binfootprint

Description

This module intents to generate a binary representation of a python object where it is guaranteed that the same objects will result in the same binary representation.

By far not all python objects are supported. Here is the list of supported types

• special build-in constants: True, False, None
• integer
• float (64bit)
• complex (128bit)

as well as

• tuples
• lists
• dictionaries
• namedtuple

of the above.

Also

• np.ndarray

are supported, however, as of changing details in the numpy implementation future version may of numpy may break backwards compatibility.

In the current version (0.2.x) of binfootprint, a numpy array is serialized using the (npy file format)[https://numpy.org/doc/stable/reference/generated/numpy.lib.format.html#module-numpy.lib.format].

For any nested combination of these objects it is also guaranteed that the original objects can be restored without any extra information.

Additionally

• 'getstate' (objects that implement `getstate and return a state that can be dumped as well)

can be dumped. To Restore these objects the load function needs a lookup given by the argument 'classes' which maps the objects class name (obj.__class__.__name__) to the actual class definition (the class object). Of course for these objects the __setstate__ method needs to be implemented.

Note: dumping older version is not supported anymore. If backwards compatibility is needed check out older code from git. If needed converters should/will be written.

Installation

pip

install the latest version using pip

pip install binfootprint

poetry

Using poetry allows you to include this package in your project as a dependency.

git

check out the code from github

git clone https://github.com/cimatosa/binfootprint.git

Examples

Generating the binary footprint and reconstruction is done as follows:

import binfootprint as bf

data = ['hallo', 42]
bin_key = bf.dump(data)

data_prime = bf.load(bin_key)
print(data_prime)

Further any class that implements __getstate__ may be used as a container as well. When reconstructing, the class needs to have the __setstate__ method implemented. Additionally the bf.load function required a mapping from the class name to the class object, like this:

import binfootprint as bf

class T(object):
    def __init__(self, a):
        self.a = a
    def __getstate__(self):
        return [self.a]
    def __setstate__(self, state):
        self.a = state[0]

ob = T(4)
bin_ob = bf.dump(ob)

# reconstruction
classes = {}
classes['T'] = T
ob_prime = bf.load(bin_ob, classes)

Note on numpy ndarrays

As it has not been clarified/tested yet whether the buffer of the numpy ndarray is really unique also on different machines and architectures is it not assured that the binary footprint serves as a valid key.