CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonpython-3.xdeep-copy
arcus_mannen
arcus_mannen

Reputation: 99

Perform deep copy on assignment for instances of a specific class in Python3

I have a class in Python which is little more than the primitive values, like int or float, see below

class Entry:
    def __init__(self, value, timestamp):
        self.value = value
        self.timestamp = timestamp

    def __str__(self):
        return"[v= {}, ts= {}]".format(self.value, self.timestamp)

    def __hash__(self):
        return hash(self.timestamp)


    def __eq__(self, other):
        return self.timestamp == other.timestamp

    def __le__(self, other):
        return self.timestamp <= other.timestamp

    def __lt__(self, other):
        return self.timestamp < other.timestamp

    def __ge__(self, other):
        return self.timestamp >= other.timestamp

    def __gt__(self, other):
        return self.timestamp > other.timestamp


    def __copy__(self):
        new_entry = Entry(deepcopy(self.value), self.timestamp)
        print("hi")
        return new_entry

e1 = Entry("some name", 10)
e2 = e1
e2.timestamp = 20

print(e1)

I want it to behave just like the primitive types as well. So when an assignment occurs, like above, the value is deep-copied, so I don't have to think about doing it manually everywhere I do assigment like this.

As you can see, I tried overriding the __copy__ method. Unfortunely that method isn't called here. Is there another method to override? I'm pretty sure this can be accomplished in C++. Can it be done in Python too?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 110

Answers (1)

Snail Cadet
Snail Cadet

Reputation: 311

You can't override the = assignment operator in Python, because it isn't a "copy" operator. Instead it binds an object to a value. You can, however, use the copy module, as described here: https://docs.python.org/3/library/copy.html.

Upvotes: 1

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