Python 2.6: How to access base class descriptor field hidden by derived class?

Question

I have a descriptor storing data in host object's dictionary. And I have fields of this descriptor in class hierarchy with the same name:

class ADescriptor(object):
    def __init__(self, keyname='descr'):
        self.keyname = keyname

    def __get__(self, obj, objtype):
        return getattr(obj, self.keyname, 8192 )

    def __set__(self, obj, val):
        setattr(obj, self.keyname, val)

class A(object):
    f = ADescriptor('keyA')

class B(A):
    f = ADescriptor('keyB')

b = B()
b.f = 'b'
print super(B,b).f
super(B,b).f = 'a'

Last line doesn't work: super(B,b).f = 'a'

Why get works and analogous set doesn't? Can I set A's f in a more elegant way than A.dict['f'].set(b,'a')?

---

Corrected:

In a form given in my initial post A.f evaluates to keyname-named property of A (missing) or default 8192 - nothing to do with it. That's why I used A.dict['f'] - to exclude get call. Minor modification was required to let A.f be evaluated into needed ADescriptor instance:

def __get__(self, obj, objtype=None):
    if not obj:      #return descriptor itself if no bound object given
        return self
    return getattr(obj, self.keyname, 8192 )

In this case A.f.__set__(b,'a') works. But it's still ugly! @BiggAl offered property solution is not good for my needs - I would need to wrap all my descriptors in properies.

Answer 1

Surely A.f.__set__(b,'a') would work if A.__dict__['f'].__set__(b,'a') works? And then even A.f.b = 'a' aught to work, although you might have to specify it as a property if my memory serves me.

---

See the history to see a massive brainfart...

>>> class ADescriptor(object):
    def __init__(self, keyname='descr'):
        self.keyname = keyname
    def __get__(self, obj, objtype):
        return (self.keyname, getattr(obj, self.keyname, 8192 ))
    def __set__(self, obj, val):
        setattr(obj, self.keyname, val)

>>> class A(object):
    f = ADescriptor('keyA')


>>> class B(A):
        f = ADescriptor('keyB')


>>> a, b = A(), B()
>>> print (a.f, b.f, A.f, B.f)
(('keyA', 8192), ('keyB', 8192), ('keyA', 8192), ('keyB', 8192))
>>> b.f = 'b'
>>> print (a.f, b.f, A.f, B.f)
(('keyA', 8192), ('keyB', 'b'), ('keyA', 8192), ('keyB', 8192))
>>> A.f = 'a'
>>> print (a.f, b.f, A.f, B.f)
('a', ('keyB', 'b'), 'a', ('keyB', 8192))
>>> 

This is what you get right? ( I changed the __get__ for debugging, it should be changed back to how you had it)

What were you trying to do with super?