Using a dictionary to select function to execute
PythonFunctionDictionaryInspectPython Problem Overview
I am trying to use functional programming to create a dictionary containing a key and a function to execute:
myDict={}
myItems=("P1","P2","P3",...."Pn")
def myMain(key):
def ExecP1():
pass
def ExecP2():
pass
def ExecP3():
pass
...
def ExecPn():
pass
Now, I have seen a code used to find the defined functions in a module, and I need to do something like this:
for myitem in myItems:
myDict[myitem] = ??? #to dynamically find the corresponding function
So my question is, How do I make a list of all the Exec functions and then assign them to the desired item using the a dictionary? so at the end I will have myDict["P1"]() #this will call ExecP1()
My real problem is that I have tons of those items and I making a library that will handle them so the final user only needs to call myMain("P1")
I think using the inspect module, but I am not so sure how to do it.
My reason to avoid:
def ExecPn():
pass
myDict["Pn"]=ExecPn
is that I have to protect code as I am using it to provide a scripting feature within my application.
Python Solutions
Solution 1 - Python
Simplify, simplify, simplify:
def p1(args):
whatever
def p2(more args):
whatever
myDict = {
"P1": p1,
"P2": p2,
...
"Pn": pn
}
def myMain(name):
myDict[name]()
That's all you need.
You might consider the use of dict.get with a callable default if name refers to an invalid function—
def myMain(name):
myDict.get(name, lambda: 'Invalid')()
(Picked this neat trick up from Martijn Pieters)
Solution 2 - Python
Simplify, simplify, simplify + DRY:
tasks = {}
task = lambda f: tasks.setdefault(f.__name__, f)
@task
def p1():
whatever
@task
def p2():
whatever
def my_main(key):
tasks[key]()
Solution 3 - Python
Not proud of it, but:
def myMain(key):
def ExecP1():
pass
def ExecP2():
pass
def ExecP3():
pass
def ExecPn():
pass
locals()['Exec' + key]()
I do however recommend that you put those in a module/class whatever, this is truly horrible.
If you are willing to add a decorator for each function, you can define a decorator which adds each function to a dictionary:
def myMain(key):
tasks = {}
def task(task_fn):
tasks[task_fn.__name__] = task_fn
@task
def ExecP1():
print(1)
@task
def ExecP2():
print(2)
@task
def ExecP3():
print(3)
@task
def ExecPn():
print(4)
tasks['Exec' + key]()
Another option is to place all the functions under a class (or in a different module) and use getattr:
def myMain(key):
class Tasks:
def ExecP1():
print(1)
def ExecP2():
print(2)
def ExecP3():
print(3)
def ExecPn():
print(4)
task = getattr(Tasks, 'Exec' + key)
task()
Solution 4 - Python
# index dictionary by list of key names
def fn1():
print "One"
def fn2():
print "Two"
def fn3():
print "Three"
fndict = {"A": fn1, "B": fn2, "C": fn3}
keynames = ["A", "B", "C"]
fndict[keynames[1]]()
# keynames[1] = "B", so output of this code is
# Two
Solution 5 - Python
This will call methods from dictionary
This is python switch statement with function calling
Create few modules as per the your requirement. If want to pass arguments then pass.
Create a dictionary, which will call these modules as per requirement.
def function_1(arg):
print("In function_1")
def function_2(arg):
print("In function_2")
def function_3(fileName):
print("In function_3")
f_title,f_course1,f_course2 = fileName.split('_')
return(f_title,f_course1,f_course2)
def createDictionary():
dict = {
1 : function_1,
2 : function_2,
3 : function_3,
}
return dict
dictionary = createDictionary()
dictionary[3](Argument)#pass any key value to call the method
Solution 6 - Python
You can just use
myDict = {
"P1": (lambda x: function1()),
"P2": (lambda x: function2()),
...,
"Pn": (lambda x: functionn())}
myItems = ["P1", "P2", ..., "Pn"]
for item in myItems:
myDict[item]()
Solution 7 - Python
#!/usr/bin/python
def thing_a(arg=None):
print 'thing_a', arg
def thing_b(arg=None):
print 'thing_b', arg
ghetto_switch_statement = {
'do_thing_a': thing_a,
'do_thing_b': thing_b
}
ghetto_switch_statement['do_thing_a']("It's lovely being an A")
ghetto_switch_statement['do_thing_b']("Being a B isn't too shabby either")
print "Available methods are: ", ghetto_switch_statement.keys()
Solution 8 - Python
Often classes are used to enclose methods and following is the extension for answers above with default method in case the method is not found.
class P:
def p1(self):
print('Start')
def p2(self):
print('Help')
def ps(self):
print('Settings')
def d(self):
print('Default function')
myDict = {
"start": p1,
"help": p2,
"settings": ps
}
def call_it(self):
name = 'start'
f = lambda self, x : self.myDict.get(x, lambda x : self.d())(self)
f(self, name)
p = P()
p.call_it()
Solution 9 - Python
class CallByName():
def method1(self):
pass
def method2(self):
pass
def method3(self):
pass
def get_method(self, method_name):
method = getattr(self, method_name)
return method()
callbyname = CallByName()
method1 = callbyname.get_method(method_name)
```
Solution 10 - Python
def p1( ):
print("in p1")
def p2():
print("in p2")
myDict={
"P1": p1,
"P2": p2
}
name=input("enter P1 or P2")
myDictname
Solution 11 - Python
You are wasting your time:
- You are about to write a lot of useless code and introduce new bugs.
- To execute the function, your user will need to know the
P1name anyway. - Etc., etc., etc.
Just put all your functions in the .py file:
# my_module.py
def f1():
pass
def f2():
pass
def f3():
pass
And use them like this:
import my_module
my_module.f1()
my_module.f2()
my_module.f3()
or:
from my_module import f1
from my_module import f2
from my_module import f3
f1()
f2()
f3()
This should be enough for starters.