1 From ChatGPT

**Warning: I have not tried this yet. This is a raw answer from Chatgpt.

pip install lupa

1.1

'''
Step 2: Write Python Code to Embed Lua
Once installed, you can embed Lua code within Python by creating a Lua runtime and executing Lua scripts or functions.

Here's a simple example that shows how to do this:
'''
from lupa import LuaRuntime

# Initialize the Lua runtime
lua = LuaRuntime(unpack_returned_tuples=True)

# Define and execute Lua code
lua_code = """
function greet(name)
    return "Hello, " .. name .. "!"
end
"""

# Load the Lua code into the runtime
lua.execute(lua_code)

# Access and call the Lua function from Python
greet = lua.globals().greet
print(greet("World"))  # Output: Hello, World!

1.2

This is an example from Chatgpt. It doesn't work as is, but Chatgpt does know how to fix it.

'''
Example: More Complex Data Exchange
In this example, we use Python to pass data structures, like lists and dictionaries, to Lua functions and get results back.
'''
from lupa import LuaRuntime

lua = LuaRuntime(unpack_returned_tuples=True)

# Define Lua code that operates on a table (similar to a Python dictionary)
lua_code = """
function process_data(data)
    local sum = 0
    for _, value in pairs(data) do
        sum = sum + value
    end
    return sum
end
"""

# Load the Lua code into the runtime
lua.execute(lua_code)

# Define a Lua function that will process data
process_data = lua.globals().process_data

# Pass a Python dictionary to Lua and get the result
data = {"a": 10, "b": 20, "c": 30}
result = process_data(data)
print("Sum of values:", result)  # Output: Sum of values: 60

This doesn't work as it is (that is, as Chatgpt gave it). It gives this error

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/john/py/lua/001/b.py", line 28, in <module>
    result = process_data(data)
             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "lupa/_lupa.pyx", line 587, in lupa._lupa._LuaObject.__call__
  File "lupa/_lupa.pyx", line 1333, in lupa._lupa.call_lua
  File "lupa/_lupa.pyx", line 1359, in lupa._lupa.execute_lua_call
  File "lupa/_lupa.pyx", line 1295, in lupa._lupa.raise_lua_error
lupa._lupa.LuaError: [string "<python>"]:4: bad argument #1 to 'pairs' (table expected, got userdata)
stack traceback:
        [C]: in function 'pairs'
        [string "<python>"]:4: in function <[string "<python>"]:2>

So it appears the dict isn't getting turned into a table. To turn a dict into a table, we use lua.table where lua is the interpreter object in Python.

data = { "a": 1, "b": 2 }
lua_table = lua.table(**data)

so to fix the code above:

'''
Example: More Complex Data Exchange
In this example, we use Python to pass data structures, like lists and dictionaries, to Lua functions and get results back.
'''
from lupa import LuaRuntime

lua = LuaRuntime(unpack_returned_tuples=True)

# Define Lua code that operates on a table (similar to a Python dictionary)
lua_code = """
function process_data(data)
    local sum = 0
    for _, value in pairs(data) do
        sum = sum + value
    end
    return sum
end
"""

# Load the Lua code into the runtime
lua.execute(lua_code)

# Define a Lua function that will process data
process_data = lua.globals().process_data

# Pass a Python dictionary to Lua and get the result
data = {"a": 10, "b": 20, "c": 30}
result = process_data(lua.table(**data))
print("Sum of values:", result)  # Output: Sum of values: 60

1.3

'''
Example: Using Lua to Call Python Functions
You can also expose Python functions to Lua, allowing Lua scripts to call Python code.

python
Copy code
'''
from lupa import LuaRuntime

# Define the Lua runtime and make a Python function available to Lua
lua = LuaRuntime(unpack_returned_tuples=True)

# Define a Python function
def python_function(x, y):
    return x * y

# Expose the Python function to Lua
lua.globals().multiply = python_function

# Execute Lua code that uses the exposed Python function
result = lua.execute("return multiply(5, 7)")
print("Multiplication result:", result)  # Output: Multiplication result: 35

Explanation

1. LuaRuntime: Initializes the Lua environment.
2. lua.execute(code): Executes a Lua script in the runtime.
3. lua.globals(): Accesses global variables or functions from Lua.
4. unpack_returned_tuples=True: Ensures Lua tuples are unpacked when returned to Python.

With lupa, you can run Lua code alongside Python, sharing functions and data between them smoothly. This flexibility can be especially useful for embedded scripting in applications where Lua's lightweight and efficient runtime is advantageous.