Add converter to convert CHAR arrays

python/cxx/converters.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#include "converters.hpp"
+
+namespace convert {
+
+py::array numpy_string_array(const std::vector<std::string>& input) {
+    const std::size_t target_length = 8;
+    using numpy_string_t = char[target_length];
+    auto output =  py::array_t<numpy_string_t>(input.size());
+    auto output_ptr = reinterpret_cast<numpy_string_t *>(output.request().ptr);
+    for (std::size_t index = 0; index < input.size(); index++) {
+        if (input[index].size() > target_length)
+            throw std::invalid_argument("Current implementation only works with 8 character strings");
+
+        std::size_t length = input[index].size();
+        std::strncpy(output_ptr[index], input[index].c_str(), length);
+        for (std::size_t i = length; i < target_length; i++)
+            output_ptr[index][i] = '\0';
+    }
+    return output;
+}
+
+}

python/cxx/converters.hpp

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ std::string str( const T& t ) {
 
 namespace convert {
 
+py::array numpy_string_array(const std::vector<std::string>& input);
+
 template <class T>
 std::vector<T> vector(py::array_t<T>& input) {
     T * input_ptr    = (T *) input.request().ptr;