properties + types, implementing meta-class desciptors elegantly?

[Mike C. Fletcher]

Okay, rather than respond to the fragments first, which just seems to be 
confusing people, as they aren't getting the previous discussion.  
Here's a quick sketch of what I'm creating:

class Meta( type ):
    tableName = common.StringProperty(
       "tableName", """The table in which this class stores it's primary 
data""",
       defaultValue = "",
    )
    implementationBase = common.ClassByNameProperty(
       "implementation", """Base class for implementation""",
        defaultValue = "wxpytable.dbresultset.DBResultSet",
       setDefaultOnGet = 0,
    )
    ...

Now, those objects from "common" are part of a fairly involved hierarchy 
of descriptor classes which provide type coercion, default-value 
retrieval, automated lookup of factory functions, managed list-of-type 
support, and a dozen other features.  Here's the framework of what a 
"basicproperty" does:

    * hooks the __set__ event (and __get__ and __delete__)
          o is thereby a descriptor
          o can be introspected from the object with the properties
                + has documentation
                + has meta-data for coercion, type-checking, default
                  values, operations for choosing common values,
                  etceteras, etceteras
                + can be readily sub-classed to produce new effects,
                  such as using weak references or storing values in a
                  database based on schema objects, or calling methods
                  on a client...
    * checks the data type of the value
          o if necessary, coerces the value (normally defering to the
            "baseType" for the property)
    * finally, stores the value
          o tries to do what would have been done if there were no
            descriptor (with the new, coerced value)
          o does *not* create new names in the object's namespace (all
            names are documented w/ descriptors, there's not a lot of
            '_' prefixed names cluttering the namespace)
          o does *not* require a new dictionary/storage-object attribute
            for the object (the descriptor works like any other
            descriptor, a *stand-alone* object that replaces a regular
            attribute)

It's that last part that I'd like to have a function/method to 
accomplish.  That is, store (and obviously retrieve as well) attribute 
values for objects, instances, types, classes, __slot__'d instances, 
etceteras under a given name without triggering any of the __setattr__ 
machinery which defers to the __set__ method of the associated descriptor.

I can work around the problem by violating either of those two bullet 
points under "finally, stores the value", but I'm looking for something 
that *doesn't* violate them.  See below for responses to particular 
points...

Bengt Richter wrote:
...

>                 client.__dict__['v'] = value
>the above line should work for this example, so it must be different from
>what you were doing before? Perhaps the client object before was a class?
>I guess I'm not getting the big picture yet of your design intent.
>
That's what the base properties do, but they just can't work when doing 
a meta-class, as it's __dict__ is a dict-proxy, which doesn't allow 
assignment.  I'm looking for a method to tell the Python system "Okay, 
what would you have done if there were no descriptors? Here's the key 
and value to set, go set them."  That sample was just to demonstrate why 
calling object.__setattr__ wouldn't work (it recursively calls the 
descriptor).

>Are you trying to make a  base class that has properties that can
>set same-named properties in the subclass via attributes
>of objects instantiated from the subclass? Or as attributes of the
>subclass? Do you need the property ability to munge its arguments dynamically?
>Otherwise a plain old attribute assignment to the subclass per se should install
>the property for its instances, no?
>  
>
Nope, I'm trying to make meta-classes which have rich properties.  The 
particular project is a plug-in system, where the classes (the 
metaclass-instances) want to have all sorts of rich metadata associated 
with them in a way which meshes with the rest of the system (i.e. using 
a descriptor-based introspection mechanism).
...

Enjoy,
Mike
_______________________________________

  Mike C. Fletcher
  Designer, VR Plumber, Coder
  http://members.rogers.com/mcfletch/