I present the (Python 3) solution below for informational purposes only. I am not endorsing it as a "good solution". I have my doubts as to whether emulating the static variable behavior of other languages in Python is ever actually necessary. However, regardless as to whether it is actually useful, creating the code below helped me further understand how Python works, so it might help others as well.
The metaclass I have created below attempts to emulate "static variable" behavior of other languages. It's pretty complicated, but it basically works by replacing the normal getter, setter, and deleter with versions which check to see if the attribute being requested is a "static variable". A catalog of the "static variables" is stored in the StaticVarMeta.statics attribute. If the requested attribute is not a "static variable", the class will fall back on the default attribute get/set/delete behavior. If it IS a "static variable", it attempted to resolve the attribute request using a substitute resolution order (which I have dubbed the __sro__, or "static resolution order").
I am sure there are simpler ways to accomplish this, and look forward to seeing other answers.
from functools import wraps
class StaticVarsMeta(type):
'''A metaclass for creating classes that emulate the "static variable" behavior
of other languages. I do not advise actually using this for anything!!!
Behavior is intended to be similar to classes that use __slots__. However, "normal"
attributes and __statics___ can coexist (unlike with __slots__).
Example usage:
class MyBaseClass(metaclass = StaticVarsMeta):
__statics__ = {'a','b','c'}
i = 1 # regular attribute
class MyParentClass(MyBaseClass):
__statics__ = {'d','e','f'}
j = 2 # regular attribute
d, e, f = 3, 4, 5 # Static vars
a, b, c = 6, 7, 8 # Static vars (inherited from MyBaseClass, defined here)
class MyChildClass(MyParentClass):
__statics__ = {'a','b','c'}
j = 2 # regular attribute (redefines j from MyParentClass)
d, e, f = 9, 10, 11 # Static vars (inherited from MyParentClass, redefined here)
a, b, c = 12, 14, 14 # Static vars (overriding previous definition in MyParentClass here)'''
statics = {}
def __new__(mcls, name, bases, namespace):
# Get the class object
cls = super().__new__(mcls, name, bases, namespace)
# Establish the "statics resolution order"
cls.__sro__ = tuple(c for c in cls.__mro__ if isinstance(c,mcls))
# Replace class getter, setter, and deleter for instance attributes
cls.__getattribute__ = StaticVarsMeta.__inst_getattribute__(cls, cls.__getattribute__)
cls.__setattr__ = StaticVarsMeta.__inst_setattr__(cls, cls.__setattr__)
cls.__delattr__ = StaticVarsMeta.__inst_delattr__(cls, cls.__delattr__)
# Store the list of static variables for the class object
# This list is permanent and cannot be changed, similar to __slots__
try:
mcls.statics[cls] = getattr(cls,'__statics__')
except AttributeError:
mcls.statics[cls] = namespace['__statics__'] = set() # No static vars provided
# Check and make sure the statics var names are strings
if any(not isinstance(static,str) for static in mcls.statics[cls]):
typ = dict(zip((not isinstance(static,str) for static in mcls.statics[cls]), map(type,mcls.statics[cls])))[True].__name__
raise TypeError('__statics__ items must be strings, not {0}'.format(typ))
# Move any previously existing, not overridden statics to the static var parent class(es)
if len(cls.__sro__) > 1:
for attr,value in namespace.items():
if attr not in StaticVarsMeta.statics[cls] and attr != ['__statics__']:
for c in cls.__sro__[1:]:
if attr in StaticVarsMeta.statics[c]:
setattr(c,attr,value)
delattr(cls,attr)
return cls
def __inst_getattribute__(self, orig_getattribute):
'''Replaces the class __getattribute__'''
@wraps(orig_getattribute)
def wrapper(self, attr):
if StaticVarsMeta.is_static(type(self),attr):
return StaticVarsMeta.__getstatic__(type(self),attr)
else:
return orig_getattribute(self, attr)
return wrapper
def __inst_setattr__(self, orig_setattribute):
'''Replaces the class __setattr__'''
@wraps(orig_setattribute)
def wrapper(self, attr, value):
if StaticVarsMeta.is_static(type(self),attr):
StaticVarsMeta.__setstatic__(type(self),attr, value)
else:
orig_setattribute(self, attr, value)
return wrapper
def __inst_delattr__(self, orig_delattribute):
'''Replaces the class __delattr__'''
@wraps(orig_delattribute)
def wrapper(self, attr):
if StaticVarsMeta.is_static(type(self),attr):
StaticVarsMeta.__delstatic__(type(self),attr)
else:
orig_delattribute(self, attr)
return wrapper
def __getstatic__(cls,attr):
'''Static variable getter'''
for c in cls.__sro__:
if attr in StaticVarsMeta.statics[c]:
try:
return getattr(c,attr)
except AttributeError:
pass
raise AttributeError(cls.__name__ + " object has no attribute '{0}'".format(attr))
def __setstatic__(cls,attr,value):
'''Static variable setter'''
for c in cls.__sro__:
if attr in StaticVarsMeta.statics[c]:
setattr(c,attr,value)
break
def __delstatic__(cls,attr):
'''Static variable deleter'''
for c in cls.__sro__:
if attr in StaticVarsMeta.statics[c]:
try:
delattr(c,attr)
break
except AttributeError:
pass
raise AttributeError(cls.__name__ + " object has no attribute '{0}'".format(attr))
def __delattr__(cls,attr):
'''Prevent __sro__ attribute from deletion'''
if attr == '__sro__':
raise AttributeError('readonly attribute')
super().__delattr__(attr)
def is_static(cls,attr):
'''Returns True if an attribute is a static variable of any class in the __sro__'''
if any(attr in StaticVarsMeta.statics[c] for c in cls.__sro__):
return True
return False
