I need a way to add a method to an existing instance, but be as close as possible to normal instance methods. Using 'new' module or such code as 'def addfunc(...): def helper(...) .. setattr(...)' causes a cyclic reference which requires using 'gc.collect' to release the object. Also 'new' is deprecated. I also made a helper that uses weakref, but the problem is when the object is gone, existing instance method object would not work:

f = myobject.function
myobject = None
f() <--- would not work if it holds weak ref to myobject


The best I can come up with is to create a parent class and try to simulate as best as possible. The code below works with no cyclic references that would be cause by 'new.instancemethod' etc, and without the weakref as well. Is there a simpler way of achieving the same without cyclic references? I know this is 'monkey patching' but for a small project I'm working on it is useful to be able to add functions dynamically to one instance without adding it to another instance of the same class, etc.


class InstanceFunctionHelper(object):
    class FunctionCaller(object):
        def __init__(self, instance, func):
            self.__instance = instance
            self.__func = func

        def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
            return self.__func(self.__instance, *args, **kwargs)

    def add_instance_function(self, func, name = None):
        if name is None:
            name = func.__name__

        if hasattr(self, name):
            delattr(self, name)

        try:
            self._instance_funcs[name] = func
        except AttributeError:
            self._instance_funcs = {name: func}

    def __setattr__(self, name, value):
        funcs = getattr(self, '_instance_funcs', None)
        if funcs and name in funcs:
            del funcs[name]

        object.__setattr__(self, name, value)

    def __delattr__(self, name):
        funcs = getattr(self, '_instance_funcs', None)
        if funcs and name in funcs:
            del funcs[name]
        else:
            object.__delattr__(self, name)

    def __getattr__(self, name):
        if name == '_instance_funcs':
            raise AttributeError

        funcs = object.__getattribute__(self, '_instance_funcs')

        if name in funcs:
            return InstanceFunctionHelper.FunctionCaller(self, funcs[name])

        raise AttributeError



x = 0
class Blah(InstanceFunctionHelper):
    def __init__(self):
        global x
        x += 1
    def __del__(self):
        global x
        x -= 1

def Action(self, value):
    print self
    print value

a = Blah()
a.add_instance_function(Action)
a.Action(5)
a = None
print x

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