Python __call__ special method practical example

Question

I know that __call__ method in a class is triggered when the instance of a class is called. However, I have no idea when I can use this special method, because

Answer 1

This example uses memoization, basically storing values in a table (dictionary in this case) so you can look them up later instead of recalculating them.

Here we use a simple class with a __call__ method to calculate factorials (through a callable object) instead of a factorial function that contains a static variable (as that's not possible in Python).

class Factorial:
    def __init__(self):
        self.cache = {}
    def __call__(self, n):
        if n not in self.cache:
            if n == 0:
                self.cache[n] = 1
            else:
                self.cache[n] = n * self.__call__(n-1)
        return self.cache[n]

fact = Factorial()

Now you have a fact object which is callable, just like every other function. For example

for i in xrange(10):                                                             
    print("{}! = {}".format(i, fact(i)))

# output
0! = 1
1! = 1
2! = 2
3! = 6
4! = 24
5! = 120
6! = 720
7! = 5040
8! = 40320
9! = 362880

And it is also stateful.

Answer 2

Class-based decorators use __call__ to reference the wrapped function. E.g.:

class Deco(object):
    def __init__(self,f):
        self.f = f
    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        print args
        print kwargs
        self.f(*args, **kwargs)

There is a good description of the various options here at Artima.com

Answer 3

Specify a __metaclass__ and override the __call__ method, and have the specified meta classes' __new__ method return an instance of the class, viola you have a "function" with methods.

Answer 4

This is too late but I'm giving an example. Imagine you have a Vector class and a Point class. Both take x, y as positional args. Let's imagine you want to create a function that moves the point to be put on the vector.

4 Solutions

• put_point_on_vec(point, vec)

• Make it a method on the vector class. e.g my_vec.put_point(point)

• Make it a method on the Point class. my_point.put_on_vec(vec)
• Vector implements __call__, So you can use it like my_vec_instance(point)

This is actually part of some examples I'm working on for a guide for dunder methods explained with Maths that I'm gonna release sooner or later.

I left the logic of moving the point itself because this is not what this question is about

Answer 5

__call__ is also used to implement decorator classes in python. In this case the instance of the class is called when the method with the decorator is called.

class EnterExitParam(object):

    def __init__(self, p1):
        self.p1 = p1

    def __call__(self, f):
        def new_f():
            print("Entering", f.__name__)
            print("p1=", self.p1)
            f()
            print("Leaving", f.__name__)
        return new_f


@EnterExitParam("foo bar")
def hello():
    print("Hello")


if __name__ == "__main__":
    hello()

Answer 6

We can use __call__ method to use other class methods as static methods.

    class _Callable:
        def __init__(self, anycallable):
            self.__call__ = anycallable

    class Model:

        def get_instance(conn, table_name):

            """ do something"""

        get_instance = _Callable(get_instance)

    provs_fac = Model.get_instance(connection, "users")