How to access "__" (double underscore) variables in methods added to a class

user_5812582 0
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Background

I wish to use a meta class in order to add helper methods based on the original class. If the method I wish to add uses self.__attributeName I get an AttributeError (because of name mangling) but for an existing identical method this isn't a problem.

Code example

Here is a simplified example

# Function to be added as a method of Test
def newfunction2(self):
    """Function identical to newfunction"""
    print self.mouse
    print self._dog
    print self.__cat

class MetaTest(type):
    """Metaclass to process the original class and
    add new methods based on the original class
    """
    def __new__(meta, name, base, dct):
        newclass = super(MetaTest, meta).__new__(
                meta, name, base, dct
                )

        # Condition for adding newfunction2
        if "newfunction" in dct:
            print "Found newfunction!"
            print "Add newfunction2!"
            setattr(newclass, "newfunction2", newfunction2)

        return newclass

# Class to be modified by MetaTest
class Test(object):
    __metaclass__ = MetaTest

    def __init__(self):
        self.__cat = "cat"
        self._dog = "dog"
        self.mouse = "mouse"

    def newfunction(self):
        """Function identical to newfunction2"""
        print self.mouse
        print self._dog
        print self.__cat

T = Test()
T.newfunction()
T.newfunction2() # AttributeError: 'Test' object has no attribute '__cat'

Question

Is there a way of adding newfunction2 that could use self.__cat?

(Without renaming self.__cat to self._cat.)

And maybe something more fundamental, why isn't self.__cat being treated in the same way for both cases since newfunction2 is now part of Test?

metaprogramming class python
4 Answers
class B:
    def __init__(self):
        self.__private = 0 
    def __private_method(self):
        '''A private method via inheritance'''
        return ('{!r}'.format(self))
    def internal_method(self):
        return ('{!s}'.format(self))

class C(B):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.__private = 1
    def __private_method(self):
        return 'Am from class C'

c = C()
print(c.__dict__)
b = B()
print(b.__dict__)
print(b._B__private)
print(c._C__private_method())
user_122918370
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