Using property() on classmethods

Question

I have a class with two class methods (using the classmethod() function) for getting and setting what is essentially a static variable. I tried to use the property() functi

Answer 1

Here is my solution that also caches the class property

class class_property(object):
    # this caches the result of the function call for fn with cls input
    # use this as a decorator on function methods that you want converted
    # into cached properties

    def __init__(self, fn):
        self._fn_name = fn.__name__
        if not isinstance(fn, (classmethod, staticmethod)):
            fn = classmethod(fn)
        self._fn = fn

    def __get__(self, obj, cls=None):
        if cls is None:
            cls = type(obj)
        if (
            self._fn_name in vars(cls) and
            type(vars(cls)[self._fn_name]).__name__ != "class_property"
        ):
            return vars(cls)[self._fn_name]
        else:
            value = self._fn.__get__(obj, cls)()
            setattr(cls, self._fn_name, value)
            return value

Answer 2

A property is created on a class but affects an instance. So if you want a classmethod property, create the property on the metaclass.

>>> class foo(object):
...     _var = 5
...     class __metaclass__(type):  # Python 2 syntax for metaclasses
...         pass
...     @classmethod
...     def getvar(cls):
...         return cls._var
...     @classmethod
...     def setvar(cls, value):
...         cls._var = value
...     
>>> foo.__metaclass__.var = property(foo.getvar.im_func, foo.setvar.im_func)
>>> foo.var
5
>>> foo.var = 3
>>> foo.var
3

But since you're using a metaclass anyway, it will read better if you just move the classmethods in there.

>>> class foo(object):
...     _var = 5
...     class __metaclass__(type):  # Python 2 syntax for metaclasses
...         @property
...         def var(cls):
...             return cls._var
...         @var.setter
...         def var(cls, value):
...             cls._var = value
... 
>>> foo.var
5
>>> foo.var = 3
>>> foo.var
3

or, using Python 3's metaclass=... syntax, and the metaclass defined outside of the foo class body, and the metaclass responsible for setting the initial value of _var:

>>> class foo_meta(type):
...     def __init__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
...         cls._var = 5
...     @property
...     def var(cls):
...         return cls._var
...     @var.setter
...     def var(cls, value):
...         cls._var = value
...
>>> class foo(metaclass=foo_meta):
...     pass
...
>>> foo.var
5
>>> foo.var = 3
>>> foo.var
3

Answer 3

Give this a try, it gets the job done without having to change/add a lot of existing code.

>>> class foo(object):
...     _var = 5
...     def getvar(cls):
...         return cls._var
...     getvar = classmethod(getvar)
...     def setvar(cls, value):
...         cls._var = value
...     setvar = classmethod(setvar)
...     var = property(lambda self: self.getvar(), lambda self, val: self.setvar(val))
...
>>> f = foo()
>>> f.var
5
>>> f.var = 3
>>> f.var
3

The property function needs two callable arguments. give them lambda wrappers (which it passes the instance as its first argument) and all is well.

Answer 4

Reading the Python 2.2 release notes, I find the following.

The get method [of a property] won't be called when the property is accessed as a class attribute (C.x) instead of as an instance attribute (C().x). If you want to override the __get__ operation for properties when used as a class attribute, you can subclass property - it is a new-style type itself - to extend its __get__ method, or you can define a descriptor type from scratch by creating a new-style class that defines __get__, __set__ and __delete__ methods.

NOTE: The below method doesn't actually work for setters, only getters.

Therefore, I believe the prescribed solution is to create a ClassProperty as a subclass of property.

class ClassProperty(property):
    def __get__(self, cls, owner):
        return self.fget.__get__(None, owner)()

class foo(object):
    _var=5
    def getvar(cls):
        return cls._var
    getvar=classmethod(getvar)
    def setvar(cls,value):
        cls._var=value
    setvar=classmethod(setvar)
    var=ClassProperty(getvar,setvar)

assert foo.getvar() == 5
foo.setvar(4)
assert foo.getvar() == 4
assert foo.var == 4
foo.var = 3
assert foo.var == 3

However, the setters don't actually work:

foo.var = 4
assert foo.var == foo._var # raises AssertionError

foo._var is unchanged, you've simply overwritten the property with a new value.

You can also use ClassProperty as a decorator:

class foo(object):
    _var = 5

    @ClassProperty
    @classmethod
    def var(cls):
        return cls._var

    @var.setter
    @classmethod
    def var(cls, value):
        cls._var = value

assert foo.var == 5

Answer 5

Setting it only on the meta class doesn't help if you want to access the class property via an instantiated object, in this case you need to install a normal property on the object as well (which dispatches to the class property). I think the following is a bit more clear:

#!/usr/bin/python

class classproperty(property):
    def __get__(self, obj, type_):
        return self.fget.__get__(None, type_)()

    def __set__(self, obj, value):
        cls = type(obj)
        return self.fset.__get__(None, cls)(value)

class A (object):

    _foo = 1

    @classproperty
    @classmethod
    def foo(cls):
        return cls._foo

    @foo.setter
    @classmethod
    def foo(cls, value):
        cls.foo = value

a = A()

print a.foo

b = A()

print b.foo

b.foo = 5

print a.foo

A.foo = 10

print b.foo

print A.foo

Answer 6

Python 3!

Old question, lots of views, sorely in need of a one-true Python 3 way.

Luckily, it's easy with the metaclass kwarg:

class FooProperties(type):

    @property
    def var(cls):
        return cls._var

class Foo(object, metaclass=FooProperties):
    _var = 'FOO!'

Then, >>> Foo.var

'FOO!'