Is it possible to numpy.vectorize an instance method?

Question

I've found that the numpy.vectorize allows one to convert 'ordinary' functions which expect a single number as input to a function which can also convert a list of inputs into a list in which the function has been mapped to each input. For example, the following tests pass:

import numpy as np
import pytest


@np.vectorize
def f(x):
    if x == 0:
        return 1
    else:
        return 2


def test_1():
    assert list(f([0, 1, 2])) == [1, 2, 2]

def test_2():
    assert f(0) == 1

if __name__ == "__main__":
    pytest.main([__file__])

However, I've not been able to get this to work for an instance method which makes use of an instance attribute. For example:

class Dummy(object):
    def __init__(self, val=1):
        self.val = val

    @np.vectorize
    def f(self, x):
        if x == 0:
            return self.val
        else:
            return 2


def test_3():
    assert list(Dummy().f([0, 1, 2])) == [1, 2, 2]

This test fails:

=================================== FAILURES ===================================
____________________________________ test_3 ____________________________________

    def test_3():
>       assert list(Dummy().f([0, 1, 2])) == [1, 2, 2]

test_numpy_vectorize.py:31: 
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 
/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/site-packages/numpy/lib/function_base.py:2739: in __call__
    return self._vectorize_call(func=func, args=vargs)
/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/lib/python3.6/site-packages/numpy/lib/function_base.py:2809: in _vectorize_call
    ufunc, otypes = self._get_ufunc_and_otypes(func=func, args=args)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

self = <numpy.lib.function_base.vectorize object at 0x106546470>
func = <function Dummy.f at 0x10653a2f0>, args = [array([0, 1, 2])]

    def _get_ufunc_and_otypes(self, func, args):
        """Return (ufunc, otypes)."""
        # frompyfunc will fail if args is empty
        if not args:
            raise ValueError('args can not be empty')

        if self.otypes is not None:
            otypes = self.otypes
            nout = len(otypes)

            # Note logic here: We only *use* self._ufunc if func is self.pyfunc
            # even though we set self._ufunc regardless.
            if func is self.pyfunc and self._ufunc is not None:
                ufunc = self._ufunc
            else:
                ufunc = self._ufunc = frompyfunc(func, len(args), nout)
        else:
            # Get number of outputs and output types by calling the function on
            # the first entries of args.  We also cache the result to prevent
            # the subsequent call when the ufunc is evaluated.
            # Assumes that ufunc first evaluates the 0th elements in the input
            # arrays (the input values are not checked to ensure this)
            args = [asarray(arg) for arg in args]
            if builtins.any(arg.size == 0 for arg in args):
                raise ValueError('cannot call `vectorize` on size 0 inputs '
                                 'unless `otypes` is set')

            inputs = [arg.flat[0] for arg in args]
>           outputs = func(*inputs)
E           TypeError: f() missing 1 required positional argument: 'x'

Is it possible to apply numpy.vectorize to an instance method?

Answer 1

Simple solution without modifying the class

You can use np.vectorize directly on the method on the instance:

class Dummy(object):

    def __init__(self, val=1):
        self.val = val

    def f(self, x):
        if x == 0:
            return self.val
        else:
            return 2


vec_f = np.vectorize(Dummy().f) 


def test_3():
    assert list(vec_f([0, 1, 2])) == [1, 2, 2]

test_3()

You can also create a vectorized function vec_f in your __init__:

Adding a vectorized version to the instance

class Dummy(object):

    def __init__(self, val=1):
        self.val = val
        self.vec_f = np.vectorize(self.f) 

    def f(self, x):
        if x == 0:
            return self.val
        else:
            return 2


def test_3():
    assert list(Dummy().vec_f([0, 1, 2])) == [1, 2, 2]

or with a different naming scheme:

class Dummy(object):

    def __init__(self, val=1):
        self.val = val
        self.f = np.vectorize(self.scalar_f) 

    def scalar_f(self, x):
        if x == 0:
            return self.val
        else:
            return 2


def test_3():
    assert list(Dummy().f([0, 1, 2])) == [1, 2, 2]

test_3()

    test_3()