using swig to generate the python code with INPUT parameter

attachment sample

I think you're just getting what you asked for (which isn't what you wanted):

int insert(char *INPUT);

This tells SWIG that insert takes a single char as input, and it's passed as a pointer to that single char.

I assume what you're wanting is to tell SWIG the functions take a string and doesn't modified it - i.e. to effectively pretend the parameter is const char* not char *.

Doing exactly that works, though gives a compiler warning:

%module prov
%{
#include "prov.h"
%}
int insert(const char *);

The better approach is to tell SWIG to apply the typemaps for const char* here:

%module prov
%{
#include "prov.h"
%}
%apply const char * {char * s};
%include "prov.h"

Usage error rather than a bug, so closing.