Question

Based on my understanding of Python’s data model, and specifically the subsection “Instance Methods”, whenever you read an attribute whose value is of type “user-defined function”, some magic kicks in and you get a bound instance method instead of the actual, original function. That magic is why you don’t explicitly pass the self parameter when you’re calling a method.

But then, I would expect to be able to replace an object’s method with a function with the same signature:

class Scriptable:
    def __init__(self, script = None):
        if script is not None:
            self.script = script   # replace the method
    def script(self):
        print("greetings from the default script")

>>> scriptable = Scriptable()
>>> scriptable.script()
greetings from the default script

>>> def my_script(self):
...     print("greetings from my custom script")
...
>>> scriptable = Scriptable(my_script)
>>> scriptable.script()
Traceback (most recent call last):
  ...
TypeError: script() takes exactly 1 positional argument (0 given)

I’m creating an instance of Scriptable, and setting its script attribute to a user-defined function with a single parameter, just like what’s defined in the class. So when I read the scriptable.script attribute, I would expect the magic to kick in and give me a bound instance method that takes no parameters (just like I get when I didn’t replace script). Instead, it seems to be giving back the exact same function I passed in, self parameter and all. The method-binding magic isn’t happening.

Why does the method-binding magic work when I define a method inside the class declaration, but not when I assign the attribute? What makes Python treat these situations differently?

I’m using Python3 if it makes any difference.

Answer 1

Here is how you do it:

import types
class Scriptable:
    def __init__(self, script = None):
        if script is not None:
            self.script = types.MethodType(script, self)   # replace the method
    def script(self):
        print("greetings from the default script")

As ba__friend noted in the comments, methods are stored on the class object. A descriptor on the class object returns functions as bound methods when you access the attribute from a instance.

When you assign a function to a instance nothing happens special happens, so you have to wrap the function yourself.