python / python/cpython

sys.setprofile and equivalent C API don't track all callable C code

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type-feature
Dominant language
Python
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Description

Bug report

Bug description:
import sys
import mmap

def prof(frame, event, arg):
    print(event, arg)

sys.setprofile(prof)

x = mmap.mmap(-1, 10_000)
open("/dev/null")

When run with Python 3.13 on Linux:

c_call <built-in function open>
call None
call None
return None
return None
c_return <built-in function open>
return None

No mention of mmap.mmap(), perhaps because it's a constructor of a type object.

(This is really an issue with the underlying C API, PyTrace_C_CALL is similarly not happening.)

As someone doing profiling, this means that any code running inside C type constructors is invisible, which is problematic and means I'm going to have to change how one of my profilers works.

CPython versions tested on:

3.12, 3.13

Operating systems tested on:

Linux

Contributor guide

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First steps

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  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the Linux example with sys.setprofile, mmap.mmap(), and open(), then trace the profiling path around PyTrace_C_CALL and C type constructors. Compare the observed events with the expected visibility of callable C code; done means the relevant constructor activity is reported consistently through sys.setprofile and the equivalent C API.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c, python
Domain
devtools
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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