend.newp(cdecl, init)
+
+    def cast(self, cdecl, source):
+        """Similar to a C cast: returns an instance of the named C
+        type initialized with the given 'source'.  The source is
+        casted between integers or pointers of any type.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            cdecl = self._typeof(cdecl)
+        return self._backend.cast(cdecl, source)
+
+    def string(self, cdata, maxlen=-1):
+        """Return a Python string (or unicode string) from the 'cdata'.
+        If 'cdata' is a pointer or array of characters or bytes, returns
+        the null-terminated string.  The returned string extends until
+        the first null character, or at most 'maxlen' characters.  If
+        'cdata' is an array then 'maxlen' defaults to its length.
+
+        If 'cdata' is a pointer or array of wchar_t, returns a unicode
+        string following the same rules.
+
+        If 'cdata' is a single character or byte or a wchar_t, returns
+        it as a string or unicode string.
+
+        If 'cdata' is an enum, returns the value of the enumerator as a
+        string, or 'NUMBER' if the value is out of range.
+        """
+        return self._backend.string(cdata, maxlen)
+
+    def buffer(self, cdata, size=-1):
+        """Return a read-write buffer object that references the raw C data
+        pointed to by the given 'cdata'.  The 'cdata' must be a pointer or
+        an array.  Can be passed to functions expecting a buffer, or directly
+        manipulated with:
+
+            buf[:]          get a copy of it in a regular string, or
+            buf[idx]        as a single character
+            buf[:] = ...
+            buf[idx] = ...  change the content
+        """
+        return self._backend.buffer(cdata, size)
+
+    def callback(self, cdecl, python_callable=None, error=None):
+        """Return a callback object or a decorator making such a
+        callback object.  'cdecl' must name a C function pointer type.
+        The callback invokes the specified 'python_callable' (which may
+        be provided either directly or via a decorator).  Important: the
+        callback object must be manually kept alive for as long as the
+        callback may be invoked from the C level.
+        """
+        def callback_decorator_wrap(python_callable):
+            if not callable(python_callable):
+                raise TypeError("the 'python_callable' argument "
+                                "is not callable")
+            return self._backend.callback(cdecl, python_callable, error)
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            cdecl = self._typeof(cdecl, consider_function_as_funcptr=True)
+        if python_callable is None:
+            return callback_decorator_wrap                # decorator mode
+        else:
+            return callback_decorator_wrap(python_callable)  # direct mode
+
+    def getctype(self, cdecl, replace_with=''):
+        """Return a string giving the C type 'cdecl', which may be itself
+        a string or a <ctype> object.  If 'replace_with' is given, it gives
+        extra text to append (or insert for more complicated C types), like
+        a variable name, or '*' to get actually the C type 'pointer-to-cdecl'.
+        """
+        if isinstance(cdecl, basestring):
+            cdecl = self._typeof(cdecl)
+        replace_with = replace_with.strip()
+        if (replace_with.startswith('*')
+                and '&[' in self._backend.getcname(cdecl, '&')):
+            replace_with = '(%s)' % replace_with
+        elif replace_with and not replace_with[0] in '[(':
+            replace_with = ' ' + replace_with
+        return self._backend.getcname(cdecl, replace_with)
+
+    def gc(self, cdata, destructor):
+        """Return a new cdata object that points to the same
+        data.  Later, when this new cdata object is garbage-collected,
+        'destructor(old_cdata_object)' will be called.
+        """
+        with self._lock:
+            try:
+                gc_weakrefs = self.gc_weakrefs
+            except AttributeError:
+                from .gc_weakref import GcWeakrefs
+                gc_weakrefs = self.gc_weakrefs = GcWeakrefs(self)
+            return gc_weakrefs.build(cdata, destructor)
+
+    def _get_cached_btype(self, type):
+        assert self._lock.acquire(False) is False
+        # call me with the lock!
+        try:
+            BType = self._cached_btypes[type]
+        except KeyError:
+            finishlist = []
+            BType = type.get_cached_btype(self, finishlist)
+            for type in finishlist:
+                type.finish_backend_type(self, finishlist)
+        return BType
+
+    def verify(self, source='', tmpdir=None, **kwargs):
+        """Verify that the current ffi signatures compile on this
+        machine, and return a dynamic library object.  The dynamic
+        library can be used to call functions and access global
+        variables declared in this 'ffi'.  The library is compiled
+        by the C compiler: it gives you C-level API compatibility
+        (including calling macros).  This is unlike 'ffi.dlopen()',
+        which requires binary compatibility in the signatures.
+        """
+        from .verifier import Verifier, _caller_dir_pycache
+        tmpdir = tmpdir or _caller_dir_pycache()
+        self.verifier = Verifier(self, source, tmpdir, **kwargs)
+        lib = self.verifier.load_library()
+        self._libraries.append(lib)
+        return lib
+
+    def _get_errno(self):
+        return self._backend.get_errno()
+    def _set_errno(self, errno):
+        self._backend.set_errno(errno)
+    errno = property(_get_errno, _set_errno, None,
+                     "the value of 'errno' from/to the C calls")
+
+    def getwinerror(self, code=-1):
+        return self._backend.getwinerror(code)
+
+    def _pointer_to(self, ctype):
+        from . import model
+        with self._lock:
+            return model.pointer_cache(self, ctype)
+
+    def addressof(self, cdata, field=None):
+        """Return the address of a <cdata 'struct-or-union'>.
+        If 'field' is specified, return the address of this field.
+        """
+        ctype = self._backend.typeof(cdata)
+        ctype, offset = self._backend.typeoffsetof(ctype, field)
+        ctypeptr = self._pointer_to(ctype)
+        return self._backend.rawaddressof(ctypeptr, cdata, offset)
+
+    def include(self, ffi_to_include):
+        """Includes the typedefs, structs, unions and enums defined
+        in another FFI instance.  Usage is similar to a #include in C,
+        where a part of the program might include types defined in
+        another part for its own usage.  Note that the include()
+        method has no effect on functions, constants and global
+        variables, which must anyway be accessed directly from the
+        lib object returned by the original FFI instance.
+        """
+        with ffi_to_include._lock:
+            with self._lock:
+                self._parser.include(ffi_to_include._parser)
+                self._cdefsources.append('[')
+                self._cdefsources.extend(ffi_to_include._cdefsources)
+                self._cdefsources.append(']')
+
+    def new_handle(self, x):
+        return self._backend.newp_handle(self.BVoidP, x)
+
+    def from_handle(self, x):
+        return self._backend.from_handle(x)
+
+
+def _load_backend_lib(backend, name, flags):
+    if name is None:
+        if sys.platform != "win32":
+            return backend.load_library(None, flags)
+        name = "c"    # Windows: load_library(None) fails, but this works
+                      # (backward compatibility hack only)
+    try:
+        if '.' not in name and '/' not in name:
+            raise OSError("library not found: %r" % (name,))
+        return backend.load_library(name, flags)
+    except OSError:
+        import ctypes.util
+        path = ctypes.util.find_library(name)
+        if path is None:
+            raise     # propagate the original OSError
+        return backend.load_library(path, flags)
+
+def _make_ffi_library(ffi, libname, flags):
+    import os
+    backend = ffi._backend
+    backendlib = _load_backend_lib(backend, libname, flags)
+    copied_enums = []
+    #
+    def make_accessor_locked(name):
+        key = 'function ' + name
+        if key in ffi._parser._declarations:
+            tp = ffi._parser._declarations[key]
+            BType = ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+            try:
+                value = backendlib.load_function(BType, name)
+            except KeyError as e:
+                raise AttributeError('%s: %s' % (name, e))
+            library.__dict__[name] = value
+            return
+        #
+        key = 'variable ' + name
+        if key in ffi._parser._declarations:
+            tp = ffi._parser._declarations[key]
+            BType = ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+            read_variable = backendlib.read_variable
+            write_variable = backendlib.write_variable
+            setattr(FFILibrary, name, property(
+                lambda self: read_variable(BType, name),
+                lambda self, value: write_variable(BType, name, value)))
+            return
+        #
+        if not copied_enums:
+            from . import model
+            for key, tp in ffi._parser._declarations.items():
+                if not isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+                    continue
+                for enumname, enumval in zip(tp.enumerators, tp.enumvalues):
+                    if enumname not in library.__dict__:
+                        library.__dict__[enumname] = enumval
+            for key, val in ffi._parser._int_constants.items():
+                if key not in library.__dict__:
+                    library.__dict__[key] = val
+
+            copied_enums.append(True)
+            if name in library.__dict__:
+                return
+        #
+        raise AttributeError(name)
+    #
+    def make_accessor(name):
+        with ffi._lock:
+            if name in library.__dict__ or name in FFILibrary.__dict__:
+                return    # added by another thread while waiting for the lock
+            make_accessor_locked(name)
+    #
+    class FFILibrary(object):
+        def __getattr__(self, name):
+            make_accessor(name)
+            return getattr(self, name)
+        def __setattr__(self, name, value):
+            try:
+                property = getattr(self.__class__, name)
+            except AttributeError:
+                make_accessor(name)
+                setattr(self, name, value)
+            else:
+                property.__set__(self, value)
+    #
+    if libname is not None:
+        try:
+            if not isinstance(libname, str):    # unicode, on Python 2
+                libname = libname.encode('utf-8')
+            FFILibrary.__name__ = 'FFILibrary_%s' % libname
+        except UnicodeError:
+            pass
+    library = FFILibrary()
+    return library, library.__dict__
+
+def _builtin_function_type(func):
+    # a hack to make at least ffi.typeof(builtin_function) work,
+    # if the builtin function was obtained by 'vengine_cpy'.
+    import sys
+    try:
+        module = sys.modules[func.__module__]
+        ffi = module._cffi_original_ffi
+        types_of_builtin_funcs = module._cffi_types_of_builtin_funcs
+        tp = types_of_builtin_funcs[func]
+    except (KeyError, AttributeError, TypeError):
+        return None
+    else:
+        with ffi._lock:
+            return ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
diff --git a/cffi/backend_ctypes.py b/cffi/backend_ctypes.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b2b48194
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/backend_ctypes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,1049 @@
+import ctypes, ctypes.util, operator, sys
+from . import model
+
+if sys.version_info < (3,):
+    integer_types = (int, long)
+    bytechr = chr
+else:
+    unicode = str
+    integer_types = int
+    xrange = range
+    bytechr = lambda num: bytes([num])
+
+class CTypesType(type):
+    pass
+
+class CTypesData(object):
+    __metaclass__ = CTypesType
+    __slots__ = ['__weakref__']
+    __name__ = '<cdata>'
+
+    def __init__(self, *args):
+        raise TypeError("cannot instantiate %r" % (self.__class__,))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _newp(cls, init):
+        raise TypeError("expected a pointer or array ctype, got '%s'"
+                        % (cls._get_c_name(),))
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _to_ctypes(value):
+        raise TypeError
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _arg_to_ctypes(cls, *value):
+        try:
+            ctype = cls._ctype
+        except AttributeError:
+            raise TypeError("cannot create an instance of %r" % (cls,))
+        if value:
+            res = cls._to_ctypes(*value)
+            if not isinstance(res, ctype):
+                res = cls._ctype(res)
+        else:
+            res = cls._ctype()
+        return res
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _create_ctype_obj(cls, init):
+        if init is None:
+            return cls._arg_to_ctypes()
+        else:
+            return cls._arg_to_ctypes(init)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _from_ctypes(ctypes_value):
+        raise TypeError
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_c_name(cls, replace_with=''):
+        return cls._reftypename.replace(' &', replace_with)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _fix_class(cls):
+        cls.__name__ = 'CData<%s>' % (cls._get_c_name(),)
+        cls.__qualname__ = 'CData<%s>' % (cls._get_c_name(),)
+        cls.__module__ = 'ffi'
+
+    def _get_own_repr(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    def _addr_repr(self, address):
+        if address == 0:
+            return 'NULL'
+        else:
+            if address < 0:
+                address += 1 << (8*ctypes.sizeof(ctypes.c_void_p))
+            return '0x%x' % address
+
+    def __repr__(self, c_name=None):
+        own = self._get_own_repr()
+        return '<cdata %r %s>' % (c_name or self._get_c_name(), own)
+
+    def _convert_to_address(self, BClass):
+        if BClass is None:
+            raise TypeError("cannot convert %r to an address" % (
+                self._get_c_name(),))
+        else:
+            raise TypeError("cannot convert %r to %r" % (
+                self._get_c_name(), BClass._get_c_name()))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_size(cls):
+        return ctypes.sizeof(cls._ctype)
+
+    def _get_size_of_instance(self):
+        return ctypes.sizeof(self._ctype)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _cast_from(cls, source):
+        raise TypeError("cannot cast to %r" % (cls._get_c_name(),))
+
+    def _cast_to_integer(self):
+        return self._convert_to_address(None)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _alignment(cls):
+        return ctypes.alignment(cls._ctype)
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        raise TypeError("cdata %r does not support iteration" % (
+            self._get_c_name()),)
+
+    def _make_cmp(name):
+        cmpfunc = getattr(operator, name)
+        def cmp(self, other):
+            if isinstance(other, CTypesData):
+                return cmpfunc(self._convert_to_address(None),
+                               other._convert_to_address(None))
+            else:
+                return NotImplemented
+        cmp.func_name = name
+        return cmp
+
+    __eq__ = _make_cmp('__eq__')
+    __ne__ = _make_cmp('__ne__')
+    __lt__ = _make_cmp('__lt__')
+    __le__ = _make_cmp('__le__')
+    __gt__ = _make_cmp('__gt__')
+    __ge__ = _make_cmp('__ge__')
+
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return hash(type(self)) ^ hash(self._convert_to_address(None))
+
+    def _to_string(self, maxlen):
+        raise TypeError("string(): %r" % (self,))
+
+
+class CTypesGenericPrimitive(CTypesData):
+    __slots__ = []
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return self is other
+
+    def __ne__(self, other):
+        return self is not other
+
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return object.__hash__(self)
+
+    def _get_own_repr(self):
+        return repr(self._from_ctypes(self._value))
+
+
+class CTypesGenericArray(CTypesData):
+    __slots__ = []
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _newp(cls, init):
+        return cls(init)
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        for i in xrange(len(self)):
+            yield self[i]
+
+    def _get_own_repr(self):
+        return self._addr_repr(ctypes.addressof(self._blob))
+
+
+class CTypesGenericPtr(CTypesData):
+    __slots__ = ['_address', '_as_ctype_ptr']
+    _automatic_casts = False
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _newp(cls, init):
+        return cls(init)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _cast_from(cls, source):
+        if source is None:
+            address = 0
+        elif isinstance(source, CTypesData):
+            address = source._cast_to_integer()
+        elif isinstance(source, integer_types):
+            address = source
+        else:
+            raise TypeError("bad type for cast to %r: %r" %
+                            (cls, type(source).__name__))
+        return cls._new_pointer_at(address)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _new_pointer_at(cls, address):
+        self = cls.__new__(cls)
+        self._address = address
+        self._as_ctype_ptr = ctypes.cast(address, cls._ctype)
+        return self
+
+    def _get_own_repr(self):
+        try:
+            return self._addr_repr(self._address)
+        except AttributeError:
+            return '???'
+
+    def _cast_to_integer(self):
+        return self._address
+
+    def __nonzero__(self):
+        return bool(self._address)
+    
+    def __bool__(self):
+        return bool(self._address)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _to_ctypes(cls, value):
+        if not isinstance(value, CTypesData):
+            raise TypeError("unexpected %s object" % type(value).__name__)
+        address = value._convert_to_address(cls)
+        return ctypes.cast(address, cls._ctype)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _from_ctypes(cls, ctypes_ptr):
+        address = ctypes.cast(ctypes_ptr, ctypes.c_void_p).value or 0
+        return cls._new_pointer_at(address)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _initialize(cls, ctypes_ptr, value):
+        if value:
+            ctypes_ptr.contents = cls._to_ctypes(value).contents
+
+    def _convert_to_address(self, BClass):
+        if (BClass in (self.__class__, None) or BClass._automatic_casts
+            or self._automatic_casts):
+            return self._address
+        else:
+            return CTypesData._convert_to_address(self, BClass)
+
+
+class CTypesBaseStructOrUnion(CTypesData):
+    __slots__ = ['_blob']
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _create_ctype_obj(cls, init):
+        # may be overridden
+        raise TypeError("cannot instantiate opaque type %s" % (cls,))
+
+    def _get_own_repr(self):
+        return self._addr_repr(ctypes.addressof(self._blob))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _offsetof(cls, fieldname):
+        return getattr(cls._ctype, fieldname).offset
+
+    def _convert_to_address(self, BClass):
+        if getattr(BClass, '_BItem', None) is self.__class__:
+            return ctypes.addressof(self._blob)
+        else:
+            return CTypesData._convert_to_address(self, BClass)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _from_ctypes(cls, ctypes_struct_or_union):
+        self = cls.__new__(cls)
+        self._blob = ctypes_struct_or_union
+        return self
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _to_ctypes(cls, value):
+        return value._blob
+
+    def __repr__(self, c_name=None):
+        return CTypesData.__repr__(self, c_name or self._get_c_name(' &'))
+
+
+class CTypesBackend(object):
+
+    PRIMITIVE_TYPES = {
+        'char': ctypes.c_char,
+        'short': ctypes.c_short,
+        'int': ctypes.c_int,
+        'long': ctypes.c_long,
+        'long long': ctypes.c_longlong,
+        'signed char': ctypes.c_byte,
+        'unsigned char': ctypes.c_ubyte,
+        'unsigned short': ctypes.c_ushort,
+        'unsigned int': ctypes.c_uint,
+        'unsigned long': ctypes.c_ulong,
+        'unsigned long long': ctypes.c_ulonglong,
+        'float': ctypes.c_float,
+        'double': ctypes.c_double,
+        '_Bool': ctypes.c_bool,
+        }
+
+    for _name in ['unsigned long long', 'unsigned long',
+                  'unsigned int', 'unsigned short', 'unsigned char']:
+        _size = ctypes.sizeof(PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name])
+        PRIMITIVE_TYPES['uint%d_t' % (8*_size)] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+        if _size == ctypes.sizeof(ctypes.c_void_p):
+            PRIMITIVE_TYPES['uintptr_t'] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+        if _size == ctypes.sizeof(ctypes.c_size_t):
+            PRIMITIVE_TYPES['size_t'] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+
+    for _name in ['long long', 'long', 'int', 'short', 'signed char']:
+        _size = ctypes.sizeof(PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name])
+        PRIMITIVE_TYPES['int%d_t' % (8*_size)] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+        if _size == ctypes.sizeof(ctypes.c_void_p):
+            PRIMITIVE_TYPES['intptr_t'] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+            PRIMITIVE_TYPES['ptrdiff_t'] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+        if _size == ctypes.sizeof(ctypes.c_size_t):
+            PRIMITIVE_TYPES['ssize_t'] = PRIMITIVE_TYPES[_name]
+
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.RTLD_LAZY = 0   # not supported anyway by ctypes
+        self.RTLD_NOW  = 0
+        self.RTLD_GLOBAL = ctypes.RTLD_GLOBAL
+        self.RTLD_LOCAL = ctypes.RTLD_LOCAL
+
+    def set_ffi(self, ffi):
+        self.ffi = ffi
+
+    def _get_types(self):
+        return CTypesData, CTypesType
+
+    def load_library(self, path, flags=0):
+        cdll = ctypes.CDLL(path, flags)
+        return CTypesLibrary(self, cdll)
+
+    def new_void_type(self):
+        class CTypesVoid(CTypesData):
+            __slots__ = []
+            _reftypename = 'void &'
+            @staticmethod
+            def _from_ctypes(novalue):
+                return None
+            @staticmethod
+            def _to_ctypes(novalue):
+                if novalue is not None:
+                    raise TypeError("None expected, got %s object" %
+                                    (type(novalue).__name__,))
+                return None
+        CTypesVoid._fix_class()
+        return CTypesVoid
+
+    def new_primitive_type(self, name):
+        if name == 'wchar_t':
+            raise NotImplementedError(name)
+        ctype = self.PRIMITIVE_TYPES[name]
+        if name == 'char':
+            kind = 'char'
+        elif name in ('float', 'double'):
+            kind = 'float'
+        else:
+            if name in ('signed char', 'unsigned char'):
+                kind = 'byte'
+            elif name == '_Bool':
+                kind = 'bool'
+            else:
+                kind = 'int'
+            is_signed = (ctype(-1).value == -1)
+        #
+        def _cast_source_to_int(source):
+            if isinstance(source, (integer_types, float)):
+                source = int(source)
+            elif isinstance(source, CTypesData):
+                source = source._cast_to_integer()
+            elif isinstance(source, bytes):
+                source = ord(source)
+            elif source is None:
+                source = 0
+            else:
+                raise TypeError("bad type for cast to %r: %r" %
+                                (CTypesPrimitive, type(source).__name__))
+            return source
+        #
+        class CTypesPrimitive(CTypesGenericPrimitive):
+            __slots__ = ['_value']
+            _ctype = ctype
+            _reftypename = '%s &' % name
+
+            def __init__(self, value):
+                self._value = value
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _create_ctype_obj(init):
+                if init is None:
+                    return ctype()
+                return ctype(CTypesPrimitive._to_ctypes(init))
+
+            if kind == 'int' or kind == 'byte':
+                @classmethod
+                def _cast_from(cls, source):
+                    source = _cast_source_to_int(source)
+                    source = ctype(source).value     # cast within range
+                    return cls(source)
+                def __int__(self):
+                    return self._value
+
+            if kind == 'bool':
+                @classmethod
+                def _cast_from(cls, source):
+                    if not isinstance(source, (integer_types, float)):
+                        source = _cast_source_to_int(source)
+                    return cls(bool(source))
+                def __int__(self):
+                    return self._value
+
+            if kind == 'char':
+                @classmethod
+                def _cast_from(cls, source):
+                    source = _cast_source_to_int(source)
+                    source = bytechr(source & 0xFF)
+                    return cls(source)
+                def __int__(self):
+                    return ord(self._value)
+
+            if kind == 'float':
+                @classmethod
+                def _cast_from(cls, source):
+                    if isinstance(source, float):
+                        pass
+                    elif isinstance(source, CTypesGenericPrimitive):
+                        if hasattr(source, '__float__'):
+                            source = float(source)
+                        else:
+                            source = int(source)
+                    else:
+                        source = _cast_source_to_int(source)
+                    source = ctype(source).value     # fix precision
+                    return cls(source)
+                def __int__(self):
+                    return int(self._value)
+                def __float__(self):
+                    return self._value
+
+            _cast_to_integer = __int__
+
+            if kind == 'int' or kind == 'byte' or kind == 'bool':
+                @staticmethod
+                def _to_ctypes(x):
+                    if not isinstance(x, integer_types):
+                        if isinstance(x, CTypesData):
+                            x = int(x)
+                        else:
+                            raise TypeError("integer expected, got %s" %
+                                            type(x).__name__)
+                    if ctype(x).value != x:
+                        if not is_signed and x < 0:
+                            raise OverflowError("%s: negative integer" % name)
+                        else:
+                            raise OverflowError("%s: integer out of bounds"
+                                                % name)
+                    return x
+
+            if kind == 'char':
+                @staticmethod
+                def _to_ctypes(x):
+                    if isinstance(x, bytes) and len(x) == 1:
+                        return x
+                    if isinstance(x, CTypesPrimitive):    # <CData <char>>
+                        return x._value
+                    raise TypeError("character expected, got %s" %
+                                    type(x).__name__)
+
+            if kind == 'float':
+                @staticmethod
+                def _to_ctypes(x):
+                    if not isinstance(x, (integer_types, float, CTypesData)):
+                        raise TypeError("float expected, got %s" %
+                                        type(x).__name__)
+                    return ctype(x).value
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _from_ctypes(value):
+                return getattr(value, 'value', value)
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _initialize(blob, init):
+                blob.value = CTypesPrimitive._to_ctypes(init)
+
+            if kind == 'char':
+                def _to_string(self, maxlen):
+                    return self._value
+            if kind == 'byte':
+                def _to_string(self, maxlen):
+                    return chr(self._value & 0xff)
+        #
+        CTypesPrimitive._fix_class()
+        return CTypesPrimitive
+
+    def new_pointer_type(self, BItem):
+        getbtype = self.ffi._get_cached_btype
+        if BItem is getbtype(model.PrimitiveType('char')):
+            kind = 'charp'
+        elif BItem in (getbtype(model.PrimitiveType('signed char')),
+                       getbtype(model.PrimitiveType('unsigned char'))):
+            kind = 'bytep'
+        elif BItem is getbtype(model.void_type):
+            kind = 'voidp'
+        else:
+            kind = 'generic'
+        #
+        class CTypesPtr(CTypesGenericPtr):
+            __slots__ = ['_own']
+            if kind == 'charp':
+                __slots__ += ['__as_strbuf']
+            _BItem = BItem
+            if hasattr(BItem, '_ctype'):
+                _ctype = ctypes.POINTER(BItem._ctype)
+                _bitem_size = ctypes.sizeof(BItem._ctype)
+            else:
+                _ctype = ctypes.c_void_p
+            if issubclass(BItem, CTypesGenericArray):
+                _reftypename = BItem._get_c_name('(* &)')
+            else:
+                _reftypename = BItem._get_c_name(' * &')
+
+            def __init__(self, init):
+                ctypeobj = BItem._create_ctype_obj(init)
+                if kind == 'charp':
+                    self.__as_strbuf = ctypes.create_string_buffer(
+                        ctypeobj.value + b'\x00')
+                    self._as_ctype_ptr = ctypes.cast(
+                        self.__as_strbuf, self._ctype)
+                else:
+                    self._as_ctype_ptr = ctypes.pointer(ctypeobj)
+                self._address = ctypes.cast(self._as_ctype_ptr,
+                                            ctypes.c_void_p).value
+                self._own = True
+
+            def __add__(self, other):
+                if isinstance(other, integer_types):
+                    return self._new_pointer_at(self._address +
+                                                other * self._bitem_size)
+                else:
+                    return NotImplemented
+
+            def __sub__(self, other):
+                if isinstance(other, integer_types):
+                    return self._new_pointer_at(self._address -
+                                                other * self._bitem_size)
+                elif type(self) is type(other):
+                    return (self._address - other._address) // self._bitem_size
+                else:
+                    return NotImplemented
+
+            def __getitem__(self, index):
+                if getattr(self, '_own', False) and index != 0:
+                    raise IndexError
+                return BItem._from_ctypes(self._as_ctype_ptr[index])
+
+            def __setitem__(self, index, value):
+                self._as_ctype_ptr[index] = BItem._to_ctypes(value)
+
+            if kind == 'charp' or kind == 'voidp':
+                @classmethod
+                def _arg_to_ctypes(cls, *value):
+                    if value and isinstance(value[0], bytes):
+                        return ctypes.c_char_p(value[0])
+                    else:
+                        return super(CTypesPtr, cls)._arg_to_ctypes(*value)
+
+            if kind == 'charp' or kind == 'bytep':
+                def _to_string(self, maxlen):
+                    if maxlen < 0:
+                        maxlen = sys.maxsize
+                    p = ctypes.cast(self._as_ctype_ptr,
+                                    ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_char))
+                    n = 0
+                    while n < maxlen and p[n] != b'\x00':
+                        n += 1
+                    return b''.join([p[i] for i in range(n)])
+
+            def _get_own_repr(self):
+                if getattr(self, '_own', False):
+                    return 'owning %d bytes' % (
+                        ctypes.sizeof(self._as_ctype_ptr.contents),)
+                return super(CTypesPtr, self)._get_own_repr()
+        #
+        if (BItem is self.ffi._get_cached_btype(model.void_type) or
+            BItem is self.ffi._get_cached_btype(model.PrimitiveType('char'))):
+            CTypesPtr._automatic_casts = True
+        #
+        CTypesPtr._fix_class()
+        return CTypesPtr
+
+    def new_array_type(self, CTypesPtr, length):
+        if length is None:
+            brackets = ' &[]'
+        else:
+            brackets = ' &[%d]' % length
+        BItem = CTypesPtr._BItem
+        getbtype = self.ffi._get_cached_btype
+        if BItem is getbtype(model.PrimitiveType('char')):
+            kind = 'char'
+        elif BItem in (getbtype(model.PrimitiveType('signed char')),
+                       getbtype(model.PrimitiveType('unsigned char'))):
+            kind = 'byte'
+        else:
+            kind = 'generic'
+        #
+        class CTypesArray(CTypesGenericArray):
+            __slots__ = ['_blob', '_own']
+            if length is not None:
+                _ctype = BItem._ctype * length
+            else:
+                __slots__.append('_ctype')
+            _reftypename = BItem._get_c_name(brackets)
+            _declared_length = length
+            _CTPtr = CTypesPtr
+
+            def __init__(self, init):
+                if length is None:
+                    if isinstance(init, integer_types):
+                        len1 = init
+                        init = None
+                    elif kind == 'char' and isinstance(init, bytes):
+                        len1 = len(init) + 1    # extra null
+                    else:
+                        init = tuple(init)
+                        len1 = len(init)
+                    self._ctype = BItem._ctype * len1
+                self._blob = self._ctype()
+                self._own = True
+                if init is not None:
+                    self._initialize(self._blob, init)
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _initialize(blob, init):
+                if isinstance(init, bytes):
+                    init = [init[i:i+1] for i in range(len(init))]
+                else:
+                    init = tuple(init)
+                if len(init) > len(blob):
+                    raise IndexError("too many initializers")
+                addr = ctypes.cast(blob, ctypes.c_void_p).value
+                PTR = ctypes.POINTER(BItem._ctype)
+                itemsize = ctypes.sizeof(BItem._ctype)
+                for i, value in enumerate(init):
+                    p = ctypes.cast(addr + i * itemsize, PTR)
+                    BItem._initialize(p.contents, value)
+
+            def __len__(self):
+                return len(self._blob)
+
+            def __getitem__(self, index):
+                if not (0 <= index < len(self._blob)):
+                    raise IndexError
+                return BItem._from_ctypes(self._blob[index])
+
+            def __setitem__(self, index, value):
+                if not (0 <= index < len(self._blob)):
+                    raise IndexError
+                self._blob[index] = BItem._to_ctypes(value)
+
+            if kind == 'char' or kind == 'byte':
+                def _to_string(self, maxlen):
+                    if maxlen < 0:
+                        maxlen = len(self._blob)
+                    p = ctypes.cast(self._blob,
+                                    ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_char))
+                    n = 0
+                    while n < maxlen and p[n] != b'\x00':
+                        n += 1
+                    return b''.join([p[i] for i in range(n)])
+
+            def _get_own_repr(self):
+                if getattr(self, '_own', False):
+                    return 'owning %d bytes' % (ctypes.sizeof(self._blob),)
+                return super(CTypesArray, self)._get_own_repr()
+
+            def _convert_to_address(self, BClass):
+                if BClass in (CTypesPtr, None) or BClass._automatic_casts:
+                    return ctypes.addressof(self._blob)
+                else:
+                    return CTypesData._convert_to_address(self, BClass)
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _from_ctypes(ctypes_array):
+                self = CTypesArray.__new__(CTypesArray)
+                self._blob = ctypes_array
+                return self
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _arg_to_ctypes(value):
+                return CTypesPtr._arg_to_ctypes(value)
+
+            def __add__(self, other):
+                if isinstance(other, integer_types):
+                    return CTypesPtr._new_pointer_at(
+                        ctypes.addressof(self._blob) +
+                        other * ctypes.sizeof(BItem._ctype))
+                else:
+                    return NotImplemented
+
+            @classmethod
+            def _cast_from(cls, source):
+                raise NotImplementedError("casting to %r" % (
+                    cls._get_c_name(),))
+        #
+        CTypesArray._fix_class()
+        return CTypesArray
+
+    def _new_struct_or_union(self, kind, name, base_ctypes_class):
+        #
+        class struct_or_union(base_ctypes_class):
+            pass
+        struct_or_union.__name__ = '%s_%s' % (kind, name)
+        #
+        class CTypesStructOrUnion(CTypesBaseStructOrUnion):
+            __slots__ = ['_blob']
+            _ctype = struct_or_union
+            _reftypename = '%s &' % (name,)
+            _kind = kind
+        #
+        CTypesStructOrUnion._fix_class()
+        return CTypesStructOrUnion
+
+    def new_struct_type(self, name):
+        return self._new_struct_or_union('struct', name, ctypes.Structure)
+
+    def new_union_type(self, name):
+        return self._new_struct_or_union('union', name, ctypes.Union)
+
+    def complete_struct_or_union(self, CTypesStructOrUnion, fields, tp,
+                                 totalsize=-1, totalalignment=-1, sflags=0):
+        if totalsize >= 0 or totalalignment >= 0:
+            raise NotImplementedError("the ctypes backend of CFFI does not support "
+                                      "structures completed by verify(); please "
+                                      "compile and install the _cffi_backend module.")
+        struct_or_union = CTypesStructOrUnion._ctype
+        fnames = [fname for (fname, BField, bitsize) in fields]
+        btypes = [BField for (fname, BField, bitsize) in fields]
+        bitfields = [bitsize for (fname, BField, bitsize) in fields]
+        #
+        bfield_types = {}
+        cfields = []
+        for (fname, BField, bitsize) in fields:
+            if bitsize < 0:
+                cfields.append((fname, BField._ctype))
+                bfield_types[fname] = BField
+            else:
+                cfields.append((fname, BField._ctype, bitsize))
+                bfield_types[fname] = Ellipsis
+        if sflags & 8:
+            struct_or_union._pack_ = 1
+        struct_or_union._fields_ = cfields
+        CTypesStructOrUnion._bfield_types = bfield_types
+        #
+        @staticmethod
+        def _create_ctype_obj(init):
+            result = struct_or_union()
+            if init is not None:
+                initialize(result, init)
+            return result
+        CTypesStructOrUnion._create_ctype_obj = _create_ctype_obj
+        #
+        def initialize(blob, init):
+            if is_union:
+                if len(init) > 1:
+                    raise ValueError("union initializer: %d items given, but "
+                                    "only one supported (use a dict if needed)"
+                                     % (len(init),))
+            if not isinstance(init, dict):
+                if isinstance(init, (bytes, unicode)):
+                    raise TypeError("union initializer: got a str")
+                init = tuple(init)
+                if len(init) > len(fnames):
+                    raise ValueError("too many values for %s initializer" %
+                                     CTypesStructOrUnion._get_c_name())
+                init = dict(zip(fnames, init))
+            addr = ctypes.addressof(blob)
+            for fname, value in init.items():
+                BField, bitsize = name2fieldtype[fname]
+                assert bitsize < 0, \
+                       "not implemented: initializer with bit fields"
+                offset = CTypesStructOrUnion._offsetof(fname)
+                PTR = ctypes.POINTER(BField._ctype)
+                p = ctypes.cast(addr + offset, PTR)
+                BField._initialize(p.contents, value)
+        is_union = CTypesStructOrUnion._kind == 'union'
+        name2fieldtype = dict(zip(fnames, zip(btypes, bitfields)))
+        #
+        for fname, BField, bitsize in fields:
+            if fname == '':
+                raise NotImplementedError("nested anonymous structs/unions")
+            if hasattr(CTypesStructOrUnion, fname):
+                raise ValueError("the field name %r conflicts in "
+                                 "the ctypes backend" % fname)
+            if bitsize < 0:
+                def getter(self, fname=fname, BField=BField,
+                           offset=CTypesStructOrUnion._offsetof(fname),
+                           PTR=ctypes.POINTER(BField._ctype)):
+                    addr = ctypes.addressof(self._blob)
+                    p = ctypes.cast(addr + offset, PTR)
+                    return BField._from_ctypes(p.contents)
+                def setter(self, value, fname=fname, BField=BField):
+                    setattr(self._blob, fname, BField._to_ctypes(value))
+                #
+                if issubclass(BField, CTypesGenericArray):
+                    setter = None
+                    if BField._declared_length == 0:
+                        def getter(self, fname=fname, BFieldPtr=BField._CTPtr,
+                                   offset=CTypesStructOrUnion._offsetof(fname),
+                                   PTR=ctypes.POINTER(BField._ctype)):
+                            addr = ctypes.addressof(self._blob)
+                            p = ctypes.cast(addr + offset, PTR)
+                            return BFieldPtr._from_ctypes(p)
+                #
+            else:
+                def getter(self, fname=fname, BField=BField):
+                    return BField._from_ctypes(getattr(self._blob, fname))
+                def setter(self, value, fname=fname, BField=BField):
+                    # xxx obscure workaround
+                    value = BField._to_ctypes(value)
+                    oldvalue = getattr(self._blob, fname)
+                    setattr(self._blob, fname, value)
+                    if value != getattr(self._blob, fname):
+                        setattr(self._blob, fname, oldvalue)
+                        raise OverflowError("value too large for bitfield")
+            setattr(CTypesStructOrUnion, fname, property(getter, setter))
+        #
+        CTypesPtr = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(model.PointerType(tp))
+        for fname in fnames:
+            if hasattr(CTypesPtr, fname):
+                raise ValueError("the field name %r conflicts in "
+                                 "the ctypes backend" % fname)
+            def getter(self, fname=fname):
+                return getattr(self[0], fname)
+            def setter(self, value, fname=fname):
+                setattr(self[0], fname, value)
+            setattr(CTypesPtr, fname, property(getter, setter))
+
+    def new_function_type(self, BArgs, BResult, has_varargs):
+        nameargs = [BArg._get_c_name() for BArg in BArgs]
+        if has_varargs:
+            nameargs.append('...')
+        nameargs = ', '.join(nameargs)
+        #
+        class CTypesFunctionPtr(CTypesGenericPtr):
+            __slots__ = ['_own_callback', '_name']
+            _ctype = ctypes.CFUNCTYPE(getattr(BResult, '_ctype', None),
+                                      *[BArg._ctype for BArg in BArgs],
+                                      use_errno=True)
+            _reftypename = BResult._get_c_name('(* &)(%s)' % (nameargs,))
+
+            def __init__(self, init, error=None):
+                # create a callback to the Python callable init()
+                import traceback
+                assert not has_varargs, "varargs not supported for callbacks"
+                if getattr(BResult, '_ctype', None) is not None:
+                    error = BResult._from_ctypes(
+                        BResult._create_ctype_obj(error))
+                else:
+                    error = None
+                def callback(*args):
+                    args2 = []
+                    for arg, BArg in zip(args, BArgs):
+                        args2.append(BArg._from_ctypes(arg))
+                    try:
+                        res2 = init(*args2)
+                        res2 = BResult._to_ctypes(res2)
+                    except:
+                        traceback.print_exc()
+                        res2 = error
+                    if issubclass(BResult, CTypesGenericPtr):
+                        if res2:
+                            res2 = ctypes.cast(res2, ctypes.c_void_p).value
+                                # .value: http://bugs.python.org/issue1574593
+                        else:
+                            res2 = None
+                    #print repr(res2)
+                    return res2
+                if issubclass(BResult, CTypesGenericPtr):
+                    # The only pointers callbacks can return are void*s:
+                    # http://bugs.python.org/issue5710
+                    callback_ctype = ctypes.CFUNCTYPE(
+                        ctypes.c_void_p,
+                        *[BArg._ctype for BArg in BArgs],
+                        use_errno=True)
+                else:
+                    callback_ctype = CTypesFunctionPtr._ctype
+                self._as_ctype_ptr = callback_ctype(callback)
+                self._address = ctypes.cast(self._as_ctype_ptr,
+                                            ctypes.c_void_p).value
+                self._own_callback = init
+
+            @staticmethod
+            def _initialize(ctypes_ptr, value):
+                if value:
+                    raise NotImplementedError("ctypes backend: not supported: "
+                                          "initializers for function pointers")
+
+            def __repr__(self):
+                c_name = getattr(self, '_name', None)
+                if c_name:
+                    i = self._reftypename.index('(* &)')
+                    if self._reftypename[i-1] not in ' )*':
+                        c_name = ' ' + c_name
+                    c_name = self._reftypename.replace('(* &)', c_name)
+                return CTypesData.__repr__(self, c_name)
+
+            def _get_own_repr(self):
+                if getattr(self, '_own_callback', None) is not None:
+                    return 'calling %r' % (self._own_callback,)
+                return super(CTypesFunctionPtr, self)._get_own_repr()
+
+            def __call__(self, *args):
+                if has_varargs:
+                    assert len(args) >= len(BArgs)
+                    extraargs = args[len(BArgs):]
+                    args = args[:len(BArgs)]
+                else:
+                    assert len(args) == len(BArgs)
+                ctypes_args = []
+                for arg, BArg in zip(args, BArgs):
+                    ctypes_args.append(BArg._arg_to_ctypes(arg))
+                if has_varargs:
+                    for i, arg in enumerate(extraargs):
+                        if arg is None:
+                            ctypes_args.append(ctypes.c_void_p(0))  # NULL
+                            continue
+                        if not isinstance(arg, CTypesData):
+                            raise TypeError(
+                                "argument %d passed in the variadic part "
+                                "needs to be a cdata object (got %s)" %
+                                (1 + len(BArgs) + i, type(arg).__name__))
+                        ctypes_args.append(arg._arg_to_ctypes(arg))
+                result = self._as_ctype_ptr(*ctypes_args)
+                return BResult._from_ctypes(result)
+        #
+        CTypesFunctionPtr._fix_class()
+        return CTypesFunctionPtr
+
+    def new_enum_type(self, name, enumerators, enumvalues, CTypesInt):
+        assert isinstance(name, str)
+        reverse_mapping = dict(zip(reversed(enumvalues),
+                                   reversed(enumerators)))
+        #
+        class CTypesEnum(CTypesInt):
+            __slots__ = []
+            _reftypename = '%s &' % name
+
+            def _get_own_repr(self):
+                value = self._value
+                try:
+                    return '%d: %s' % (value, reverse_mapping[value])
+                except KeyError:
+                    return str(value)
+
+            def _to_string(self, maxlen):
+                value = self._value
+                try:
+                    return reverse_mapping[value]
+                except KeyError:
+                    return str(value)
+        #
+        CTypesEnum._fix_class()
+        return CTypesEnum
+
+    def get_errno(self):
+        return ctypes.get_errno()
+
+    def set_errno(self, value):
+        ctypes.set_errno(value)
+
+    def string(self, b, maxlen=-1):
+        return b._to_string(maxlen)
+
+    def buffer(self, bptr, size=-1):
+        raise NotImplementedError("buffer() with ctypes backend")
+
+    def sizeof(self, cdata_or_BType):
+        if isinstance(cdata_or_BType, CTypesData):
+            return cdata_or_BType._get_size_of_instance()
+        else:
+            assert issubclass(cdata_or_BType, CTypesData)
+            return cdata_or_BType._get_size()
+
+    def alignof(self, BType):
+        assert issubclass(BType, CTypesData)
+        return BType._alignment()
+
+    def newp(self, BType, source):
+        if not issubclass(BType, CTypesData):
+            raise TypeError
+        return BType._newp(source)
+
+    def cast(self, BType, source):
+        return BType._cast_from(source)
+
+    def callback(self, BType, source, error):
+        return BType(source, error)
+
+    typeof = type
+
+    def getcname(self, BType, replace_with):
+        return BType._get_c_name(replace_with)
+
+    def typeoffsetof(self, BType, fieldname):
+        if fieldname is not None and issubclass(BType, CTypesGenericPtr):
+            BType = BType._BItem
+        if not issubclass(BType, CTypesBaseStructOrUnion):
+            raise TypeError("expected a struct or union ctype")
+        if fieldname is None:
+            return (BType, 0)
+        else:
+            BField = BType._bfield_types[fieldname]
+            if BField is Ellipsis:
+                raise TypeError("not supported for bitfields")
+            return (BField, BType._offsetof(fieldname))
+
+    def rawaddressof(self, BTypePtr, cdata, offset):
+        if isinstance(cdata, CTypesBaseStructOrUnion):
+            ptr = ctypes.pointer(type(cdata)._to_ctypes(cdata))
+        elif isinstance(cdata, CTypesGenericPtr):
+            ptr = type(cdata)._to_ctypes(cdata)
+        else:
+            raise TypeError("expected a <cdata 'struct-or-union'>")
+        if offset != 0:
+            ptr = ctypes.cast(
+                ctypes.c_void_p(
+                    ctypes.cast(ptr, ctypes.c_void_p).value + offset),
+                type(ptr))
+        return BTypePtr._from_ctypes(ptr)
+
+
+class CTypesLibrary(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, backend, cdll):
+        self.backend = backend
+        self.cdll = cdll
+
+    def load_function(self, BType, name):
+        c_func = getattr(self.cdll, name)
+        funcobj = BType._from_ctypes(c_func)
+        funcobj._name = name
+        return funcobj
+
+    def read_variable(self, BType, name):
+        try:
+            ctypes_obj = BType._ctype.in_dll(self.cdll, name)
+        except AttributeError as e:
+            raise NotImplementedError(e)
+        return BType._from_ctypes(ctypes_obj)
+
+    def write_variable(self, BType, name, value):
+        new_ctypes_obj = BType._to_ctypes(value)
+        ctypes_obj = BType._ctype.in_dll(self.cdll, name)
+        ctypes.memmove(ctypes.addressof(ctypes_obj),
+                       ctypes.addressof(new_ctypes_obj),
+                       ctypes.sizeof(BType._ctype))
diff --git a/cffi/commontypes.py b/cffi/commontypes.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9daf2ffe5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/commontypes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,248 @@
+import sys
+from . import api, model
+
+
+COMMON_TYPES = {
+    'FILE': model.unknown_type('FILE', '_IO_FILE'),
+    'bool': '_Bool',
+    }
+
+for _type in model.PrimitiveType.ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES:
+    if _type.endswith('_t'):
+        COMMON_TYPES[_type] = _type
+del _type
+
+_CACHE = {}
+
+def resolve_common_type(commontype):
+    try:
+        return _CACHE[commontype]
+    except KeyError:
+        result = COMMON_TYPES.get(commontype, commontype)
+        if not isinstance(result, str):
+            pass    # result is already a BaseType
+        elif result.endswith(' *'):
+            if result.startswith('const '):
+                result = model.ConstPointerType(
+                    resolve_common_type(result[6:-2]))
+            else:
+                result = model.PointerType(resolve_common_type(result[:-2]))
+        elif result in model.PrimitiveType.ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES:
+            result = model.PrimitiveType(result)
+        else:
+            if commontype == result:
+                raise api.FFIError("Unsupported type: %r.  Please file a bug "
+                                   "if you think it should be." % (commontype,))
+            result = resolve_common_type(result)   # recursively
+        assert isinstance(result, model.BaseTypeByIdentity)
+        _CACHE[commontype] = result
+        return result
+
+
+# ____________________________________________________________
+# Windows common types
+
+
+def win_common_types(maxsize):
+    result = {}
+    if maxsize < (1<<32):
+        result.update({      # Windows 32-bits
+            'HALF_PTR': 'short',
+            'INT_PTR': 'int',
+            'LONG_PTR': 'long',
+            'UHALF_PTR': 'unsigned short',
+            'UINT_PTR': 'unsigned int',
+            'ULONG_PTR': 'unsigned long',
+            })
+    else:
+        result.update({      # Windows 64-bits
+            'HALF_PTR': 'int',
+            'INT_PTR': 'long long',
+            'LONG_PTR': 'long long',
+            'UHALF_PTR': 'unsigned int',
+            'UINT_PTR': 'unsigned long long',
+            'ULONG_PTR': 'unsigned long long',
+            })
+    result.update({
+        "BYTE": "unsigned char",
+        "BOOL": "int",
+        "CCHAR": "char",
+        "CHAR": "char",
+        "DWORD": "unsigned long",
+        "DWORD32": "unsigned int",
+        "DWORD64": "unsigned long long",
+        "FLOAT": "float",
+        "INT": "int",
+        "INT8": "signed char",
+        "INT16": "short",
+        "INT32": "int",
+        "INT64": "long long",
+        "LONG": "long",
+        "LONGLONG": "long long",
+        "LONG32": "int",
+        "LONG64": "long long",
+        "WORD": "unsigned short",
+        "PVOID": model.voidp_type,
+        "ULONGLONG": "unsigned long long",
+        "WCHAR": "wchar_t",
+        "SHORT": "short",
+        "TBYTE": "WCHAR",
+        "TCHAR": "WCHAR",
+        "UCHAR": "unsigned char",
+        "UINT": "unsigned int",
+        "UINT8": "unsigned char",
+        "UINT16": "unsigned short",
+        "UINT32": "unsigned int",
+        "UINT64": "unsigned long long",
+        "ULONG": "unsigned long",
+        "ULONG32": "unsigned int",
+        "ULONG64": "unsigned long long",
+        "USHORT": "unsigned short",
+
+        "SIZE_T": "ULONG_PTR",
+        "SSIZE_T": "LONG_PTR",
+        "ATOM": "WORD",
+        "BOOLEAN": "BYTE",
+        "COLORREF": "DWORD",
+
+        "HANDLE": "PVOID",
+        "DWORDLONG": "ULONGLONG",
+        "DWORD_PTR": "ULONG_PTR",
+        "HACCEL": "HANDLE",
+
+        "HBITMAP": "HANDLE",
+        "HBRUSH": "HANDLE",
+        "HCOLORSPACE": "HANDLE",
+        "HCONV": "HANDLE",
+        "HCONVLIST": "HANDLE",
+        "HDC": "HANDLE",
+        "HDDEDATA": "HANDLE",
+        "HDESK": "HANDLE",
+        "HDROP": "HANDLE",
+        "HDWP": "HANDLE",
+        "HENHMETAFILE": "HANDLE",
+        "HFILE": "int",
+        "HFONT": "HANDLE",
+        "HGDIOBJ": "HANDLE",
+        "HGLOBAL": "HANDLE",
+        "HHOOK": "HANDLE",
+        "HICON": "HANDLE",
+        "HCURSOR": "HICON",
+        "HINSTANCE": "HANDLE",
+        "HKEY": "HANDLE",
+        "HKL": "HANDLE",
+        "HLOCAL": "HANDLE",
+        "HMENU": "HANDLE",
+        "HMETAFILE": "HANDLE",
+        "HMODULE": "HINSTANCE",
+        "HMONITOR": "HANDLE",
+        "HPALETTE": "HANDLE",
+        "HPEN": "HANDLE",
+        "HRESULT": "LONG",
+        "HRGN": "HANDLE",
+        "HRSRC": "HANDLE",
+        "HSZ": "HANDLE",
+        "WINSTA": "HANDLE",
+        "HWND": "HANDLE",
+
+        "LANGID": "WORD",
+        "LCID": "DWORD",
+        "LCTYPE": "DWORD",
+        "LGRPID": "DWORD",
+        "LPARAM": "LONG_PTR",
+        "LPBOOL": "BOOL *",
+        "LPBYTE": "BYTE *",
+        "LPCOLORREF": "DWORD *",
+        "LPCSTR": "const char *",
+
+        "LPCVOID": model.const_voidp_type,
+        "LPCWSTR": "const WCHAR *",
+        "LPCTSTR": "LPCWSTR",
+        "LPDWORD": "DWORD *",
+        "LPHANDLE": "HANDLE *",
+        "LPINT": "int *",
+        "LPLONG": "long *",
+        "LPSTR": "CHAR *",
+        "LPWSTR": "WCHAR *",
+        "LPTSTR": "LPWSTR",
+        "LPVOID": model.voidp_type,
+        "LPWORD": "WORD *",
+        "LRESULT": "LONG_PTR",
+        "PBOOL": "BOOL *",
+        "PBOOLEAN": "BOOLEAN *",
+        "PBYTE": "BYTE *",
+        "PCHAR": "CHAR *",
+        "PCSTR": "const CHAR *",
+        "PCTSTR": "LPCWSTR",
+        "PCWSTR": "const WCHAR *",
+        "PDWORD": "DWORD *",
+        "PDWORDLONG": "DWORDLONG *",
+        "PDWORD_PTR": "DWORD_PTR *",
+        "PDWORD32": "DWORD32 *",
+        "PDWORD64": "DWORD64 *",
+        "PFLOAT": "FLOAT *",
+        "PHALF_PTR": "HALF_PTR *",
+        "PHANDLE": "HANDLE *",
+        "PHKEY": "HKEY *",
+        "PINT": "int *",
+        "PINT_PTR": "INT_PTR *",
+        "PINT8": "INT8 *",
+        "PINT16": "INT16 *",
+        "PINT32": "INT32 *",
+        "PINT64": "INT64 *",
+        "PLCID": "PDWORD",
+        "PLONG": "LONG *",
+        "PLONGLONG": "LONGLONG *",
+        "PLONG_PTR": "LONG_PTR *",
+        "PLONG32": "LONG32 *",
+        "PLONG64": "LONG64 *",
+        "PSHORT": "SHORT *",
+        "PSIZE_T": "SIZE_T *",
+        "PSSIZE_T": "SSIZE_T *",
+        "PSTR": "CHAR *",
+        "PTBYTE": "TBYTE *",
+        "PTCHAR": "TCHAR *",
+        "PTSTR": "LPWSTR",
+        "PUCHAR": "UCHAR *",
+        "PUHALF_PTR": "UHALF_PTR *",
+        "PUINT": "UINT *",
+        "PUINT_PTR": "UINT_PTR *",
+        "PUINT8": "UINT8 *",
+        "PUINT16": "UINT16 *",
+        "PUINT32": "UINT32 *",
+        "PUINT64": "UINT64 *",
+        "PULONG": "ULONG *",
+        "PULONGLONG": "ULONGLONG *",
+        "PULONG_PTR": "ULONG_PTR *",
+        "PULONG32": "ULONG32 *",
+        "PULONG64": "ULONG64 *",
+        "PUSHORT": "USHORT *",
+        "PWCHAR": "WCHAR *",
+        "PWORD": "WORD *",
+        "PWSTR": "WCHAR *",
+        "QWORD": "unsigned long long",
+        "SC_HANDLE": "HANDLE",
+        "SC_LOCK": "LPVOID",
+        "SERVICE_STATUS_HANDLE": "HANDLE",
+
+        "UNICODE_STRING": model.StructType(
+            "_UNICODE_STRING",
+            ["Length",
+             "MaximumLength",
+             "Buffer"],
+            [model.PrimitiveType("unsigned short"),
+             model.PrimitiveType("unsigned short"),
+             model.PointerType(model.PrimitiveType("wchar_t"))],
+            [-1, -1, -1]),
+        "PUNICODE_STRING": "UNICODE_STRING *",
+        "PCUNICODE_STRING": "const UNICODE_STRING *",
+
+        "USN": "LONGLONG",
+        "VOID": model.void_type,
+        "WPARAM": "UINT_PTR",
+        })
+    return result
+
+
+if sys.platform == 'win32':
+    COMMON_TYPES.update(win_common_types(sys.maxsize))
diff --git a/cffi/cparser.py b/cffi/cparser.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a53d4c3fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/cparser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,584 @@
+
+from . import api, model
+from .commontypes import COMMON_TYPES, resolve_common_type
+try:
+    from . import _pycparser as pycparser
+except ImportError:
+    import pycparser
+import weakref, re, sys
+
+try:
+    if sys.version_info < (3,):
+        import thread as _thread
+    else:
+        import _thread
+    lock = _thread.allocate_lock()
+except ImportError:
+    lock = None
+
+_r_comment = re.compile(r"/\*.*?\*/|//.*?$", re.DOTALL | re.MULTILINE)
+_r_define  = re.compile(r"^\s*#\s*define\s+([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z_0-9]*)\s+(.*?)$",
+                        re.MULTILINE)
+_r_partial_enum = re.compile(r"=\s*\.\.\.\s*[,}]|\.\.\.\s*\}")
+_r_enum_dotdotdot = re.compile(r"__dotdotdot\d+__$")
+_r_partial_array = re.compile(r"\[\s*\.\.\.\s*\]")
+_r_words = re.compile(r"\w+|\S")
+_parser_cache = None
+_r_int_literal = re.compile(r"^0?x?[0-9a-f]+u?l?$", re.IGNORECASE)
+
+def _get_parser():
+    global _parser_cache
+    if _parser_cache is None:
+        _parser_cache = pycparser.CParser()
+    return _parser_cache
+
+def _preprocess(csource):
+    # Remove comments.  NOTE: this only work because the cdef() section
+    # should not contain any string literal!
+    csource = _r_comment.sub(' ', csource)
+    # Remove the "#define FOO x" lines
+    macros = {}
+    for match in _r_define.finditer(csource):
+        macroname, macrovalue = match.groups()
+        macros[macroname] = macrovalue
+    csource = _r_define.sub('', csource)
+    # Replace "[...]" with "[__dotdotdotarray__]"
+    csource = _r_partial_array.sub('[__dotdotdotarray__]', csource)
+    # Replace "...}" with "__dotdotdotNUM__}".  This construction should
+    # occur only at the end of enums; at the end of structs we have "...;}"
+    # and at the end of vararg functions "...);".  Also replace "=...[,}]"
+    # with ",__dotdotdotNUM__[,}]": this occurs in the enums too, when
+    # giving an unknown value.
+    matches = list(_r_partial_enum.finditer(csource))
+    for number, match in enumerate(reversed(matches)):
+        p = match.start()
+        if csource[p] == '=':
+            p2 = csource.find('...', p, match.end())
+            assert p2 > p
+            csource = '%s,__dotdotdot%d__ %s' % (csource[:p], number,
+                                                 csource[p2+3:])
+        else:
+            assert csource[p:p+3] == '...'
+            csource = '%s __dotdotdot%d__ %s' % (csource[:p], number,
+                                                 csource[p+3:])
+    # Replace all remaining "..." with the same name, "__dotdotdot__",
+    # which is declared with a typedef for the purpose of C parsing.
+    return csource.replace('...', ' __dotdotdot__ '), macros
+
+def _common_type_names(csource):
+    # Look in the source for what looks like usages of types from the
+    # list of common types.  A "usage" is approximated here as the
+    # appearance of the word, minus a "definition" of the type, which
+    # is the last word in a "typedef" statement.  Approximative only
+    # but should be fine for all the common types.
+    look_for_words = set(COMMON_TYPES)
+    look_for_words.add(';')
+    look_for_words.add('typedef')
+    words_used = set()
+    is_typedef = False
+    previous_word = ''
+    for word in _r_words.findall(csource):
+        if word in look_for_words:
+            if word == ';':
+                if is_typedef:
+                    words_used.discard(previous_word)
+                    look_for_words.discard(previous_word)
+                    is_typedef = False
+            elif word == 'typedef':
+                is_typedef = True
+            else:   # word in COMMON_TYPES
+                words_used.add(word)
+        previous_word = word
+    return words_used
+
+
+class Parser(object):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._declarations = {}
+        self._anonymous_counter = 0
+        self._structnode2type = weakref.WeakKeyDictionary()
+        self._override = False
+        self._packed = False
+        self._int_constants = {}
+
+    def _parse(self, csource):
+        csource, macros = _preprocess(csource)
+        # XXX: for more efficiency we would need to poke into the
+        # internals of CParser...  the following registers the
+        # typedefs, because their presence or absence influences the
+        # parsing itself (but what they are typedef'ed to plays no role)
+        ctn = _common_type_names(csource)
+        typenames = []
+        for name in sorted(self._declarations):
+            if name.startswith('typedef '):
+                name = name[8:]
+                typenames.append(name)
+                ctn.discard(name)
+        typenames += sorted(ctn)
+        #
+        csourcelines = ['typedef int %s;' % typename for typename in typenames]
+        csourcelines.append('typedef int __dotdotdot__;')
+        csourcelines.append(csource)
+        csource = '\n'.join(csourcelines)
+        if lock is not None:
+            lock.acquire()     # pycparser is not thread-safe...
+        try:
+            ast = _get_parser().parse(csource)
+        except pycparser.c_parser.ParseError as e:
+            self.convert_pycparser_error(e, csource)
+        finally:
+            if lock is not None:
+                lock.release()
+        # csource will be used to find buggy source text
+        return ast, macros, csource
+
+    def _convert_pycparser_error(self, e, csource):
+        # xxx look for ":NUM:" at the start of str(e) and try to interpret
+        # it as a line number
+        line = None
+        msg = str(e)
+        if msg.startswith(':') and ':' in msg[1:]:
+            linenum = msg[1:msg.find(':',1)]
+            if linenum.isdigit():
+                linenum = int(linenum, 10)
+                csourcelines = csource.splitlines()
+                if 1 <= linenum <= len(csourcelines):
+                    line = csourcelines[linenum-1]
+        return line
+
+    def convert_pycparser_error(self, e, csource):
+        line = self._convert_pycparser_error(e, csource)
+
+        msg = str(e)
+        if line:
+            msg = 'cannot parse "%s"\n%s' % (line.strip(), msg)
+        else:
+            msg = 'parse error\n%s' % (msg,)
+        raise api.CDefError(msg)
+
+    def parse(self, csource, override=False, packed=False):
+        prev_override = self._override
+        prev_packed = self._packed
+        try:
+            self._override = override
+            self._packed = packed
+            self._internal_parse(csource)
+        finally:
+            self._override = prev_override
+            self._packed = prev_packed
+
+    def _internal_parse(self, csource):
+        ast, macros, csource = self._parse(csource)
+        # add the macros
+        self._process_macros(macros)
+        # find the first "__dotdotdot__" and use that as a separator
+        # between the repeated typedefs and the real csource
+        iterator = iter(ast.ext)
+        for decl in iterator:
+            if decl.name == '__dotdotdot__':
+                break
+        #
+        try:
+            for decl in iterator:
+                if isinstance(decl, pycparser.c_ast.Decl):
+                    self._parse_decl(decl)
+                elif isinstance(decl, pycparser.c_ast.Typedef):
+                    if not decl.name:
+                        raise api.CDefError("typedef does not declare any name",
+                                            decl)
+                    if (isinstance(decl.type.type, pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType)
+                            and decl.type.type.names == ['__dotdotdot__']):
+                        realtype = model.unknown_type(decl.name)
+                    elif (isinstance(decl.type, pycparser.c_ast.PtrDecl) and
+                          isinstance(decl.type.type, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl) and
+                          isinstance(decl.type.type.type,
+                                     pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType) and
+                          decl.type.type.type.names == ['__dotdotdot__']):
+                        realtype = model.unknown_ptr_type(decl.name)
+                    else:
+                        realtype = self._get_type(decl.type, name=decl.name)
+                    self._declare('typedef ' + decl.name, realtype)
+                else:
+                    raise api.CDefError("unrecognized construct", decl)
+        except api.FFIError as e:
+            msg = self._convert_pycparser_error(e, csource)
+            if msg:
+                e.args = (e.args[0] + "\n    *** Err: %s" % msg,)
+            raise
+
+    def _add_constants(self, key, val):
+        if key in self._int_constants:
+            raise api.FFIError(
+                "multiple declarations of constant: %s" % (key,))
+        self._int_constants[key] = val
+
+    def _process_macros(self, macros):
+        for key, value in macros.items():
+            value = value.strip()
+            match = _r_int_literal.search(value)
+            if match is not None:
+                int_str = match.group(0).lower().rstrip("ul")
+
+                # "010" is not valid oct in py3
+                if (int_str.startswith("0") and
+                        int_str != "0" and
+                        not int_str.startswith("0x")):
+                    int_str = "0o" + int_str[1:]
+
+                pyvalue = int(int_str, 0)
+                self._add_constants(key, pyvalue)
+            elif value == '...':
+                self._declare('macro ' + key, value)
+            else:
+                raise api.CDefError('only supports the syntax "#define '
+                                    '%s ..." (literally) or "#define '
+                                    '%s 0x1FF" for now' % (key, key))
+
+    def _parse_decl(self, decl):
+        node = decl.type
+        if isinstance(node, pycparser.c_ast.FuncDecl):
+            tp = self._get_type(node, name=decl.name)
+            assert isinstance(tp, model.RawFunctionType)
+            tp = self._get_type_pointer(tp)
+            self._declare('function ' + decl.name, tp)
+        else:
+            if isinstance(node, pycparser.c_ast.Struct):
+                # XXX do we need self._declare in any of those?
+                if node.decls is not None:
+                    self._get_struct_union_enum_type('struct', node)
+            elif isinstance(node, pycparser.c_ast.Union):
+                if node.decls is not None:
+                    self._get_struct_union_enum_type('union', node)
+            elif isinstance(node, pycparser.c_ast.Enum):
+                if node.values is not None:
+                    self._get_struct_union_enum_type('enum', node)
+            elif not decl.name:
+                raise api.CDefError("construct does not declare any variable",
+                                    decl)
+            #
+            if decl.name:
+                tp = self._get_type(node, partial_length_ok=True)
+                if self._is_constant_globalvar(node):
+                    self._declare('constant ' + decl.name, tp)
+                else:
+                    self._declare('variable ' + decl.name, tp)
+
+    def parse_type(self, cdecl):
+        ast, macros = self._parse('void __dummy(\n%s\n);' % cdecl)[:2]
+        assert not macros
+        exprnode = ast.ext[-1].type.args.params[0]
+        if isinstance(exprnode, pycparser.c_ast.ID):
+            raise api.CDefError("unknown identifier '%s'" % (exprnode.name,))
+        return self._get_type(exprnode.type)
+
+    def _declare(self, name, obj):
+        if name in self._declarations:
+            if self._declarations[name] is obj:
+                return
+            if not self._override:
+                raise api.FFIError(
+                    "multiple declarations of %s (for interactive usage, "
+                    "try cdef(xx, override=True))" % (name,))
+        assert '__dotdotdot__' not in name.split()
+        self._declarations[name] = obj
+
+    def _get_type_pointer(self, type, const=False):
+        if isinstance(type, model.RawFunctionType):
+            return type.as_function_pointer()
+        if const:
+            return model.ConstPointerType(type)
+        return model.PointerType(type)
+
+    def _get_type(self, typenode, name=None, partial_length_ok=False):
+        # first, dereference typedefs, if we have it already parsed, we're good
+        if (isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl) and
+            isinstance(typenode.type, pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType) and
+            len(typenode.type.names) == 1 and
+            ('typedef ' + typenode.type.names[0]) in self._declarations):
+            type = self._declarations['typedef ' + typenode.type.names[0]]
+            return type
+        #
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.ArrayDecl):
+            # array type
+            if typenode.dim is None:
+                length = None
+            else:
+                length = self._parse_constant(
+                    typenode.dim, partial_length_ok=partial_length_ok)
+            return model.ArrayType(self._get_type(typenode.type), length)
+        #
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.PtrDecl):
+            # pointer type
+            const = (isinstance(typenode.type, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl)
+                     and 'const' in typenode.type.quals)
+            return self._get_type_pointer(self._get_type(typenode.type), const)
+        #
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl):
+            type = typenode.type
+            if isinstance(type, pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType):
+                # assume a primitive type.  get it from .names, but reduce
+                # synonyms to a single chosen combination
+                names = list(type.names)
+                if names != ['signed', 'char']:    # keep this unmodified
+                    prefixes = {}
+                    while names:
+                        name = names[0]
+                        if name in ('short', 'long', 'signed', 'unsigned'):
+                            prefixes[name] = prefixes.get(name, 0) + 1
+                            del names[0]
+                        else:
+                            break
+                    # ignore the 'signed' prefix below, and reorder the others
+                    newnames = []
+                    for prefix in ('unsigned', 'short', 'long'):
+                        for i in range(prefixes.get(prefix, 0)):
+                            newnames.append(prefix)
+                    if not names:
+                        names = ['int']    # implicitly
+                    if names == ['int']:   # but kill it if 'short' or 'long'
+                        if 'short' in prefixes or 'long' in prefixes:
+                            names = []
+                    names = newnames + names
+                ident = ' '.join(names)
+                if ident == 'void':
+                    return model.void_type
+                if ident == '__dotdotdot__':
+                    raise api.FFIError(':%d: bad usage of "..."' %
+                            typenode.coord.line)
+                return resolve_common_type(ident)
+            #
+            if isinstance(type, pycparser.c_ast.Struct):
+                # 'struct foobar'
+                return self._get_struct_union_enum_type('struct', type, name)
+            #
+            if isinstance(type, pycparser.c_ast.Union):
+                # 'union foobar'
+                return self._get_struct_union_enum_type('union', type, name)
+            #
+            if isinstance(type, pycparser.c_ast.Enum):
+                # 'enum foobar'
+                return self._get_struct_union_enum_type('enum', type, name)
+        #
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.FuncDecl):
+            # a function type
+            return self._parse_function_type(typenode, name)
+        #
+        # nested anonymous structs or unions end up here
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.Struct):
+            return self._get_struct_union_enum_type('struct', typenode, name,
+                                                    nested=True)
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.Union):
+            return self._get_struct_union_enum_type('union', typenode, name,
+                                                    nested=True)
+        #
+        raise api.FFIError(":%d: bad or unsupported type declaration" %
+                typenode.coord.line)
+
+    def _parse_function_type(self, typenode, funcname=None):
+        params = list(getattr(typenode.args, 'params', []))
+        ellipsis = (
+            len(params) > 0 and
+            isinstance(params[-1].type, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl) and
+            isinstance(params[-1].type.type,
+                       pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType) and
+            params[-1].type.type.names == ['__dotdotdot__'])
+        if ellipsis:
+            params.pop()
+            if not params:
+                raise api.CDefError(
+                    "%s: a function with only '(...)' as argument"
+                    " is not correct C" % (funcname or 'in expression'))
+        elif (len(params) == 1 and
+            isinstance(params[0].type, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl) and
+            isinstance(params[0].type.type, pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType)
+                and list(params[0].type.type.names) == ['void']):
+            del params[0]
+        args = [self._as_func_arg(self._get_type(argdeclnode.type))
+                for argdeclnode in params]
+        result = self._get_type(typenode.type)
+        return model.RawFunctionType(tuple(args), result, ellipsis)
+
+    def _as_func_arg(self, type):
+        if isinstance(type, model.ArrayType):
+            return model.PointerType(type.item)
+        elif isinstance(type, model.RawFunctionType):
+            return type.as_function_pointer()
+        else:
+            return type
+
+    def _is_constant_globalvar(self, typenode):
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.PtrDecl):
+            return 'const' in typenode.quals
+        if isinstance(typenode, pycparser.c_ast.TypeDecl):
+            return 'const' in typenode.quals
+        return False
+
+    def _get_struct_union_enum_type(self, kind, type, name=None, nested=False):
+        # First, a level of caching on the exact 'type' node of the AST.
+        # This is obscure, but needed because pycparser "unrolls" declarations
+        # such as "typedef struct { } foo_t, *foo_p" and we end up with
+        # an AST that is not a tree, but a DAG, with the "type" node of the
+        # two branches foo_t and foo_p of the trees being the same node.
+        # It's a bit silly but detecting "DAG-ness" in the AST tree seems
+        # to be the only way to distinguish this case from two independent
+        # structs.  See test_struct_with_two_usages.
+        try:
+            return self._structnode2type[type]
+        except KeyError:
+            pass
+        #
+        # Note that this must handle parsing "struct foo" any number of
+        # times and always return the same StructType object.  Additionally,
+        # one of these times (not necessarily the first), the fields of
+        # the struct can be specified with "struct foo { ...fields... }".
+        # If no name is given, then we have to create a new anonymous struct
+        # with no caching; in this case, the fields are either specified
+        # right now or never.
+        #
+        force_name = name
+        name = type.name
+        #
+        # get the type or create it if needed
+        if name is None:
+            # 'force_name' is used to guess a more readable name for
+            # anonymous structs, for the common case "typedef struct { } foo".
+            if force_name is not None:
+                explicit_name = '$%s' % force_name
+            else:
+                self._anonymous_counter += 1
+                explicit_name = '$%d' % self._anonymous_counter
+            tp = None
+        else:
+            explicit_name = name
+            key = '%s %s' % (kind, name)
+            tp = self._declarations.get(key, None)
+        #
+        if tp is None:
+            if kind == 'struct':
+                tp = model.StructType(explicit_name, None, None, None)
+            elif kind == 'union':
+                tp = model.UnionType(explicit_name, None, None, None)
+            elif kind == 'enum':
+                tp = self._build_enum_type(explicit_name, type.values)
+            else:
+                raise AssertionError("kind = %r" % (kind,))
+            if name is not None:
+                self._declare(key, tp)
+        else:
+            if kind == 'enum' and type.values is not None:
+                raise NotImplementedError(
+                    "enum %s: the '{}' declaration should appear on the first "
+                    "time the enum is mentioned, not later" % explicit_name)
+        if not tp.forcename:
+            tp.force_the_name(force_name)
+        if tp.forcename and '$' in tp.name:
+            self._declare('anonymous %s' % tp.forcename, tp)
+        #
+        self._structnode2type[type] = tp
+        #
+        # enums: done here
+        if kind == 'enum':
+            return tp
+        #
+        # is there a 'type.decls'?  If yes, then this is the place in the
+        # C sources that declare the fields.  If no, then just return the
+        # existing type, possibly still incomplete.
+        if type.decls is None:
+            return tp
+        #
+        if tp.fldnames is not None:
+            raise api.CDefError("duplicate declaration of struct %s" % name)
+        fldnames = []
+        fldtypes = []
+        fldbitsize = []
+        for decl in type.decls:
+            if (isinstance(decl.type, pycparser.c_ast.IdentifierType) and
+                    ''.join(decl.type.names) == '__dotdotdot__'):
+                # XXX pycparser is inconsistent: 'names' should be a list
+                # of strings, but is sometimes just one string.  Use
+                # str.join() as a way to cope with both.
+                self._make_partial(tp, nested)
+                continue
+            if decl.bitsize is None:
+                bitsize = -1
+            else:
+                bitsize = self._parse_constant(decl.bitsize)
+            self._partial_length = False
+            type = self._get_type(decl.type, partial_length_ok=True)
+            if self._partial_length:
+                self._make_partial(tp, nested)
+            if isinstance(type, model.StructType) and type.partial:
+                self._make_partial(tp, nested)
+            fldnames.append(decl.name or '')
+            fldtypes.append(type)
+            fldbitsize.append(bitsize)
+        tp.fldnames = tuple(fldnames)
+        tp.fldtypes = tuple(fldtypes)
+        tp.fldbitsize = tuple(fldbitsize)
+        if fldbitsize != [-1] * len(fldbitsize):
+            if isinstance(tp, model.StructType) and tp.partial:
+                raise NotImplementedError("%s: using both bitfields and '...;'"
+                                          % (tp,))
+        tp.packed = self._packed
+        return tp
+
+    def _make_partial(self, tp, nested):
+        if not isinstance(tp, model.StructOrUnion):
+            raise api.CDefError("%s cannot be partial" % (tp,))
+        if not tp.has_c_name() and not nested:
+            raise NotImplementedError("%s is partial but has no C name" %(tp,))
+        tp.partial = True
+
+    def _parse_constant(self, exprnode, partial_length_ok=False):
+        # for now, limited to expressions that are an immediate number
+        # or negative number
+        if isinstance(exprnode, pycparser.c_ast.Constant):
+            return int(exprnode.value, 0)
+        #
+        if (isinstance(exprnode, pycparser.c_ast.UnaryOp) and
+                exprnode.op == '-'):
+            return -self._parse_constant(exprnode.expr)
+        # load previously defined int constant
+        if (isinstance(exprnode, pycparser.c_ast.ID) and
+                exprnode.name in self._int_constants):
+            return self._int_constants[exprnode.name]
+        #
+        if partial_length_ok:
+            if (isinstance(exprnode, pycparser.c_ast.ID) and
+                    exprnode.name == '__dotdotdotarray__'):
+                self._partial_length = True
+                return '...'
+        #
+        raise api.FFIError(":%d: unsupported expression: expected a "
+                           "simple numeric constant" % exprnode.coord.line)
+
+    def _build_enum_type(self, explicit_name, decls):
+        if decls is not None:
+            enumerators1 = [enum.name for enum in decls.enumerators]
+            enumerators = [s for s in enumerators1
+                             if not _r_enum_dotdotdot.match(s)]
+            partial = len(enumerators) < len(enumerators1)
+            enumerators = tuple(enumerators)
+            enumvalues = []
+            nextenumvalue = 0
+            for enum in decls.enumerators[:len(enumerators)]:
+                if enum.value is not None:
+                    nextenumvalue = self._parse_constant(enum.value)
+                enumvalues.append(nextenumvalue)
+                self._add_constants(enum.name, nextenumvalue)
+                nextenumvalue += 1
+            enumvalues = tuple(enumvalues)
+            tp = model.EnumType(explicit_name, enumerators, enumvalues)
+            tp.partial = partial
+        else:   # opaque enum
+            tp = model.EnumType(explicit_name, (), ())
+        return tp
+
+    def include(self, other):
+        for name, tp in other._declarations.items():
+            kind = name.split(' ', 1)[0]
+            if kind in ('typedef', 'struct', 'union', 'enum'):
+                self._declare(name, tp)
+        for k, v in other._int_constants.items():
+            self._add_constants(k, v)
diff --git a/cffi/ffiplatform.py b/cffi/ffiplatform.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4515d6c7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/ffiplatform.py
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import os
+
+
+class VerificationError(Exception):
+    """ An error raised when verification fails
+    """
+
+class VerificationMissing(Exception):
+    """ An error raised when incomplete structures are passed into
+    cdef, but no verification has been done
+    """
+
+
+def get_extension(srcfilename, modname, sources=(), **kwds):
+    from distutils.core import Extension
+    allsources = [srcfilename]
+    allsources.extend(sources)
+    return Extension(name=modname, sources=allsources, **kwds)
+
+def compile(tmpdir, ext):
+    """Compile a C extension module using distutils."""
+
+    saved_environ = os.environ.copy()
+    try:
+        outputfilename = _build(tmpdir, ext)
+        outputfilename = os.path.abspath(outputfilename)
+    finally:
+        # workaround for a distutils bugs where some env vars can
+        # become longer and longer every time it is used
+        for key, value in saved_environ.items():
+            if os.environ.get(key) != value:
+                os.environ[key] = value
+    return outputfilename
+
+def _build(tmpdir, ext):
+    # XXX compact but horrible :-(
+    from distutils.core import Distribution
+    import distutils.errors
+    #
+    dist = Distribution({'ext_modules': [ext]})
+    dist.parse_config_files()
+    options = dist.get_option_dict('build_ext')
+    options['force'] = ('ffiplatform', True)
+    options['build_lib'] = ('ffiplatform', tmpdir)
+    options['build_temp'] = ('ffiplatform', tmpdir)
+    #
+    try:
+        dist.run_command('build_ext')
+    except (distutils.errors.CompileError,
+            distutils.errors.LinkError) as e:
+        raise VerificationError('%s: %s' % (e.__class__.__name__, e))
+    #
+    cmd_obj = dist.get_command_obj('build_ext')
+    [soname] = cmd_obj.get_outputs()
+    return soname
+
+try:
+    from os.path import samefile
+except ImportError:
+    def samefile(f1, f2):
+        return os.path.abspath(f1) == os.path.abspath(f2)
+
+def maybe_relative_path(path):
+    if not os.path.isabs(path):
+        return path      # already relative
+    dir = path
+    names = []
+    while True:
+        prevdir = dir
+        dir, name = os.path.split(prevdir)
+        if dir == prevdir or not dir:
+            return path     # failed to make it relative
+        names.append(name)
+        try:
+            if samefile(dir, os.curdir):
+                names.reverse()
+                return os.path.join(*names)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+
+# ____________________________________________________________
+
+try:
+    int_or_long = (int, long)
+    import cStringIO
+except NameError:
+    int_or_long = int      # Python 3
+    import io as cStringIO
+
+def _flatten(x, f):
+    if isinstance(x, str):
+        f.write('%ds%s' % (len(x), x))
+    elif isinstance(x, dict):
+        keys = sorted(x.keys())
+        f.write('%dd' % len(keys))
+        for key in keys:
+            _flatten(key, f)
+            _flatten(x[key], f)
+    elif isinstance(x, (list, tuple)):
+        f.write('%dl' % len(x))
+        for value in x:
+            _flatten(value, f)
+    elif isinstance(x, int_or_long):
+        f.write('%di' % (x,))
+    else:
+        raise TypeError(
+            "the keywords to verify() contains unsupported object %r" % (x,))
+
+def flatten(x):
+    f = cStringIO.StringIO()
+    _flatten(x, f)
+    return f.getvalue()
diff --git a/cffi/gc_weakref.py b/cffi/gc_weakref.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a2c0967bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/gc_weakref.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+from weakref import ref
+
+
+class GcWeakrefs(object):
+    # code copied and adapted from WeakKeyDictionary.
+
+    def __init__(self, ffi):
+        self.ffi = ffi
+        self.data = data = {}
+        def remove(k):
+            destructor, cdata = data.pop(k)
+            destructor(cdata)
+        self.remove = remove
+
+    def build(self, cdata, destructor):
+        # make a new cdata of the same type as the original one
+        new_cdata = self.ffi.cast(self.ffi._backend.typeof(cdata), cdata)
+        self.data[ref(new_cdata, self.remove)] = destructor, cdata
+        return new_cdata
diff --git a/cffi/lock.py b/cffi/lock.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db91b7158
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/lock.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import sys
+
+if sys.version_info < (3,):
+    try:
+        from thread import allocate_lock
+    except ImportError:
+        from dummy_thread import allocate_lock
+else:
+    try:
+        from _thread import allocate_lock
+    except ImportError:
+        from _dummy_thread import allocate_lock
+
+
+##import sys
+##l1 = allocate_lock
+
+##class allocate_lock(object):
+##    def __init__(self):
+##        self._real = l1()
+##    def __enter__(self):
+##        for i in range(4, 0, -1):
+##            print sys._getframe(i).f_code
+##        print
+##        return self._real.__enter__()
+##    def __exit__(self, *args):
+##        return self._real.__exit__(*args)
+##    def acquire(self, f):
+##        assert f is False
+##        return self._real.acquire(f)
diff --git a/cffi/model.py b/cffi/model.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..371153fec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/model.py
@@ -0,0 +1,499 @@
+import types
+import weakref
+
+from .lock import allocate_lock
+
+
+class BaseTypeByIdentity(object):
+    is_array_type = False
+    is_raw_function = False
+
+    def get_c_name(self, replace_with='', context='a C file'):
+        result = self.c_name_with_marker
+        assert result.count('&') == 1
+        # some logic duplication with ffi.getctype()... :-(
+        replace_with = replace_with.strip()
+        if replace_with:
+            if replace_with.startswith('*') and '&[' in result:
+                replace_with = '(%s)' % replace_with
+            elif not replace_with[0] in '[(':
+                replace_with = ' ' + replace_with
+        result = result.replace('&', replace_with)
+        if '$' in result:
+            from .ffiplatform import VerificationError
+            raise VerificationError(
+                "cannot generate '%s' in %s: unknown type name"
+                % (self._get_c_name(), context))
+        return result
+
+    def _get_c_name(self):
+        return self.c_name_with_marker.replace('&', '')
+
+    def has_c_name(self):
+        return '$' not in self._get_c_name()
+
+    def get_cached_btype(self, ffi, finishlist, can_delay=False):
+        try:
+            BType = ffi._cached_btypes[self]
+        except KeyError:
+            BType = self.build_backend_type(ffi, finishlist)
+            BType2 = ffi._cached_btypes.setdefault(self, BType)
+            assert BType2 is BType
+        return BType
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '<%s>' % (self._get_c_name(),)
+
+    def _get_items(self):
+        return [(name, getattr(self, name)) for name in self._attrs_]
+
+
+class BaseType(BaseTypeByIdentity):
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        return (self.__class__ == other.__class__ and
+                self._get_items() == other._get_items())
+
+    def __ne__(self, other):
+        return not self == other
+
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return hash((self.__class__, tuple(self._get_items())))
+
+
+class VoidType(BaseType):
+    _attrs_ = ()
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.c_name_with_marker = 'void&'
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_void_type')
+
+void_type = VoidType()
+
+
+class PrimitiveType(BaseType):
+    _attrs_ = ('name',)
+
+    ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES = {
+        'char':               'c',
+        'short':              'i',
+        'int':                'i',
+        'long':               'i',
+        'long long':          'i',
+        'signed char':        'i',
+        'unsigned char':      'i',
+        'unsigned short':     'i',
+        'unsigned int':       'i',
+        'unsigned long':      'i',
+        'unsigned long long': 'i',
+        'float':              'f',
+        'double':             'f',
+        'long double':        'f',
+        '_Bool':              'i',
+        # the following types are not primitive in the C sense
+        'wchar_t':            'c',
+        'int8_t':             'i',
+        'uint8_t':            'i',
+        'int16_t':            'i',
+        'uint16_t':           'i',
+        'int32_t':            'i',
+        'uint32_t':           'i',
+        'int64_t':            'i',
+        'uint64_t':           'i',
+        'intptr_t':           'i',
+        'uintptr_t':          'i',
+        'ptrdiff_t':          'i',
+        'size_t':             'i',
+        'ssize_t':            'i',
+        }
+
+    def __init__(self, name):
+        assert name in self.ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES
+        self.name = name
+        self.c_name_with_marker = name + '&'
+
+    def is_char_type(self):
+        return self.ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES[self.name] == 'c'
+    def is_integer_type(self):
+        return self.ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES[self.name] == 'i'
+    def is_float_type(self):
+        return self.ALL_PRIMITIVE_TYPES[self.name] == 'f'
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_primitive_type', self.name)
+
+
+class BaseFunctionType(BaseType):
+    _attrs_ = ('args', 'result', 'ellipsis')
+
+    def __init__(self, args, result, ellipsis):
+        self.args = args
+        self.result = result
+        self.ellipsis = ellipsis
+        #
+        reprargs = [arg._get_c_name() for arg in self.args]
+        if self.ellipsis:
+            reprargs.append('...')
+        reprargs = reprargs or ['void']
+        replace_with = self._base_pattern % (', '.join(reprargs),)
+        self.c_name_with_marker = (
+            self.result.c_name_with_marker.replace('&', replace_with))
+
+
+class RawFunctionType(BaseFunctionType):
+    # Corresponds to a C type like 'int(int)', which is the C type of
+    # a function, but not a pointer-to-function.  The backend has no
+    # notion of such a type; it's used temporarily by parsing.
+    _base_pattern = '(&)(%s)'
+    is_raw_function = True
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        from . import api
+        raise api.CDefError("cannot render the type %r: it is a function "
+                            "type, not a pointer-to-function type" % (self,))
+
+    def as_function_pointer(self):
+        return FunctionPtrType(self.args, self.result, self.ellipsis)
+
+
+class FunctionPtrType(BaseFunctionType):
+    _base_pattern = '(*&)(%s)'
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        result = self.result.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+        args = []
+        for tp in self.args:
+            args.append(tp.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist))
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_function_type',
+                            tuple(args), result, self.ellipsis)
+
+
+class PointerType(BaseType):
+    _attrs_ = ('totype',)
+    _base_pattern       = " *&"
+    _base_pattern_array = "(*&)"
+
+    def __init__(self, totype):
+        self.totype = totype
+        if totype.is_array_type:
+            extra = self._base_pattern_array
+        else:
+            extra = self._base_pattern
+        self.c_name_with_marker = totype.c_name_with_marker.replace('&', extra)
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        BItem = self.totype.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist, can_delay=True)
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_pointer_type', BItem)
+
+voidp_type = PointerType(void_type)
+
+
+class ConstPointerType(PointerType):
+    _base_pattern       = " const *&"
+    _base_pattern_array = "(const *&)"
+
+const_voidp_type = ConstPointerType(void_type)
+
+
+class NamedPointerType(PointerType):
+    _attrs_ = ('totype', 'name')
+
+    def __init__(self, totype, name):
+        PointerType.__init__(self, totype)
+        self.name = name
+        self.c_name_with_marker = name + '&'
+
+
+class ArrayType(BaseType):
+    _attrs_ = ('item', 'length')
+    is_array_type = True
+
+    def __init__(self, item, length):
+        self.item = item
+        self.length = length
+        #
+        if length is None:
+            brackets = '&[]'
+        elif length == '...':
+            brackets = '&[/*...*/]'
+        else:
+            brackets = '&[%d]' % length
+        self.c_name_with_marker = (
+            self.item.c_name_with_marker.replace('&', brackets))
+
+    def resolve_length(self, newlength):
+        return ArrayType(self.item, newlength)
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        if self.length == '...':
+            from . import api
+            raise api.CDefError("cannot render the type %r: unknown length" %
+                                (self,))
+        self.item.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)   # force the item BType
+        BPtrItem = PointerType(self.item).get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_array_type', BPtrItem, self.length)
+
+
+class StructOrUnionOrEnum(BaseTypeByIdentity):
+    _attrs_ = ('name',)
+    forcename = None
+
+    def build_c_name_with_marker(self):
+        name = self.forcename or '%s %s' % (self.kind, self.name)
+        self.c_name_with_marker = name + '&'
+
+    def force_the_name(self, forcename):
+        self.forcename = forcename
+        self.build_c_name_with_marker()
+
+    def get_official_name(self):
+        assert self.c_name_with_marker.endswith('&')
+        return self.c_name_with_marker[:-1]
+
+
+class StructOrUnion(StructOrUnionOrEnum):
+    fixedlayout = None
+    completed = False
+    partial = False
+    packed = False
+
+    def __init__(self, name, fldnames, fldtypes, fldbitsize):
+        self.name = name
+        self.fldnames = fldnames
+        self.fldtypes = fldtypes
+        self.fldbitsize = fldbitsize
+        self.build_c_name_with_marker()
+
+    def enumfields(self):
+        for name, type, bitsize in zip(self.fldnames, self.fldtypes,
+                                       self.fldbitsize):
+            if name == '' and isinstance(type, StructOrUnion):
+                # nested anonymous struct/union
+                for result in type.enumfields():
+                    yield result
+            else:
+                yield (name, type, bitsize)
+
+    def force_flatten(self):
+        # force the struct or union to have a declaration that lists
+        # directly all fields returned by enumfields(), flattening
+        # nested anonymous structs/unions.
+        names = []
+        types = []
+        bitsizes = []
+        for name, type, bitsize in self.enumfields():
+            names.append(name)
+            types.append(type)
+            bitsizes.append(bitsize)
+        self.fldnames = tuple(names)
+        self.fldtypes = tuple(types)
+        self.fldbitsize = tuple(bitsizes)
+
+    def get_cached_btype(self, ffi, finishlist, can_delay=False):
+        BType = StructOrUnionOrEnum.get_cached_btype(self, ffi, finishlist,
+                                                     can_delay)
+        if not can_delay:
+            self.finish_backend_type(ffi, finishlist)
+        return BType
+
+    def finish_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        if self.completed:
+            if self.completed != 2:
+                raise NotImplementedError("recursive structure declaration "
+                                          "for '%s'" % (self.name,))
+            return
+        BType = ffi._cached_btypes[self]
+        if self.fldtypes is None:
+            return    # not completing it: it's an opaque struct
+        #
+        self.completed = 1
+        #
+        if self.fixedlayout is None:
+            fldtypes = [tp.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+                        for tp in self.fldtypes]
+            lst = list(zip(self.fldnames, fldtypes, self.fldbitsize))
+            sflags = 0
+            if self.packed:
+                sflags = 8    # SF_PACKED
+            ffi._backend.complete_struct_or_union(BType, lst, self,
+                                                  -1, -1, sflags)
+            #
+        else:
+            fldtypes = []
+            fieldofs, fieldsize, totalsize, totalalignment = self.fixedlayout
+            for i in range(len(self.fldnames)):
+                fsize = fieldsize[i]
+                ftype = self.fldtypes[i]
+                #
+                if isinstance(ftype, ArrayType) and ftype.length == '...':
+                    # fix the length to match the total size
+                    BItemType = ftype.item.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+                    nlen, nrest = divmod(fsize, ffi.sizeof(BItemType))
+                    if nrest != 0:
+                        self._verification_error(
+                            "field '%s.%s' has a bogus size?" % (
+                            self.name, self.fldnames[i] or '{}'))
+                    ftype = ftype.resolve_length(nlen)
+                    self.fldtypes = (self.fldtypes[:i] + (ftype,) +
+                                     self.fldtypes[i+1:])
+                #
+                BFieldType = ftype.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+                if isinstance(ftype, ArrayType) and ftype.length is None:
+                    assert fsize == 0
+                else:
+                    bitemsize = ffi.sizeof(BFieldType)
+                    if bitemsize != fsize:
+                        self._verification_error(
+                            "field '%s.%s' is declared as %d bytes, but is "
+                            "really %d bytes" % (self.name,
+                                                 self.fldnames[i] or '{}',
+                                                 bitemsize, fsize))
+                fldtypes.append(BFieldType)
+            #
+            lst = list(zip(self.fldnames, fldtypes, self.fldbitsize, fieldofs))
+            ffi._backend.complete_struct_or_union(BType, lst, self,
+                                                  totalsize, totalalignment)
+        self.completed = 2
+
+    def _verification_error(self, msg):
+        from .ffiplatform import VerificationError
+        raise VerificationError(msg)
+
+    def check_not_partial(self):
+        if self.partial and self.fixedlayout is None:
+            from . import ffiplatform
+            raise ffiplatform.VerificationMissing(self._get_c_name())
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        self.check_not_partial()
+        finishlist.append(self)
+        #
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_%s_type' % self.kind,
+                            self.get_official_name(), key=self)
+
+
+class StructType(StructOrUnion):
+    kind = 'struct'
+
+
+class UnionType(StructOrUnion):
+    kind = 'union'
+
+
+class EnumType(StructOrUnionOrEnum):
+    kind = 'enum'
+    partial = False
+    partial_resolved = False
+
+    def __init__(self, name, enumerators, enumvalues, baseinttype=None):
+        self.name = name
+        self.enumerators = enumerators
+        self.enumvalues = enumvalues
+        self.baseinttype = baseinttype
+        self.build_c_name_with_marker()
+
+    def force_the_name(self, forcename):
+        StructOrUnionOrEnum.force_the_name(self, forcename)
+        if self.forcename is None:
+            name = self.get_official_name()
+            self.forcename = '$' + name.replace(' ', '_')
+
+    def check_not_partial(self):
+        if self.partial and not self.partial_resolved:
+            from . import ffiplatform
+            raise ffiplatform.VerificationMissing(self._get_c_name())
+
+    def build_backend_type(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        self.check_not_partial()
+        base_btype = self.build_baseinttype(ffi, finishlist)
+        return global_cache(self, ffi, 'new_enum_type',
+                            self.get_official_name(),
+                            self.enumerators, self.enumvalues,
+                            base_btype, key=self)
+
+    def build_baseinttype(self, ffi, finishlist):
+        if self.baseinttype is not None:
+            return self.baseinttype.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+        #
+        if self.enumvalues:
+            smallest_value = min(self.enumvalues)
+            largest_value = max(self.enumvalues)
+        else:
+            smallest_value = 0
+            largest_value = 0
+        if smallest_value < 0:   # needs a signed type
+            sign = 1
+            candidate1 = PrimitiveType("int")
+            candidate2 = PrimitiveType("long")
+        else:
+            sign = 0
+            candidate1 = PrimitiveType("unsigned int")
+            candidate2 = PrimitiveType("unsigned long")
+        btype1 = candidate1.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+        btype2 = candidate2.get_cached_btype(ffi, finishlist)
+        size1 = ffi.sizeof(btype1)
+        size2 = ffi.sizeof(btype2)
+        if (smallest_value >= ((-1) << (8*size1-1)) and
+            largest_value < (1 << (8*size1-sign))):
+            return btype1
+        if (smallest_value >= ((-1) << (8*size2-1)) and
+            largest_value < (1 << (8*size2-sign))):
+            return btype2
+        raise api.CDefError("%s values don't all fit into either 'long' "
+                            "or 'unsigned long'" % self._get_c_name())
+
+def unknown_type(name, structname=None):
+    if structname is None:
+        structname = '$%s' % name
+    tp = StructType(structname, None, None, None)
+    tp.force_the_name(name)
+    return tp
+
+def unknown_ptr_type(name, structname=None):
+    if structname is None:
+        structname = '*$%s' % name
+    tp = StructType(structname, None, None, None)
+    return NamedPointerType(tp, name)
+
+
+global_lock = allocate_lock()
+
+def global_cache(srctype, ffi, funcname, *args, **kwds):
+    key = kwds.pop('key', (funcname, args))
+    assert not kwds
+    try:
+        return ffi._backend.__typecache[key]
+    except KeyError:
+        pass
+    except AttributeError:
+        # initialize the __typecache attribute, either at the module level
+        # if ffi._backend is a module, or at the class level if ffi._backend
+        # is some instance.
+        if isinstance(ffi._backend, types.ModuleType):
+            ffi._backend.__typecache = weakref.WeakValueDictionary()
+        else:
+            type(ffi._backend).__typecache = weakref.WeakValueDictionary()
+    try:
+        res = getattr(ffi._backend, funcname)(*args)
+    except NotImplementedError as e:
+        raise NotImplementedError("%r: %s" % (srctype, e))
+    # note that setdefault() on WeakValueDictionary is not atomic
+    # and contains a rare bug (http://bugs.python.org/issue19542);
+    # we have to use a lock and do it ourselves
+    cache = ffi._backend.__typecache
+    with global_lock:
+        res1 = cache.get(key)
+        if res1 is None:
+            cache[key] = res
+            return res
+        else:
+            return res1
+
+def pointer_cache(ffi, BType):
+    return global_cache('?', ffi, 'new_pointer_type', BType)
+
+def attach_exception_info(e, name):
+    if e.args and type(e.args[0]) is str:
+        e.args = ('%s: %s' % (name, e.args[0]),) + e.args[1:]
diff --git a/cffi/vengine_cpy.py b/cffi/vengine_cpy.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31793f038
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/vengine_cpy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,951 @@
+import sys, imp
+from . import model, ffiplatform
+
+
+class VCPythonEngine(object):
+    _class_key = 'x'
+    _gen_python_module = True
+
+    def __init__(self, verifier):
+        self.verifier = verifier
+        self.ffi = verifier.ffi
+        self._struct_pending_verification = {}
+        self._types_of_builtin_functions = {}
+
+    def patch_extension_kwds(self, kwds):
+        pass
+
+    def find_module(self, module_name, path, so_suffixes):
+        try:
+            f, filename, descr = imp.find_module(module_name, path)
+        except ImportError:
+            return None
+        if f is not None:
+            f.close()
+        # Note that after a setuptools installation, there are both .py
+        # and .so files with the same basename.  The code here relies on
+        # imp.find_module() locating the .so in priority.
+        if descr[0] not in so_suffixes:
+            return None
+        return filename
+
+    def collect_types(self):
+        self._typesdict = {}
+        self._generate("collecttype")
+
+    def _prnt(self, what=''):
+        self._f.write(what + '\n')
+
+    def _gettypenum(self, type):
+        # a KeyError here is a bug.  please report it! :-)
+        return self._typesdict[type]
+
+    def _do_collect_type(self, tp):
+        if ((not isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType)
+             or tp.name == 'long double')
+                and tp not in self._typesdict):
+            num = len(self._typesdict)
+            self._typesdict[tp] = num
+
+    def write_source_to_f(self):
+        self.collect_types()
+        #
+        # The new module will have a _cffi_setup() function that receives
+        # objects from the ffi world, and that calls some setup code in
+        # the module.  This setup code is split in several independent
+        # functions, e.g. one per constant.  The functions are "chained"
+        # by ending in a tail call to each other.
+        #
+        # This is further split in two chained lists, depending on if we
+        # can do it at import-time or if we must wait for _cffi_setup() to
+        # provide us with the <ctype> objects.  This is needed because we
+        # need the values of the enum constants in order to build the
+        # <ctype 'enum'> that we may have to pass to _cffi_setup().
+        #
+        # The following two 'chained_list_constants' items contains
+        # the head of these two chained lists, as a string that gives the
+        # call to do, if any.
+        self._chained_list_constants = ['0', '0']
+        #
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        # first paste some standard set of lines that are mostly '#define'
+        prnt(cffimod_header)
+        prnt()
+        # then paste the C source given by the user, verbatim.
+        prnt(self.verifier.preamble)
+        prnt()
+        #
+        # call generate_cpy_xxx_decl(), for every xxx found from
+        # ffi._parser._declarations.  This generates all the functions.
+        self._generate("decl")
+        #
+        # implement the function _cffi_setup_custom() as calling the
+        # head of the chained list.
+        self._generate_setup_custom()
+        prnt()
+        #
+        # produce the method table, including the entries for the
+        # generated Python->C function wrappers, which are done
+        # by generate_cpy_function_method().
+        prnt('static PyMethodDef _cffi_methods[] = {')
+        self._generate("method")
+        prnt('  {"_cffi_setup", _cffi_setup, METH_VARARGS, NULL},')
+        prnt('  {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}    /* Sentinel */')
+        prnt('};')
+        prnt()
+        #
+        # standard init.
+        modname = self.verifier.get_module_name()
+        constants = self._chained_list_constants[False]
+        prnt('#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3')
+        prnt()
+        prnt('static struct PyModuleDef _cffi_module_def = {')
+        prnt('  PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,')
+        prnt('  "%s",' % modname)
+        prnt('  NULL,')
+        prnt('  -1,')
+        prnt('  _cffi_methods,')
+        prnt('  NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL')
+        prnt('};')
+        prnt()
+        prnt('PyMODINIT_FUNC')
+        prnt('PyInit_%s(void)' % modname)
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  PyObject *lib;')
+        prnt('  lib = PyModule_Create(&_cffi_module_def);')
+        prnt('  if (lib == NULL)')
+        prnt('    return NULL;')
+        prnt('  if (%s < 0 || _cffi_init() < 0) {' % (constants,))
+        prnt('    Py_DECREF(lib);')
+        prnt('    return NULL;')
+        prnt('  }')
+        prnt('  return lib;')
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+        prnt('#else')
+        prnt()
+        prnt('PyMODINIT_FUNC')
+        prnt('init%s(void)' % modname)
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  PyObject *lib;')
+        prnt('  lib = Py_InitModule("%s", _cffi_methods);' % modname)
+        prnt('  if (lib == NULL)')
+        prnt('    return;')
+        prnt('  if (%s < 0 || _cffi_init() < 0)' % (constants,))
+        prnt('    return;')
+        prnt('  return;')
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+        prnt('#endif')
+
+    def load_library(self):
+        # XXX review all usages of 'self' here!
+        # import it as a new extension module
+        try:
+            module = imp.load_dynamic(self.verifier.get_module_name(),
+                                      self.verifier.modulefilename)
+        except ImportError as e:
+            error = "importing %r: %s" % (self.verifier.modulefilename, e)
+            raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(error)
+        #
+        # call loading_cpy_struct() to get the struct layout inferred by
+        # the C compiler
+        self._load(module, 'loading')
+        #
+        # the C code will need the <ctype> objects.  Collect them in
+        # order in a list.
+        revmapping = dict([(value, key)
+                           for (key, value) in self._typesdict.items()])
+        lst = [revmapping[i] for i in range(len(revmapping))]
+        lst = list(map(self.ffi._get_cached_btype, lst))
+        #
+        # build the FFILibrary class and instance and call _cffi_setup().
+        # this will set up some fields like '_cffi_types', and only then
+        # it will invoke the chained list of functions that will really
+        # build (notably) the constant objects, as <cdata> if they are
+        # pointers, and store them as attributes on the 'library' object.
+        class FFILibrary(object):
+            _cffi_python_module = module
+            _cffi_ffi = self.ffi
+            _cffi_dir = []
+            def __dir__(self):
+                return FFILibrary._cffi_dir + list(self.__dict__)
+        library = FFILibrary()
+        if module._cffi_setup(lst, ffiplatform.VerificationError, library):
+            import warnings
+            warnings.warn("reimporting %r might overwrite older definitions"
+                          % (self.verifier.get_module_name()))
+        #
+        # finally, call the loaded_cpy_xxx() functions.  This will perform
+        # the final adjustments, like copying the Python->C wrapper
+        # functions from the module to the 'library' object, and setting
+        # up the FFILibrary class with properties for the global C variables.
+        self._load(module, 'loaded', library=library)
+        module._cffi_original_ffi = self.ffi
+        module._cffi_types_of_builtin_funcs = self._types_of_builtin_functions
+        return library
+
+    def _get_declarations(self):
+        return sorted(self.ffi._parser._declarations.items())
+
+    def _generate(self, step_name):
+        for name, tp in self._get_declarations():
+            kind, realname = name.split(' ', 1)
+            try:
+                method = getattr(self, '_generate_cpy_%s_%s' % (kind,
+                                                                step_name))
+            except AttributeError:
+                raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                    "not implemented in verify(): %r" % name)
+            try:
+                method(tp, realname)
+            except Exception as e:
+                model.attach_exception_info(e, name)
+                raise
+
+    def _load(self, module, step_name, **kwds):
+        for name, tp in self._get_declarations():
+            kind, realname = name.split(' ', 1)
+            method = getattr(self, '_%s_cpy_%s' % (step_name, kind))
+            try:
+                method(tp, realname, module, **kwds)
+            except Exception as e:
+                model.attach_exception_info(e, name)
+                raise
+
+    def _generate_nothing(self, tp, name):
+        pass
+
+    def _loaded_noop(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        pass
+
+    # ----------
+
+    def _convert_funcarg_to_c(self, tp, fromvar, tovar, errcode):
+        extraarg = ''
+        if isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType):
+            if tp.is_integer_type() and tp.name != '_Bool':
+                converter = '_cffi_to_c_int'
+                extraarg = ', %s' % tp.name
+            else:
+                converter = '_cffi_to_c_%s' % (tp.name.replace(' ', '_'),)
+            errvalue = '-1'
+        #
+        elif isinstance(tp, model.PointerType):
+            self._convert_funcarg_to_c_ptr_or_array(tp, fromvar,
+                                                    tovar, errcode)
+            return
+        #
+        elif isinstance(tp, (model.StructOrUnion, model.EnumType)):
+            # a struct (not a struct pointer) as a function argument
+            self._prnt('  if (_cffi_to_c((char *)&%s, _cffi_type(%d), %s) < 0)'
+                      % (tovar, self._gettypenum(tp), fromvar))
+            self._prnt('    %s;' % errcode)
+            return
+        #
+        elif isinstance(tp, model.FunctionPtrType):
+            converter = '(%s)_cffi_to_c_pointer' % tp.get_c_name('')
+            extraarg = ', _cffi_type(%d)' % self._gettypenum(tp)
+            errvalue = 'NULL'
+        #
+        else:
+            raise NotImplementedError(tp)
+        #
+        self._prnt('  %s = %s(%s%s);' % (tovar, converter, fromvar, extraarg))
+        self._prnt('  if (%s == (%s)%s && PyErr_Occurred())' % (
+            tovar, tp.get_c_name(''), errvalue))
+        self._prnt('    %s;' % errcode)
+
+    def _extra_local_variables(self, tp, localvars):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.PointerType):
+            localvars.add('Py_ssize_t datasize')
+
+    def _convert_funcarg_to_c_ptr_or_array(self, tp, fromvar, tovar, errcode):
+        self._prnt('  datasize = _cffi_prepare_pointer_call_argument(')
+        self._prnt('      _cffi_type(%d), %s, (char **)&%s);' % (
+            self._gettypenum(tp), fromvar, tovar))
+        self._prnt('  if (datasize != 0) {')
+        self._prnt('    if (datasize < 0)')
+        self._prnt('      %s;' % errcode)
+        self._prnt('    %s = alloca(datasize);' % (tovar,))
+        self._prnt('    memset((void *)%s, 0, datasize);' % (tovar,))
+        self._prnt('    if (_cffi_convert_array_from_object('
+                   '(char *)%s, _cffi_type(%d), %s) < 0)' % (
+            tovar, self._gettypenum(tp), fromvar))
+        self._prnt('      %s;' % errcode)
+        self._prnt('  }')
+
+    def _convert_expr_from_c(self, tp, var, context):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType):
+            if tp.is_integer_type():
+                return '_cffi_from_c_int(%s, %s)' % (var, tp.name)
+            elif tp.name != 'long double':
+                return '_cffi_from_c_%s(%s)' % (tp.name.replace(' ', '_'), var)
+            else:
+                return '_cffi_from_c_deref((char *)&%s, _cffi_type(%d))' % (
+                    var, self._gettypenum(tp))
+        elif isinstance(tp, (model.PointerType, model.FunctionPtrType)):
+            return '_cffi_from_c_pointer((char *)%s, _cffi_type(%d))' % (
+                var, self._gettypenum(tp))
+        elif isinstance(tp, model.ArrayType):
+            return '_cffi_from_c_pointer((char *)%s, _cffi_type(%d))' % (
+                var, self._gettypenum(model.PointerType(tp.item)))
+        elif isinstance(tp, model.StructType):
+            if tp.fldnames is None:
+                raise TypeError("'%s' is used as %s, but is opaque" % (
+                    tp._get_c_name(), context))
+            return '_cffi_from_c_struct((char *)&%s, _cffi_type(%d))' % (
+                var, self._gettypenum(tp))
+        elif isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            return '_cffi_from_c_deref((char *)&%s, _cffi_type(%d))' % (
+                var, self._gettypenum(tp))
+        else:
+            raise NotImplementedError(tp)
+
+    # ----------
+    # typedefs: generates no code so far
+
+    _generate_cpy_typedef_collecttype = _generate_nothing
+    _generate_cpy_typedef_decl   = _generate_nothing
+    _generate_cpy_typedef_method = _generate_nothing
+    _loading_cpy_typedef         = _loaded_noop
+    _loaded_cpy_typedef          = _loaded_noop
+
+    # ----------
+    # function declarations
+
+    def _generate_cpy_function_collecttype(self, tp, name):
+        assert isinstance(tp, model.FunctionPtrType)
+        if tp.ellipsis:
+            self._do_collect_type(tp)
+        else:
+            # don't call _do_collect_type(tp) in this common case,
+            # otherwise test_autofilled_struct_as_argument fails
+            for type in tp.args:
+                self._do_collect_type(type)
+            self._do_collect_type(tp.result)
+
+    def _generate_cpy_function_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert isinstance(tp, model.FunctionPtrType)
+        if tp.ellipsis:
+            # cannot support vararg functions better than this: check for its
+            # exact type (including the fixed arguments), and build it as a
+            # constant function pointer (no CPython wrapper)
+            self._generate_cpy_const(False, name, tp)
+            return
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        numargs = len(tp.args)
+        if numargs == 0:
+            argname = 'no_arg'
+        elif numargs == 1:
+            argname = 'arg0'
+        else:
+            argname = 'args'
+        prnt('static PyObject *')
+        prnt('_cffi_f_%s(PyObject *self, PyObject *%s)' % (name, argname))
+        prnt('{')
+        #
+        context = 'argument of %s' % name
+        for i, type in enumerate(tp.args):
+            prnt('  %s;' % type.get_c_name(' x%d' % i, context))
+        #
+        localvars = set()
+        for type in tp.args:
+            self._extra_local_variables(type, localvars)
+        for decl in localvars:
+            prnt('  %s;' % (decl,))
+        #
+        if not isinstance(tp.result, model.VoidType):
+            result_code = 'result = '
+            context = 'result of %s' % name
+            prnt('  %s;' % tp.result.get_c_name(' result', context))
+        else:
+            result_code = ''
+        #
+        if len(tp.args) > 1:
+            rng = range(len(tp.args))
+            for i in rng:
+                prnt('  PyObject *arg%d;' % i)
+            prnt()
+            prnt('  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "%s:%s", %s))' % (
+                'O' * numargs, name, ', '.join(['&arg%d' % i for i in rng])))
+            prnt('    return NULL;')
+        prnt()
+        #
+        for i, type in enumerate(tp.args):
+            self._convert_funcarg_to_c(type, 'arg%d' % i, 'x%d' % i,
+                                       'return NULL')
+            prnt()
+        #
+        prnt('  Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS')
+        prnt('  _cffi_restore_errno();')
+        prnt('  { %s%s(%s); }' % (
+            result_code, name,
+            ', '.join(['x%d' % i for i in range(len(tp.args))])))
+        prnt('  _cffi_save_errno();')
+        prnt('  Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS')
+        prnt()
+        #
+        if result_code:
+            prnt('  return %s;' %
+                 self._convert_expr_from_c(tp.result, 'result', 'result type'))
+        else:
+            prnt('  Py_INCREF(Py_None);')
+            prnt('  return Py_None;')
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    def _generate_cpy_function_method(self, tp, name):
+        if tp.ellipsis:
+            return
+        numargs = len(tp.args)
+        if numargs == 0:
+            meth = 'METH_NOARGS'
+        elif numargs == 1:
+            meth = 'METH_O'
+        else:
+            meth = 'METH_VARARGS'
+        self._prnt('  {"%s", _cffi_f_%s, %s, NULL},' % (name, name, meth))
+
+    _loading_cpy_function = _loaded_noop
+
+    def _loaded_cpy_function(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        if tp.ellipsis:
+            return
+        func = getattr(module, name)
+        setattr(library, name, func)
+        self._types_of_builtin_functions[func] = tp
+
+    # ----------
+    # named structs
+
+    _generate_cpy_struct_collecttype = _generate_nothing
+    def _generate_cpy_struct_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert name == tp.name
+        self._generate_struct_or_union_decl(tp, 'struct', name)
+    def _generate_cpy_struct_method(self, tp, name):
+        self._generate_struct_or_union_method(tp, 'struct', name)
+    def _loading_cpy_struct(self, tp, name, module):
+        self._loading_struct_or_union(tp, 'struct', name, module)
+    def _loaded_cpy_struct(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        self._loaded_struct_or_union(tp)
+
+    _generate_cpy_union_collecttype = _generate_nothing
+    def _generate_cpy_union_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert name == tp.name
+        self._generate_struct_or_union_decl(tp, 'union', name)
+    def _generate_cpy_union_method(self, tp, name):
+        self._generate_struct_or_union_method(tp, 'union', name)
+    def _loading_cpy_union(self, tp, name, module):
+        self._loading_struct_or_union(tp, 'union', name, module)
+    def _loaded_cpy_union(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        self._loaded_struct_or_union(tp)
+
+    def _generate_struct_or_union_decl(self, tp, prefix, name):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        checkfuncname = '_cffi_check_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        layoutfuncname = '_cffi_layout_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        cname = ('%s %s' % (prefix, name)).strip()
+        #
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        prnt('static void %s(%s *p)' % (checkfuncname, cname))
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  /* only to generate compile-time warnings or errors */')
+        for fname, ftype, fbitsize in tp.enumfields():
+            if (isinstance(ftype, model.PrimitiveType)
+                and ftype.is_integer_type()) or fbitsize >= 0:
+                # accept all integers, but complain on float or double
+                prnt('  (void)((p->%s) << 1);' % fname)
+            else:
+                # only accept exactly the type declared.
+                try:
+                    prnt('  { %s = &p->%s; (void)tmp; }' % (
+                        ftype.get_c_name('*tmp', 'field %r'%fname), fname))
+                except ffiplatform.VerificationError as e:
+                    prnt('  /* %s */' % str(e))   # cannot verify it, ignore
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt('static PyObject *')
+        prnt('%s(PyObject *self, PyObject *noarg)' % (layoutfuncname,))
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  struct _cffi_aligncheck { char x; %s y; };' % cname)
+        prnt('  static Py_ssize_t nums[] = {')
+        prnt('    sizeof(%s),' % cname)
+        prnt('    offsetof(struct _cffi_aligncheck, y),')
+        for fname, ftype, fbitsize in tp.enumfields():
+            if fbitsize >= 0:
+                continue      # xxx ignore fbitsize for now
+            prnt('    offsetof(%s, %s),' % (cname, fname))
+            if isinstance(ftype, model.ArrayType) and ftype.length is None:
+                prnt('    0,  /* %s */' % ftype._get_c_name())
+            else:
+                prnt('    sizeof(((%s *)0)->%s),' % (cname, fname))
+        prnt('    -1')
+        prnt('  };')
+        prnt('  return _cffi_get_struct_layout(nums);')
+        prnt('  /* the next line is not executed, but compiled */')
+        prnt('  %s(0);' % (checkfuncname,))
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    def _generate_struct_or_union_method(self, tp, prefix, name):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        layoutfuncname = '_cffi_layout_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        self._prnt('  {"%s", %s, METH_NOARGS, NULL},' % (layoutfuncname,
+                                                         layoutfuncname))
+
+    def _loading_struct_or_union(self, tp, prefix, name, module):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        layoutfuncname = '_cffi_layout_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        #
+        function = getattr(module, layoutfuncname)
+        layout = function()
+        if isinstance(tp, model.StructOrUnion) and tp.partial:
+            # use the function()'s sizes and offsets to guide the
+            # layout of the struct
+            totalsize = layout[0]
+            totalalignment = layout[1]
+            fieldofs = layout[2::2]
+            fieldsize = layout[3::2]
+            tp.force_flatten()
+            assert len(fieldofs) == len(fieldsize) == len(tp.fldnames)
+            tp.fixedlayout = fieldofs, fieldsize, totalsize, totalalignment
+        else:
+            cname = ('%s %s' % (prefix, name)).strip()
+            self._struct_pending_verification[tp] = layout, cname
+
+    def _loaded_struct_or_union(self, tp):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)   # force 'fixedlayout' to be considered
+
+        if tp in self._struct_pending_verification:
+            # check that the layout sizes and offsets match the real ones
+            def check(realvalue, expectedvalue, msg):
+                if realvalue != expectedvalue:
+                    raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                        "%s (we have %d, but C compiler says %d)"
+                        % (msg, expectedvalue, realvalue))
+            ffi = self.ffi
+            BStruct = ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+            layout, cname = self._struct_pending_verification.pop(tp)
+            check(layout[0], ffi.sizeof(BStruct), "wrong total size")
+            check(layout[1], ffi.alignof(BStruct), "wrong total alignment")
+            i = 2
+            for fname, ftype, fbitsize in tp.enumfields():
+                if fbitsize >= 0:
+                    continue        # xxx ignore fbitsize for now
+                check(layout[i], ffi.offsetof(BStruct, fname),
+                      "wrong offset for field %r" % (fname,))
+                if layout[i+1] != 0:
+                    BField = ffi._get_cached_btype(ftype)
+                    check(layout[i+1], ffi.sizeof(BField),
+                          "wrong size for field %r" % (fname,))
+                i += 2
+            assert i == len(layout)
+
+    # ----------
+    # 'anonymous' declarations.  These are produced for anonymous structs
+    # or unions; the 'name' is obtained by a typedef.
+
+    _generate_cpy_anonymous_collecttype = _generate_nothing
+
+    def _generate_cpy_anonymous_decl(self, tp, name):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._generate_cpy_enum_decl(tp, name, '')
+        else:
+            self._generate_struct_or_union_decl(tp, '', name)
+
+    def _generate_cpy_anonymous_method(self, tp, name):
+        if not isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._generate_struct_or_union_method(tp, '', name)
+
+    def _loading_cpy_anonymous(self, tp, name, module):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._loading_cpy_enum(tp, name, module)
+        else:
+            self._loading_struct_or_union(tp, '', name, module)
+
+    def _loaded_cpy_anonymous(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._loaded_cpy_enum(tp, name, module, **kwds)
+        else:
+            self._loaded_struct_or_union(tp)
+
+    # ----------
+    # constants, likely declared with '#define'
+
+    def _generate_cpy_const(self, is_int, name, tp=None, category='const',
+                            vartp=None, delayed=True, size_too=False):
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        funcname = '_cffi_%s_%s' % (category, name)
+        prnt('static int %s(PyObject *lib)' % funcname)
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  PyObject *o;')
+        prnt('  int res;')
+        if not is_int:
+            prnt('  %s;' % (vartp or tp).get_c_name(' i', name))
+        else:
+            assert category == 'const'
+        #
+        if not is_int:
+            if category == 'var':
+                realexpr = '&' + name
+            else:
+                realexpr = name
+            prnt('  i = (%s);' % (realexpr,))
+            prnt('  o = %s;' % (self._convert_expr_from_c(tp, 'i',
+                                                          'variable type'),))
+            assert delayed
+        else:
+            prnt('  o = _cffi_from_c_int_const(%s);' % name)
+        prnt('  if (o == NULL)')
+        prnt('    return -1;')
+        if size_too:
+            prnt('  {')
+            prnt('    PyObject *o1 = o;')
+            prnt('    o = Py_BuildValue("On", o1, (Py_ssize_t)sizeof(%s));'
+                 % (name,))
+            prnt('    Py_DECREF(o1);')
+            prnt('    if (o == NULL)')
+            prnt('      return -1;')
+            prnt('  }')
+        prnt('  res = PyObject_SetAttrString(lib, "%s", o);' % name)
+        prnt('  Py_DECREF(o);')
+        prnt('  if (res < 0)')
+        prnt('    return -1;')
+        prnt('  return %s;' % self._chained_list_constants[delayed])
+        self._chained_list_constants[delayed] = funcname + '(lib)'
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    def _generate_cpy_constant_collecttype(self, tp, name):
+        is_int = isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType) and tp.is_integer_type()
+        if not is_int:
+            self._do_collect_type(tp)
+
+    def _generate_cpy_constant_decl(self, tp, name):
+        is_int = isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType) and tp.is_integer_type()
+        self._generate_cpy_const(is_int, name, tp)
+
+    _generate_cpy_constant_method = _generate_nothing
+    _loading_cpy_constant = _loaded_noop
+    _loaded_cpy_constant  = _loaded_noop
+
+    # ----------
+    # enums
+
+    def _enum_funcname(self, prefix, name):
+        # "$enum_$1" => "___D_enum____D_1"
+        name = name.replace('$', '___D_')
+        return '_cffi_e_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+
+    def _generate_cpy_enum_decl(self, tp, name, prefix='enum'):
+        if tp.partial:
+            for enumerator in tp.enumerators:
+                self._generate_cpy_const(True, enumerator, delayed=False)
+            return
+        #
+        funcname = self._enum_funcname(prefix, name)
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        prnt('static int %s(PyObject *lib)' % funcname)
+        prnt('{')
+        for enumerator, enumvalue in zip(tp.enumerators, tp.enumvalues):
+            if enumvalue < 0:
+                prnt('  if ((%s) >= 0 || (long)(%s) != %dL) {' % (
+                    enumerator, enumerator, enumvalue))
+            else:
+                prnt('  if ((%s) < 0 || (unsigned long)(%s) != %dUL) {' % (
+                    enumerator, enumerator, enumvalue))
+            prnt('    char buf[64];')
+            prnt('    if ((%s) < 0)' % enumerator)
+            prnt('        snprintf(buf, 63, "%%ld", (long)(%s));' % enumerator)
+            prnt('    else')
+            prnt('        snprintf(buf, 63, "%%lu", (unsigned long)(%s));' %
+                 enumerator)
+            prnt('    PyErr_Format(_cffi_VerificationError,')
+            prnt('                 "enum %s: %s has the real value %s, '
+                 'not %s",')
+            prnt('                 "%s", "%s", buf, "%d");' % (
+                name, enumerator, enumvalue))
+            prnt('    return -1;')
+            prnt('  }')
+        prnt('  return %s;' % self._chained_list_constants[True])
+        self._chained_list_constants[True] = funcname + '(lib)'
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    _generate_cpy_enum_collecttype = _generate_nothing
+    _generate_cpy_enum_method = _generate_nothing
+
+    def _loading_cpy_enum(self, tp, name, module):
+        if tp.partial:
+            enumvalues = [getattr(module, enumerator)
+                          for enumerator in tp.enumerators]
+            tp.enumvalues = tuple(enumvalues)
+            tp.partial_resolved = True
+
+    def _loaded_cpy_enum(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        for enumerator, enumvalue in zip(tp.enumerators, tp.enumvalues):
+            setattr(library, enumerator, enumvalue)
+
+    # ----------
+    # macros: for now only for integers
+
+    def _generate_cpy_macro_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert tp == '...'
+        self._generate_cpy_const(True, name)
+
+    _generate_cpy_macro_collecttype = _generate_nothing
+    _generate_cpy_macro_method = _generate_nothing
+    _loading_cpy_macro = _loaded_noop
+    _loaded_cpy_macro  = _loaded_noop
+
+    # ----------
+    # global variables
+
+    def _generate_cpy_variable_collecttype(self, tp, name):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.ArrayType):
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp.item)
+        else:
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp)
+        self._do_collect_type(tp_ptr)
+
+    def _generate_cpy_variable_decl(self, tp, name):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.ArrayType):
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp.item)
+            self._generate_cpy_const(False, name, tp, vartp=tp_ptr,
+                                     size_too = (tp.length == '...'))
+        else:
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp)
+            self._generate_cpy_const(False, name, tp_ptr, category='var')
+
+    _generate_cpy_variable_method = _generate_nothing
+    _loading_cpy_variable = _loaded_noop
+
+    def _loaded_cpy_variable(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        value = getattr(library, name)
+        if isinstance(tp, model.ArrayType):   # int a[5] is "constant" in the
+                                              # sense that "a=..." is forbidden
+            if tp.length == '...':
+                assert isinstance(value, tuple)
+                (value, size) = value
+                BItemType = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp.item)
+                length, rest = divmod(size, self.ffi.sizeof(BItemType))
+                if rest != 0:
+                    raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                        "bad size: %r does not seem to be an array of %s" %
+                        (name, tp.item))
+                tp = tp.resolve_length(length)
+            # 'value' is a <cdata 'type *'> which we have to replace with
+            # a <cdata 'type[N]'> if the N is actually known
+            if tp.length is not None:
+                BArray = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+                value = self.ffi.cast(BArray, value)
+                setattr(library, name, value)
+            return
+        # remove ptr=<cdata 'int *'> from the library instance, and replace
+        # it by a property on the class, which reads/writes into ptr[0].
+        ptr = value
+        delattr(library, name)
+        def getter(library):
+            return ptr[0]
+        def setter(library, value):
+            ptr[0] = value
+        setattr(type(library), name, property(getter, setter))
+        type(library)._cffi_dir.append(name)
+
+    # ----------
+
+    def _generate_setup_custom(self):
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        prnt('static int _cffi_setup_custom(PyObject *lib)')
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  return %s;' % self._chained_list_constants[True])
+        prnt('}')
+
+cffimod_header = r'''
+#include <Python.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+/* this block of #ifs should be kept exactly identical between
+   c/_cffi_backend.c, cffi/vengine_cpy.py, cffi/vengine_gen.py */
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+# include <malloc.h>   /* for alloca() */
+# if _MSC_VER < 1600   /* MSVC < 2010 */
+   typedef __int8 int8_t;
+   typedef __int16 int16_t;
+   typedef __int32 int32_t;
+   typedef __int64 int64_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int8 uint8_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int16 uint16_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int32 uint32_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int64 uint64_t;
+# else
+#  include <stdint.h>
+# endif
+# if _MSC_VER < 1800   /* MSVC < 2013 */
+   typedef unsigned char _Bool;
+# endif
+#else
+# include <stdint.h>
+# if (defined (__SVR4) && defined (__sun)) || defined(_AIX)
+#  include <alloca.h>
+# endif
+#endif
+
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
+# undef PyCapsule_CheckExact
+# undef PyCapsule_GetPointer
+# define PyCapsule_CheckExact(capsule) (PyCObject_Check(capsule))
+# define PyCapsule_GetPointer(capsule, name) \
+    (PyCObject_AsVoidPtr(capsule))
+#endif
+
+#if PY_MAJOR_VERSION >= 3
+# define PyInt_FromLong PyLong_FromLong
+#endif
+
+#define _cffi_from_c_double PyFloat_FromDouble
+#define _cffi_from_c_float PyFloat_FromDouble
+#define _cffi_from_c_long PyInt_FromLong
+#define _cffi_from_c_ulong PyLong_FromUnsignedLong
+#define _cffi_from_c_longlong PyLong_FromLongLong
+#define _cffi_from_c_ulonglong PyLong_FromUnsignedLongLong
+
+#define _cffi_to_c_double PyFloat_AsDouble
+#define _cffi_to_c_float PyFloat_AsDouble
+
+#define _cffi_from_c_int_const(x)                                        \
+    (((x) > 0) ?                                                         \
+        ((unsigned long long)(x) <= (unsigned long long)LONG_MAX) ?      \
+            PyInt_FromLong((long)(x)) :                                  \
+            PyLong_FromUnsignedLongLong((unsigned long long)(x)) :       \
+        ((long long)(x) >= (long long)LONG_MIN) ?                        \
+            PyInt_FromLong((long)(x)) :                                  \
+            PyLong_FromLongLong((long long)(x)))
+
+#define _cffi_from_c_int(x, type)                                        \
+    (((type)-1) > 0 ?   /* unsigned */                                   \
+        (sizeof(type) < sizeof(long) ? PyInt_FromLong(x) :               \
+         sizeof(type) == sizeof(long) ? PyLong_FromUnsignedLong(x) :     \
+                                        PyLong_FromUnsignedLongLong(x))  \
+      : (sizeof(type) <= sizeof(long) ? PyInt_FromLong(x) :              \
+                                        PyLong_FromLongLong(x)))
+
+#define _cffi_to_c_int(o, type)                                          \
+    (sizeof(type) == 1 ? (((type)-1) > 0 ? (type)_cffi_to_c_u8(o)        \
+                                         : (type)_cffi_to_c_i8(o)) :     \
+     sizeof(type) == 2 ? (((type)-1) > 0 ? (type)_cffi_to_c_u16(o)       \
+                                         : (type)_cffi_to_c_i16(o)) :    \
+     sizeof(type) == 4 ? (((type)-1) > 0 ? (type)_cffi_to_c_u32(o)       \
+                                         : (type)_cffi_to_c_i32(o)) :    \
+     sizeof(type) == 8 ? (((type)-1) > 0 ? (type)_cffi_to_c_u64(o)       \
+                                         : (type)_cffi_to_c_i64(o)) :    \
+     (Py_FatalError("unsupported size for type " #type), 0))
+
+#define _cffi_to_c_i8                                                    \
+                 ((int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[1])
+#define _cffi_to_c_u8                                                    \
+                 ((int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[2])
+#define _cffi_to_c_i16                                                   \
+                 ((int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[3])
+#define _cffi_to_c_u16                                                   \
+                 ((int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[4])
+#define _cffi_to_c_i32                                                   \
+                 ((int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[5])
+#define _cffi_to_c_u32                                                   \
+                 ((unsigned int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[6])
+#define _cffi_to_c_i64                                                   \
+                 ((long long(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[7])
+#define _cffi_to_c_u64                                                   \
+                 ((unsigned long long(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[8])
+#define _cffi_to_c_char                                                  \
+                 ((int(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[9])
+#define _cffi_from_c_pointer                                             \
+    ((PyObject *(*)(char *, CTypeDescrObject *))_cffi_exports[10])
+#define _cffi_to_c_pointer                                               \
+    ((char *(*)(PyObject *, CTypeDescrObject *))_cffi_exports[11])
+#define _cffi_get_struct_layout                                          \
+    ((PyObject *(*)(Py_ssize_t[]))_cffi_exports[12])
+#define _cffi_restore_errno                                              \
+    ((void(*)(void))_cffi_exports[13])
+#define _cffi_save_errno                                                 \
+    ((void(*)(void))_cffi_exports[14])
+#define _cffi_from_c_char                                                \
+    ((PyObject *(*)(char))_cffi_exports[15])
+#define _cffi_from_c_deref                                               \
+    ((PyObject *(*)(char *, CTypeDescrObject *))_cffi_exports[16])
+#define _cffi_to_c                                                       \
+    ((int(*)(char *, CTypeDescrObject *, PyObject *))_cffi_exports[17])
+#define _cffi_from_c_struct                                              \
+    ((PyObject *(*)(char *, CTypeDescrObject *))_cffi_exports[18])
+#define _cffi_to_c_wchar_t                                               \
+    ((wchar_t(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[19])
+#define _cffi_from_c_wchar_t                                             \
+    ((PyObject *(*)(wchar_t))_cffi_exports[20])
+#define _cffi_to_c_long_double                                           \
+    ((long double(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[21])
+#define _cffi_to_c__Bool                                                 \
+    ((_Bool(*)(PyObject *))_cffi_exports[22])
+#define _cffi_prepare_pointer_call_argument                              \
+    ((Py_ssize_t(*)(CTypeDescrObject *, PyObject *, char **))_cffi_exports[23])
+#define _cffi_convert_array_from_object                                  \
+    ((int(*)(char *, CTypeDescrObject *, PyObject *))_cffi_exports[24])
+#define _CFFI_NUM_EXPORTS 25
+
+typedef struct _ctypedescr CTypeDescrObject;
+
+static void *_cffi_exports[_CFFI_NUM_EXPORTS];
+static PyObject *_cffi_types, *_cffi_VerificationError;
+
+static int _cffi_setup_custom(PyObject *lib);   /* forward */
+
+static PyObject *_cffi_setup(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+    PyObject *library;
+    int was_alive = (_cffi_types != NULL);
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "OOO", &_cffi_types, &_cffi_VerificationError,
+                                       &library))
+        return NULL;
+    Py_INCREF(_cffi_types);
+    Py_INCREF(_cffi_VerificationError);
+    if (_cffi_setup_custom(library) < 0)
+        return NULL;
+    return PyBool_FromLong(was_alive);
+}
+
+static int _cffi_init(void)
+{
+    PyObject *module, *c_api_object = NULL;
+
+    module = PyImport_ImportModule("_cffi_backend");
+    if (module == NULL)
+        goto failure;
+
+    c_api_object = PyObject_GetAttrString(module, "_C_API");
+    if (c_api_object == NULL)
+        goto failure;
+    if (!PyCapsule_CheckExact(c_api_object)) {
+        PyErr_SetNone(PyExc_ImportError);
+        goto failure;
+    }
+    memcpy(_cffi_exports, PyCapsule_GetPointer(c_api_object, "cffi"),
+           _CFFI_NUM_EXPORTS * sizeof(void *));
+
+    Py_DECREF(module);
+    Py_DECREF(c_api_object);
+    return 0;
+
+  failure:
+    Py_XDECREF(module);
+    Py_XDECREF(c_api_object);
+    return -1;
+}
+
+#define _cffi_type(num) ((CTypeDescrObject *)PyList_GET_ITEM(_cffi_types, num))
+
+/**********/
+'''
diff --git a/cffi/vengine_gen.py b/cffi/vengine_gen.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..133ec7f3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/vengine_gen.py
@@ -0,0 +1,580 @@
+import sys, os
+import types
+
+from . import model, ffiplatform
+
+
+class VGenericEngine(object):
+    _class_key = 'g'
+    _gen_python_module = False
+
+    def __init__(self, verifier):
+        self.verifier = verifier
+        self.ffi = verifier.ffi
+        self.export_symbols = []
+        self._struct_pending_verification = {}
+
+    def patch_extension_kwds(self, kwds):
+        # add 'export_symbols' to the dictionary.  Note that we add the
+        # list before filling it.  When we fill it, it will thus also show
+        # up in kwds['export_symbols'].
+        kwds.setdefault('export_symbols', self.export_symbols)
+
+    def find_module(self, module_name, path, so_suffixes):
+        for so_suffix in so_suffixes:
+            basename = module_name + so_suffix
+            if path is None:
+                path = sys.path
+            for dirname in path:
+                filename = os.path.join(dirname, basename)
+                if os.path.isfile(filename):
+                    return filename
+
+    def collect_types(self):
+        pass      # not needed in the generic engine
+
+    def _prnt(self, what=''):
+        self._f.write(what + '\n')
+
+    def write_source_to_f(self):
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        # first paste some standard set of lines that are mostly '#include'
+        prnt(cffimod_header)
+        # then paste the C source given by the user, verbatim.
+        prnt(self.verifier.preamble)
+        #
+        # call generate_gen_xxx_decl(), for every xxx found from
+        # ffi._parser._declarations.  This generates all the functions.
+        self._generate('decl')
+        #
+        # on Windows, distutils insists on putting init_cffi_xyz in
+        # 'export_symbols', so instead of fighting it, just give up and
+        # give it one
+        if sys.platform == 'win32':
+            if sys.version_info >= (3,):
+                prefix = 'PyInit_'
+            else:
+                prefix = 'init'
+            modname = self.verifier.get_module_name()
+            prnt("void %s%s(void) { }\n" % (prefix, modname))
+
+    def load_library(self):
+        # import it with the CFFI backend
+        backend = self.ffi._backend
+        # needs to make a path that contains '/', on Posix
+        filename = os.path.join(os.curdir, self.verifier.modulefilename)
+        module = backend.load_library(filename)
+        #
+        # call loading_gen_struct() to get the struct layout inferred by
+        # the C compiler
+        self._load(module, 'loading')
+
+        # build the FFILibrary class and instance, this is a module subclass
+        # because modules are expected to have usually-constant-attributes and
+        # in PyPy this means the JIT is able to treat attributes as constant,
+        # which we want.
+        class FFILibrary(types.ModuleType):
+            _cffi_generic_module = module
+            _cffi_ffi = self.ffi
+            _cffi_dir = []
+            def __dir__(self):
+                return FFILibrary._cffi_dir
+        library = FFILibrary("")
+        #
+        # finally, call the loaded_gen_xxx() functions.  This will set
+        # up the 'library' object.
+        self._load(module, 'loaded', library=library)
+        return library
+
+    def _get_declarations(self):
+        return sorted(self.ffi._parser._declarations.items())
+
+    def _generate(self, step_name):
+        for name, tp in self._get_declarations():
+            kind, realname = name.split(' ', 1)
+            try:
+                method = getattr(self, '_generate_gen_%s_%s' % (kind,
+                                                                step_name))
+            except AttributeError:
+                raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                    "not implemented in verify(): %r" % name)
+            try:
+                method(tp, realname)
+            except Exception as e:
+                model.attach_exception_info(e, name)
+                raise
+
+    def _load(self, module, step_name, **kwds):
+        for name, tp in self._get_declarations():
+            kind, realname = name.split(' ', 1)
+            method = getattr(self, '_%s_gen_%s' % (step_name, kind))
+            try:
+                method(tp, realname, module, **kwds)
+            except Exception as e:
+                model.attach_exception_info(e, name)
+                raise
+
+    def _generate_nothing(self, tp, name):
+        pass
+
+    def _loaded_noop(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        pass
+
+    # ----------
+    # typedefs: generates no code so far
+
+    _generate_gen_typedef_decl   = _generate_nothing
+    _loading_gen_typedef         = _loaded_noop
+    _loaded_gen_typedef          = _loaded_noop
+
+    # ----------
+    # function declarations
+
+    def _generate_gen_function_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert isinstance(tp, model.FunctionPtrType)
+        if tp.ellipsis:
+            # cannot support vararg functions better than this: check for its
+            # exact type (including the fixed arguments), and build it as a
+            # constant function pointer (no _cffi_f_%s wrapper)
+            self._generate_gen_const(False, name, tp)
+            return
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        numargs = len(tp.args)
+        argnames = []
+        for i, type in enumerate(tp.args):
+            indirection = ''
+            if isinstance(type, model.StructOrUnion):
+                indirection = '*'
+            argnames.append('%sx%d' % (indirection, i))
+        context = 'argument of %s' % name
+        arglist = [type.get_c_name(' %s' % arg, context)
+                   for type, arg in zip(tp.args, argnames)]
+        arglist = ', '.join(arglist) or 'void'
+        wrappername = '_cffi_f_%s' % name
+        self.export_symbols.append(wrappername)
+        funcdecl = ' %s(%s)' % (wrappername, arglist)
+        context = 'result of %s' % name
+        prnt(tp.result.get_c_name(funcdecl, context))
+        prnt('{')
+        #
+        if not isinstance(tp.result, model.VoidType):
+            result_code = 'return '
+        else:
+            result_code = ''
+        prnt('  %s%s(%s);' % (result_code, name, ', '.join(argnames)))
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    _loading_gen_function = _loaded_noop
+
+    def _loaded_gen_function(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        assert isinstance(tp, model.FunctionPtrType)
+        if tp.ellipsis:
+            newfunction = self._load_constant(False, tp, name, module)
+        else:
+            indirections = []
+            base_tp = tp
+            if any(isinstance(typ, model.StructOrUnion) for typ in tp.args):
+                indirect_args = []
+                for i, typ in enumerate(tp.args):
+                    if isinstance(typ, model.StructOrUnion):
+                        typ = model.PointerType(typ)
+                        indirections.append((i, typ))
+                    indirect_args.append(typ)
+                tp = model.FunctionPtrType(tuple(indirect_args),
+                                           tp.result, tp.ellipsis)
+            BFunc = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+            wrappername = '_cffi_f_%s' % name
+            newfunction = module.load_function(BFunc, wrappername)
+            for i, typ in indirections:
+                newfunction = self._make_struct_wrapper(newfunction, i, typ,
+                                                        base_tp)
+        setattr(library, name, newfunction)
+        type(library)._cffi_dir.append(name)
+
+    def _make_struct_wrapper(self, oldfunc, i, tp, base_tp):
+        backend = self.ffi._backend
+        BType = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+        def newfunc(*args):
+            args = args[:i] + (backend.newp(BType, args[i]),) + args[i+1:]
+            return oldfunc(*args)
+        newfunc._cffi_base_type = base_tp
+        return newfunc
+
+    # ----------
+    # named structs
+
+    def _generate_gen_struct_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert name == tp.name
+        self._generate_struct_or_union_decl(tp, 'struct', name)
+
+    def _loading_gen_struct(self, tp, name, module):
+        self._loading_struct_or_union(tp, 'struct', name, module)
+
+    def _loaded_gen_struct(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        self._loaded_struct_or_union(tp)
+
+    def _generate_gen_union_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert name == tp.name
+        self._generate_struct_or_union_decl(tp, 'union', name)
+
+    def _loading_gen_union(self, tp, name, module):
+        self._loading_struct_or_union(tp, 'union', name, module)
+
+    def _loaded_gen_union(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        self._loaded_struct_or_union(tp)
+
+    def _generate_struct_or_union_decl(self, tp, prefix, name):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        checkfuncname = '_cffi_check_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        layoutfuncname = '_cffi_layout_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        cname = ('%s %s' % (prefix, name)).strip()
+        #
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        prnt('static void %s(%s *p)' % (checkfuncname, cname))
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  /* only to generate compile-time warnings or errors */')
+        for fname, ftype, fbitsize in tp.enumfields():
+            if (isinstance(ftype, model.PrimitiveType)
+                and ftype.is_integer_type()) or fbitsize >= 0:
+                # accept all integers, but complain on float or double
+                prnt('  (void)((p->%s) << 1);' % fname)
+            else:
+                # only accept exactly the type declared.
+                try:
+                    prnt('  { %s = &p->%s; (void)tmp; }' % (
+                        ftype.get_c_name('*tmp', 'field %r'%fname), fname))
+                except ffiplatform.VerificationError as e:
+                    prnt('  /* %s */' % str(e))   # cannot verify it, ignore
+        prnt('}')
+        self.export_symbols.append(layoutfuncname)
+        prnt('intptr_t %s(intptr_t i)' % (layoutfuncname,))
+        prnt('{')
+        prnt('  struct _cffi_aligncheck { char x; %s y; };' % cname)
+        prnt('  static intptr_t nums[] = {')
+        prnt('    sizeof(%s),' % cname)
+        prnt('    offsetof(struct _cffi_aligncheck, y),')
+        for fname, ftype, fbitsize in tp.enumfields():
+            if fbitsize >= 0:
+                continue      # xxx ignore fbitsize for now
+            prnt('    offsetof(%s, %s),' % (cname, fname))
+            if isinstance(ftype, model.ArrayType) and ftype.length is None:
+                prnt('    0,  /* %s */' % ftype._get_c_name())
+            else:
+                prnt('    sizeof(((%s *)0)->%s),' % (cname, fname))
+        prnt('    -1')
+        prnt('  };')
+        prnt('  return nums[i];')
+        prnt('  /* the next line is not executed, but compiled */')
+        prnt('  %s(0);' % (checkfuncname,))
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    def _loading_struct_or_union(self, tp, prefix, name, module):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        layoutfuncname = '_cffi_layout_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+        #
+        BFunc = self.ffi._typeof_locked("intptr_t(*)(intptr_t)")[0]
+        function = module.load_function(BFunc, layoutfuncname)
+        layout = []
+        num = 0
+        while True:
+            x = function(num)
+            if x < 0: break
+            layout.append(x)
+            num += 1
+        if isinstance(tp, model.StructOrUnion) and tp.partial:
+            # use the function()'s sizes and offsets to guide the
+            # layout of the struct
+            totalsize = layout[0]
+            totalalignment = layout[1]
+            fieldofs = layout[2::2]
+            fieldsize = layout[3::2]
+            tp.force_flatten()
+            assert len(fieldofs) == len(fieldsize) == len(tp.fldnames)
+            tp.fixedlayout = fieldofs, fieldsize, totalsize, totalalignment
+        else:
+            cname = ('%s %s' % (prefix, name)).strip()
+            self._struct_pending_verification[tp] = layout, cname
+
+    def _loaded_struct_or_union(self, tp):
+        if tp.fldnames is None:
+            return     # nothing to do with opaque structs
+        self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)   # force 'fixedlayout' to be considered
+
+        if tp in self._struct_pending_verification:
+            # check that the layout sizes and offsets match the real ones
+            def check(realvalue, expectedvalue, msg):
+                if realvalue != expectedvalue:
+                    raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                        "%s (we have %d, but C compiler says %d)"
+                        % (msg, expectedvalue, realvalue))
+            ffi = self.ffi
+            BStruct = ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+            layout, cname = self._struct_pending_verification.pop(tp)
+            check(layout[0], ffi.sizeof(BStruct), "wrong total size")
+            check(layout[1], ffi.alignof(BStruct), "wrong total alignment")
+            i = 2
+            for fname, ftype, fbitsize in tp.enumfields():
+                if fbitsize >= 0:
+                    continue        # xxx ignore fbitsize for now
+                check(layout[i], ffi.offsetof(BStruct, fname),
+                      "wrong offset for field %r" % (fname,))
+                if layout[i+1] != 0:
+                    BField = ffi._get_cached_btype(ftype)
+                    check(layout[i+1], ffi.sizeof(BField),
+                          "wrong size for field %r" % (fname,))
+                i += 2
+            assert i == len(layout)
+
+    # ----------
+    # 'anonymous' declarations.  These are produced for anonymous structs
+    # or unions; the 'name' is obtained by a typedef.
+
+    def _generate_gen_anonymous_decl(self, tp, name):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._generate_gen_enum_decl(tp, name, '')
+        else:
+            self._generate_struct_or_union_decl(tp, '', name)
+
+    def _loading_gen_anonymous(self, tp, name, module):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._loading_gen_enum(tp, name, module, '')
+        else:
+            self._loading_struct_or_union(tp, '', name, module)
+
+    def _loaded_gen_anonymous(self, tp, name, module, **kwds):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.EnumType):
+            self._loaded_gen_enum(tp, name, module, **kwds)
+        else:
+            self._loaded_struct_or_union(tp)
+
+    # ----------
+    # constants, likely declared with '#define'
+
+    def _generate_gen_const(self, is_int, name, tp=None, category='const'):
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        funcname = '_cffi_%s_%s' % (category, name)
+        self.export_symbols.append(funcname)
+        if is_int:
+            assert category == 'const'
+            prnt('int %s(long long *out_value)' % funcname)
+            prnt('{')
+            prnt('  *out_value = (long long)(%s);' % (name,))
+            prnt('  return (%s) <= 0;' % (name,))
+            prnt('}')
+        else:
+            assert tp is not None
+            prnt(tp.get_c_name(' %s(void)' % funcname, name),)
+            prnt('{')
+            if category == 'var':
+                ampersand = '&'
+            else:
+                ampersand = ''
+            prnt('  return (%s%s);' % (ampersand, name))
+            prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    def _generate_gen_constant_decl(self, tp, name):
+        is_int = isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType) and tp.is_integer_type()
+        self._generate_gen_const(is_int, name, tp)
+
+    _loading_gen_constant = _loaded_noop
+
+    def _load_constant(self, is_int, tp, name, module):
+        funcname = '_cffi_const_%s' % name
+        if is_int:
+            BType = self.ffi._typeof_locked("long long*")[0]
+            BFunc = self.ffi._typeof_locked("int(*)(long long*)")[0]
+            function = module.load_function(BFunc, funcname)
+            p = self.ffi.new(BType)
+            negative = function(p)
+            value = int(p[0])
+            if value < 0 and not negative:
+                BLongLong = self.ffi._typeof_locked("long long")[0]
+                value += (1 << (8*self.ffi.sizeof(BLongLong)))
+        else:
+            BFunc = self.ffi._typeof_locked(tp.get_c_name('(*)(void)', name))[0]
+            function = module.load_function(BFunc, funcname)
+            value = function()
+        return value
+
+    def _loaded_gen_constant(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        is_int = isinstance(tp, model.PrimitiveType) and tp.is_integer_type()
+        value = self._load_constant(is_int, tp, name, module)
+        setattr(library, name, value)
+        type(library)._cffi_dir.append(name)
+
+    # ----------
+    # enums
+
+    def _enum_funcname(self, prefix, name):
+        # "$enum_$1" => "___D_enum____D_1"
+        name = name.replace('$', '___D_')
+        return '_cffi_e_%s_%s' % (prefix, name)
+
+    def _generate_gen_enum_decl(self, tp, name, prefix='enum'):
+        if tp.partial:
+            for enumerator in tp.enumerators:
+                self._generate_gen_const(True, enumerator)
+            return
+        #
+        funcname = self._enum_funcname(prefix, name)
+        self.export_symbols.append(funcname)
+        prnt = self._prnt
+        prnt('int %s(char *out_error)' % funcname)
+        prnt('{')
+        for enumerator, enumvalue in zip(tp.enumerators, tp.enumvalues):
+            if enumvalue < 0:
+                prnt('  if ((%s) >= 0 || (long)(%s) != %dL) {' % (
+                    enumerator, enumerator, enumvalue))
+            else:
+                prnt('  if ((%s) < 0 || (unsigned long)(%s) != %dUL) {' % (
+                    enumerator, enumerator, enumvalue))
+            prnt('    char buf[64];')
+            prnt('    if ((%s) < 0)' % enumerator)
+            prnt('        sprintf(buf, "%%ld", (long)(%s));' % enumerator)
+            prnt('    else')
+            prnt('        sprintf(buf, "%%lu", (unsigned long)(%s));' %
+                 enumerator)
+            prnt('    sprintf(out_error,'
+                             ' "%s has the real value %s, not %s",')
+            prnt('            "%s", buf, "%d");' % (
+                enumerator[:100], enumvalue))
+            prnt('    return -1;')
+            prnt('  }')
+        prnt('  return 0;')
+        prnt('}')
+        prnt()
+
+    def _loading_gen_enum(self, tp, name, module, prefix='enum'):
+        if tp.partial:
+            enumvalues = [self._load_constant(True, tp, enumerator, module)
+                          for enumerator in tp.enumerators]
+            tp.enumvalues = tuple(enumvalues)
+            tp.partial_resolved = True
+        else:
+            BType = self.ffi._typeof_locked("char[]")[0]
+            BFunc = self.ffi._typeof_locked("int(*)(char*)")[0]
+            funcname = self._enum_funcname(prefix, name)
+            function = module.load_function(BFunc, funcname)
+            p = self.ffi.new(BType, 256)
+            if function(p) < 0:
+                error = self.ffi.string(p)
+                if sys.version_info >= (3,):
+                    error = str(error, 'utf-8')
+                raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(error)
+
+    def _loaded_gen_enum(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        for enumerator, enumvalue in zip(tp.enumerators, tp.enumvalues):
+            setattr(library, enumerator, enumvalue)
+            type(library)._cffi_dir.append(enumerator)
+
+    # ----------
+    # macros: for now only for integers
+
+    def _generate_gen_macro_decl(self, tp, name):
+        assert tp == '...'
+        self._generate_gen_const(True, name)
+
+    _loading_gen_macro = _loaded_noop
+
+    def _loaded_gen_macro(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        value = self._load_constant(True, tp, name, module)
+        setattr(library, name, value)
+        type(library)._cffi_dir.append(name)
+
+    # ----------
+    # global variables
+
+    def _generate_gen_variable_decl(self, tp, name):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.ArrayType):
+            if tp.length == '...':
+                prnt = self._prnt
+                funcname = '_cffi_sizeof_%s' % (name,)
+                self.export_symbols.append(funcname)
+                prnt("size_t %s(void)" % funcname)
+                prnt("{")
+                prnt("  return sizeof(%s);" % (name,))
+                prnt("}")
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp.item)
+            self._generate_gen_const(False, name, tp_ptr)
+        else:
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp)
+            self._generate_gen_const(False, name, tp_ptr, category='var')
+
+    _loading_gen_variable = _loaded_noop
+
+    def _loaded_gen_variable(self, tp, name, module, library):
+        if isinstance(tp, model.ArrayType):   # int a[5] is "constant" in the
+                                              # sense that "a=..." is forbidden
+            if tp.length == '...':
+                funcname = '_cffi_sizeof_%s' % (name,)
+                BFunc = self.ffi._typeof_locked('size_t(*)(void)')[0]
+                function = module.load_function(BFunc, funcname)
+                size = function()
+                BItemType = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp.item)
+                length, rest = divmod(size, self.ffi.sizeof(BItemType))
+                if rest != 0:
+                    raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                        "bad size: %r does not seem to be an array of %s" %
+                        (name, tp.item))
+                tp = tp.resolve_length(length)
+            tp_ptr = model.PointerType(tp.item)
+            value = self._load_constant(False, tp_ptr, name, module)
+            # 'value' is a <cdata 'type *'> which we have to replace with
+            # a <cdata 'type[N]'> if the N is actually known
+            if tp.length is not None:
+                BArray = self.ffi._get_cached_btype(tp)
+                value = self.ffi.cast(BArray, value)
+            setattr(library, name, value)
+            type(library)._cffi_dir.append(name)
+            return
+        # remove ptr=<cdata 'int *'> from the library instance, and replace
+        # it by a property on the class, which reads/writes into ptr[0].
+        funcname = '_cffi_var_%s' % name
+        BFunc = self.ffi._typeof_locked(tp.get_c_name('*(*)(void)', name))[0]
+        function = module.load_function(BFunc, funcname)
+        ptr = function()
+        def getter(library):
+            return ptr[0]
+        def setter(library, value):
+            ptr[0] = value
+        setattr(type(library), name, property(getter, setter))
+        type(library)._cffi_dir.append(name)
+
+cffimod_header = r'''
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>   /* XXX for ssize_t on some platforms */
+
+/* this block of #ifs should be kept exactly identical between
+   c/_cffi_backend.c, cffi/vengine_cpy.py, cffi/vengine_gen.py */
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+# include <malloc.h>   /* for alloca() */
+# if _MSC_VER < 1600   /* MSVC < 2010 */
+   typedef __int8 int8_t;
+   typedef __int16 int16_t;
+   typedef __int32 int32_t;
+   typedef __int64 int64_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int8 uint8_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int16 uint16_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int32 uint32_t;
+   typedef unsigned __int64 uint64_t;
+# else
+#  include <stdint.h>
+# endif
+# if _MSC_VER < 1800   /* MSVC < 2013 */
+   typedef unsigned char _Bool;
+# endif
+#else
+# include <stdint.h>
+# if (defined (__SVR4) && defined (__sun)) || defined(_AIX)
+#  include <alloca.h>
+# endif
+#endif
+'''
diff --git a/cffi/verifier.py b/cffi/verifier.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9603a7e5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cffi/verifier.py
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+import sys, os, binascii, imp, shutil
+from . import __version__
+from . import ffiplatform
+
+
+class Verifier(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, ffi, preamble, tmpdir=None, modulename=None,
+                 ext_package=None, tag='', force_generic_engine=False, **kwds):
+        self.ffi = ffi
+        self.preamble = preamble
+        if not modulename:
+            flattened_kwds = ffiplatform.flatten(kwds)
+        vengine_class = _locate_engine_class(ffi, force_generic_engine)
+        self._vengine = vengine_class(self)
+        self._vengine.patch_extension_kwds(kwds)
+        self.kwds = kwds
+        #
+        if modulename:
+            if tag:
+                raise TypeError("can't specify both 'modulename' and 'tag'")
+        else:
+            key = '\x00'.join([sys.version[:3], __version__, preamble,
+                               flattened_kwds] +
+                              ffi._cdefsources)
+            if sys.version_info >= (3,):
+                key = key.encode('utf-8')
+            k1 = hex(binascii.crc32(key[0::2]) & 0xffffffff)
+            k1 = k1.lstrip('0x').rstrip('L')
+            k2 = hex(binascii.crc32(key[1::2]) & 0xffffffff)
+            k2 = k2.lstrip('0').rstrip('L')
+            modulename = '_cffi_%s_%s%s%s' % (tag, self._vengine._class_key,
+                                              k1, k2)
+        suffix = _get_so_suffixes()[0]
+        self.tmpdir = tmpdir or _caller_dir_pycache()
+        self.sourcefilename = os.path.join(self.tmpdir, modulename + '.c')
+        self.modulefilename = os.path.join(self.tmpdir, modulename + suffix)
+        self.ext_package = ext_package
+        self._has_source = False
+        self._has_module = False
+
+    def write_source(self, file=None):
+        """Write the C source code.  It is produced in 'self.sourcefilename',
+        which can be tweaked beforehand."""
+        with self.ffi._lock:
+            if self._has_source and file is None:
+                raise ffiplatform.VerificationError(
+                    "source code already written")
+            self._write_source(file)
+
+    def compile_module(self):
+        """Write the C source code (if not done already) and compile it.
+        This produces a dynamic link library in 'self.modulefilename'."""
+        with self.ffi._lock:
+            if self._has_module:
+                raise ffiplatform.VerificationError("module already compiled")
+            if not self._has_source:
+                self._write_source()
+            self._compile_module()
+
+    def load_library(self):
+        """Get a C module from this Verifier instance.
+        Returns an instance of a FFILibrary class that behaves like the
+        objects returned by ffi.dlopen(), but that delegates all
+        operations to the C module.  If necessary, the C code is written
+        and compiled first.
+        """
+        with self.ffi._lock:
+            if not self._has_module:
+                self._locate_module()
+                if not self._has_module:
+                    if not self._has_source:
+                        self._write_source()
+                    self._compile_module()
+            return self._load_library()
+
+    def get_module_name(self):
+        basename = os.path.basename(self.modulefilename)
+        # kill both the .so extension and the other .'s, as introduced
+        # by Python 3: 'basename.cpython-33m.so'
+        basename = basename.split('.', 1)[0]
+        # and the _d added in Python 2 debug builds --- but try to be
+        # conservative and not kill a legitimate _d
+        if basename.endswith('_d') and hasattr(sys, 'gettotalrefcount'):
+            basename = basename[:-2]
+        return basename
+
+    def get_extension(self):
+        if not self._has_source:
+            with self.ffi._lock:
+                if not self._has_source:
+                    self._write_source()
+        sourcename = ffiplatform.maybe_relative_path(self.sourcefilename)
+        modname = self.get_module_name()
+        return ffiplatform.get_extension(sourcename, modname, **self.kwds)
+
+    def generates_python_module(self):
+        return self._vengine._gen_python_module
+
+    # ----------
+
+    def _locate_module(self):
+        if not os.path.isfile(self.modulefilename):
+            if self.ext_package:
+                try:
+                    pkg = __import__(self.ext_package, None, None, ['__doc__'])
+                except ImportError:
+                    return      # cannot import the package itself, give up
+                    # (e.g. it might be called differently before installation)
+                path = pkg.__path__
+            else:
+                path = None
+            filename = self._vengine.find_module(self.get_module_name(), path,
+                                                 _get_so_suffixes())
+            if filename is None:
+                return
+            self.modulefilename = filename
+        self._vengine.collect_types()
+        self._has_module = True
+
+    def _write_source(self, file=None):
+        must_close = (file is None)
+        if must_close:
+            _ensure_dir(self.sourcefilename)
+            file = open(self.sourcefilename, 'w')
+        self._vengine._f = file
+        try:
+            self._vengine.write_source_to_f()
+        finally:
+            del self._vengine._f
+            if must_close:
+                file.close()
+        if must_close:
+            self._has_source = True
+
+    def _compile_module(self):
+        # compile this C source
+        tmpdir = os.path.dirname(self.sourcefilename)
+        outputfilename = ffiplatform.compile(tmpdir, self.get_extension())
+        try:
+            same = ffiplatform.samefile(outputfilename, self.modulefilename)
+        except OSError:
+            same = False
+        if not same:
+            _ensure_dir(self.modulefilename)
+            shutil.move(outputfilename, self.modulefilename)
+        self._has_module = True
+
+    def _load_library(self):
+        assert self._has_module
+        return self._vengine.load_library()
+
+# ____________________________________________________________
+
+_FORCE_GENERIC_ENGINE = False      # for tests
+
+def _locate_engine_class(ffi, force_generic_engine):
+    if _FORCE_GENERIC_ENGINE:
+        force_generic_engine = True
+    if not force_generic_engine:
+        if '__pypy__' in sys.builtin_module_names:
+            force_generic_engine = True
+        else:
+            try:
+                import _cffi_backend
+            except ImportError:
+                _cffi_backend = '?'
+            if ffi._backend is not _cffi_backend:
+                force_generic_engine = True
+    if force_generic_engine:
+        from . import vengine_gen
+        return vengine_gen.VGenericEngine
+    else:
+        from . import vengine_cpy
+        return vengine_cpy.VCPythonEngine
+
+# ____________________________________________________________
+
+_TMPDIR = None
+
+def _caller_dir_pycache():
+    if _TMPDIR:
+        return _TMPDIR
+    filename = sys._getframe(2).f_code.co_filename
+    return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(filename),
+                           '__pycache__'))
+
+def set_tmpdir(dirname):
+    """Set the temporary directory to use instead of __pycache__."""
+    global _TMPDIR
+    _TMPDIR = dirname
+
+def cleanup_tmpdir(tmpdir=None, keep_so=False):
+    """Clean up the temporary directory by removing all files in it
+    called `_cffi_*.{c,so}` as well as the `build` subdirectory."""
+    tmpdir = tmpdir or _caller_dir_pycache()
+    try:
+        filelist = os.listdir(tmpdir)
+    except OSError:
+        return
+    if keep_so:
+        suffix = '.c'   # only remove .c files
+    else:
+        suffix = _get_so_suffixes()[0].lower()
+    for fn in filelist:
+        if fn.lower().startswith('_cffi_') and (
+                fn.lower().endswith(suffix) or fn.lower().endswith('.c')):
+            try:
+                os.unlink(os.path.join(tmpdir, fn))
+            except OSError:
+                pass
+    clean_dir = [os.path.join(tmpdir, 'build')]
+    for dir in clean_dir:
+        try:
+            for fn in os.listdir(dir):
+                fn = os.path.join(dir, fn)
+                if os.path.isdir(fn):
+                    clean_dir.append(fn)
+                else:
+                    os.unlink(fn)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+
+def _get_so_suffixes():
+    suffixes = []
+    for suffix, mode, type in imp.get_suffixes():
+        if type == imp.C_EXTENSION:
+            suffixes.append(suffix)
+
+    if not suffixes:
+        # bah, no C_EXTENSION available.  Occurs on pypy without cpyext
+        if sys.platform == 'win32':
+            suffixes = [".pyd"]
+        else:
+            suffixes = [".so"]
+
+    return suffixes
+
+def _ensure_dir(filename):
+    try:
+        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(filename))
+    except OSError:
+        pass