The Python docs for ctypes have embedded examples including:

>>> c_int()
c_long(0)

But on my machine I get the (more expected?):

>>> c_int()
c_int(0)

Perhaps if some machines expect otherwise that should be documented, otherwise might we change them.

> Perhaps if some machines expect otherwise that should be documented, otherwise might we change them.

The very beginning of the ctypes documentation has documentation to that effect:

"Note: Some code samples reference the ctypes c_int type. This type is an alias for the c_long type on 32-bit systems. So, you should not be confused if c_long is printed if you would expect c_int — they are actually the same type."

http://docs.python.org/dev/library/ctypes.html#ctypes-tutorial

Does that address your suggestion?

> The very beginning of the ctypes documentation has documentation to that effect

>Does that address your suggestion?

Thanks Chris, that explains why the difference is present on non 32 bit platforms. Would using c_long for the examples produce the expected output on 64 and 32 bit systems? 

Just an idea to try remove potential confusion.

I don't know off-hand.  But maybe an additional note or code comment at the first instance in a code example would help.  Switching the examples to c_long might serve only to shift potential confusion from the examples to someone's personal machine.

The note at the beginning could be turned in an actual note using the `.. note:` markup.  This will make it more visible.

It's not correct that "[The c_int] type is an alias for the c_long type on 32-bit systems". Actually it's an alias if int and long are the same size. Here's the relevant snippet from __init__:

    if _calcsize("i") == _calcsize("l"):
        # if int and long have the same size, make c_int an alias for c_long
        c_int = c_long
        c_uint = c_ulong
    else:
        class c_int(_SimpleCData):
            _type_ = "i"
        _check_size(c_int)

        class c_uint(_SimpleCData):
            _type_ = "I"
        _check_size(c_uint)

Notably, int and long are the same size on 64-bit Windows:

    >>> sizeof(c_void_p) # 64-bit
    8
    >>> c_int                    
    <class 'ctypes.c_long'>
    >>> sizeof(c_long)           
    4

> It's not correct that "[The c_int] type is an alias for the c_long type on 32-bit systems". Actually it's an alias if int and long are the same size.

It's already documented at https://docs.python.org/dev/library/ctypes.html#ctypes.c_int

    "On platforms where sizeof(int) == sizeof(long) it is an alias to c_long."

Do you want to write a patch to update the original note?

New changeset 1775abf47061 by Berker Peksag in branch '3.5':
Issue #16192: Clarify when c_int is an alias to c_long in ctypes documentation
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/1775abf47061

New changeset 9954e29b8678 by Berker Peksag in branch 'default':
Issue #16192: Merge from 3.5
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/9954e29b8678

> ``sizeof(long double) == sizeof(double)`` it is an alias to
> :class:`c_double`.  

This should be "``sizeof(long) == sizeof(int)`` ... :class:`c_long`".

New changeset dfde53cf07e6 by Berker Peksag in branch '3.5':
Issue #16192: Fix copy and paste mistake noticed by Eryk Sun
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/dfde53cf07e6

New changeset 7f3ebd86464b by Berker Peksag in branch 'default':
Issue #16192: Merge from 3.5
https://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/7f3ebd86464b