4.8. Dataclass Metadata

def field(*,
          default: Any,
          default_factory: Callable,
          init: bool = True,
          repr: bool = True,
          hash: bool|None = None,
          compare: bool = True,
          metadata: dict = None) -> None

4.8.1. SetUp

>>> from dataclasses import dataclass, field

4.8.2. Syntax

>>> @dataclass
... class User:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: int = field(metadata={'min': 27, 'max': 50})
...     role: str = field(metadata={'choices': ['user', 'staff', 'admin']})
...     height: float = field(metadata={'unit': 'cm'})
...     weight: float = field(metadata={'unit': 'kg'})

4.8.3. Validation

>>> @dataclass
... class User:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: int = field(default=None, metadata={'min': 27, 'max': 50})
...
...     def __post_init__(self):
...         AGE_MIN = self.__dataclass_fields__['age'].metadata['min']
...         AGE_MAX = self.__dataclass_fields__['age'].metadata['max']
...
...         if self.age not in range(AGE_MIN, AGE_MAX):
...             raise ValueError('Invalid age')
>>>
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=99)
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: Invalid age

4.8.4. Use Case - 0x01

  • Validation

>>> from dataclasses import dataclass, field, KW_ONLY
>>> from datetime import date, time, datetime, timezone, timedelta
>>>
>>>
>>> @dataclass
... class Group:
...     gid: int
...     name: str
>>>
>>>
>>> @dataclass(frozen=True)
... class User:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     _: KW_ONLY
...     birthdate: date
...     job: str = 'admin'
...     role: str = field(default='user', metadata={'choices': ['user', 'staff']})
...     age: int | None = None
...     height: int | float | None = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'cm', 'min': 156, 'max': 210})
...     weight: int | float | None = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'kg', 'min': 50, 'max': 90})
...     role: list[str] = field(default_factory=lambda: ['user', 'staff', 'admin'])
...     friends: dict[str,str] = field(default_factory=dict)
...     assignments: list[str] | None = field(default=None, metadata={'choices': ['Apollo18', 'Ares3', 'STS-136']})
...     missions: list[Group] = field(default_factory=list)
...     experience: timedelta = timedelta(hours=0)
...     account_last_login: datetime | None = None
...     account_created: datetime = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc)
...     AGE_MIN: int = field(default=30, init=False, repr=False)
...     AGE_MAX: int = field(default=50, init=False, repr=False)
...
...     def __post_init__(self):
...         HEIGHT_MIN = self.__dataclass_fields__['height'].metadata['min']
...         HEIGHT_MAX = self.__dataclass_fields__['height'].metadata['max']
...         WEIGHT_MIN = self.__dataclass_fields__['weight'].metadata['min']
...         WEIGHT_MAX = self.__dataclass_fields__['weight'].metadata['max']
...         if not HEIGHT_MIN <= self.height < HEIGHT_MAX:
...             raise ValueError(f'Height {self.height} is not in between {HEIGHT_MIN} and {HEIGHT_MAX}')
...         if not WEIGHT_MIN <= self.weight < WEIGHT_MAX:
...             raise ValueError(f'Height {self.weight} is not in between {WEIGHT_MIN} and {WEIGHT_MAX}')
...         if self.age not in range(self.AGE_MIN, self.AGE_MAX):
...             raise ValueError('Age is not valid for an user')
>>>
>>>
>>> mark = User(
...     firstname='Mark',
...     lastname='Watney',
...     birthdate=date(1961, 4, 12),
...     age=42,
...     height=178.0,
...     weight=75.5,
...     assignments=['STS-136'],
...     missions=[Group(gid=1, name='admin'),
...               Group(gid=2, name='staff')],
... )
>>>
>>> print(mark)  
User(firstname='Mark', lastname='Watney', birthdate=datetime.date(1961, 4, 12),
          job='admin', role='user', age=42, height=178.0, weight=75.5,
          role=['user', 'staff', 'admin'], friends={}, assignments=['STS-136'],
          missions=[Group(gid=1, name='admin'), Group(gid=2, name='staff')],
          experience=datetime.timedelta(0), account_last_login=None,
          account_created=datetime.datetime(1969, 7, 21, 2, 56, 15, 123456, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc))

4.8.5. Use Case - 0x02

  • Setattr

>>> from dataclasses import dataclass, field
>>>
>>>
>>> @dataclass
... class User:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: float = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'year', 'min': 30, 'max': 50})
...     height: float = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'cm', 'min': 156, 'max': 210})
...     weight: float = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'kg', 'min': 50, 'max': 90})
...
...     def __setattr__(self, attrname, attrvalue):
...         if attrvalue is None:
...             return super().__setattr__(attrname, attrvalue)
...         try:
...             min = User.__dataclass_fields__[attrname].metadata['min']
...             max = User.__dataclass_fields__[attrname].metadata['max']
...         except KeyError:
...             # field does not have min and max metadata
...             pass
...         else:
...             assert min <= attrvalue < max, f'{attrname} value {attrvalue} is not between {min} and {max}'
...         finally:
...             super().__setattr__(attrname, attrvalue)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> User('Mark', 'Watney')
User(firstname='Mark', lastname='Watney', age=None, height=None, weight=None)
>>>
>>> User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42)
User(firstname='Mark', lastname='Watney', age=42, height=None, weight=None)
>>>
>>> User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, height=178.0, weight=75.5)
User(firstname='Mark', lastname='Watney', age=42, height=178.0, weight=75.5)
>>>
>>> User('Mark', 'Watney', age=99)
Traceback (most recent call last):
AssertionError: age value 99 is not between 30 and 50
>>>
>>> User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=200)
Traceback (most recent call last):
AssertionError: weight value 200 is not between 50 and 90
>>>
>>> User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, height=120)
Traceback (most recent call last):
AssertionError: height value 120 is not between 156 and 210

4.8.6. Use Case - 0x03

>>> from dataclasses import field, dataclass
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> @dataclass
... class User:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: int = field(metadata={'unit': 'year', 'type': 'range', 'min': 30, 'max': 50})
...     height: float = field(metadata={'unit': 'cm', 'type': 'range', 'min': 150, 'max': 200})
...     weight: float = field(metadata={'unit': 'kg', 'type': 'range', 'min': 50, 'max': 90})
...     group: str = field(metadata={'type': 'choice', 'options': ['user', 'staff', 'admin']})
...
...     def __post_init__(self):
...         for fieldname, field in self.__dataclass_fields__.items():
...             if not hasattr(field, 'metadata'):
...                 continue
...             if 'type' not in field.metadata:
...                 continue
...             value = getattr(self, field.name)
...             match field.metadata['type']:
...                 case 'range': self._validate_range(field, value)
...                 case 'choice': self._validate_choice(field, value)
...
...     def _validate_range(self, field, value):
...         min = field.metadata['min']
...         max = field.metadata['max']
...         if not min <= value < max:
...             raise ValueError(f'{field.name} value ({value}) is not between {min} and {max}')
...
...     def _validate_choice(self, field, value):
...         options = field.metadata['options']
...         if value not in options:
...             raise ValueError(f'{field.name} value ({value}) not in options: {options}')
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=178.0, group='user')
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=178.0, group='staff')
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=178.0, group='root')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: group value (root) not in options: ['user', 'staff', 'admin']
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=178.0, group='user')
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=100, group='user')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: height value (100) is not between 150 and 200
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=210, group='user')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: height value (210) is not between 150 and 200
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, weight=75.5, height=178.0, group='user')
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=20, weight=75.5, height=178.0, group='user')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: age value (20) is not between 30 and 50
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=99, weight=75, height=178.0, group='user')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: age value (99) is not between 30 and 50

4.8.7. Use Case - 0x03

>>> from dataclasses import dataclass, field
>>>
>>>
>>> @dataclass
... class User:
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: int = field(default=None, metadata={'type': 'range', 'unit': 'year', 'min': 30, 'max': 50})
...     height: float | None = field(default=None, metadata={'type': 'range', 'unit': 'cm',  'min': 156, 'max': 210})
...     group: str | None = field(default='user', metadata={'type': 'choice', 'options': ['user', 'staff', 'admin']})
...
...     def _validate_range(self, attrname, value):
...         min = self.__dataclass_fields__[attrname].metadata['min']
...         max = self.__dataclass_fields__[attrname].metadata['max']
...         if value and not min <= value <= max:
...             raise ValueError(f'Attribute {attrname} is not between {min} and {max}')
...
...     def _validate_choice(self, attrname, value):
...         options = self.__dataclass_fields__[attrname].metadata['options']
...         if options and value not in options:
...             raise ValueError(f'Attribute {attrname} is not a good choice, options are: {options}')
...
...     def __setattr__(self, attrname, value):
...         try:
...             attrtype = self.__dataclass_fields__[attrname].metadata['type']
...         except KeyError:
...             return super().__setattr__(attrname, value)
...         match attrtype:
...             case 'range':   self._validate_range(attrname, value)
...             case 'choice': self._validate_choice(attrname, value)
...             case _: raise NotImplementedError
>>>
>>>
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney')
>>>
>>> mark
User(firstname='Mark', lastname='Watney', age=None, height=None, group='user')
>>>
>>> mark.group = 'staff'
>>> mark.group = 'root'
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: Attribute group is not a good choice, options are: ['user', 'staff', 'admin']
>>>
>>> mark.age = 42
>>> mark.age = 69
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: Attribute age is not between 30 and 50

4.8.8. Use Case - 0x04

>>> 
... from __future__ import annotations
... from dataclasses import dataclass, field
... from sqlalchemy import Column, ForeignKey, Integer, String
... from sqlalchemy.orm import registry, relationship
...
... mapper_registry = registry()
...
...
... @mapper_registry.mapped
... @dataclass
... class User:
...     __tablename__ = "user"
...     __sa_dataclass_metadata_key__ = "db"
...
...     id: int = field(init=False, metadata={"db": Column(Integer, primary_key=True)})
...     name: str = field(default=None, metadata={"db": Column(String(50))})
...     fullname: str = field(default=None, metadata={"db": Column(String(50))})
...     nickname: str = field(default=None, metadata={"db": Column(String(12))})
...     addresses: list[Address] = field(default_factory=list, metadata={"db": relationship("Address")})
...
...
... @mapper_registry.mapped
... @dataclass
... class Address:
...     __tablename__ = "address"
...     __sa_dataclass_metadata_key__ = "db"
...
...     id: int = field(init=False, metadata={"db": Column(Integer, primary_key=True)})
...     user_id: int = field(init=False, metadata={"db": Column(ForeignKey("user.id"))})
...     email_address: str = field(default=None, metadata={"db": Column(String(50))})

4.8.9. Use Case - 0x05

>>> from dataclasses import dataclass, field
>>> @dataclass
... class BaseModel:
...     def _validate_range(self, fieldname, field):
...         value = getattr(self, fieldname)
...         MIN = field.metadata['min']
...         MAX = field.metadata['max']
...         if not MIN <= value < MAX:
...             raise ValueError(f'{fieldname} value ({value}) not between {MIN} and {MAX}')
...
...     def _validate_choice(self, fieldname, field):
...         value = getattr(self, fieldname)
...         OPTIONS = field.metadata['options']
...         if value not in OPTIONS:
...             raise ValueError(f'{fieldname} value ({value}) not in {OPTIONS}')
...
...     def __post_init__(self):
...         for fieldname, field in self.__dataclass_fields__.items():
...             if 'type' in field.metadata:
...                 match field.metadata['type']:
...                     case 'range': self._validate_range(fieldname, field)
...                     case 'choice': self._validate_choice(fieldname, field)
...                     case _: raise TypeError
>>> @dataclass
... class User(BaseModel):
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: int = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'year', 'type': 'range', 'min': 30, 'max': 50, 'database': 'SmallPositiveInteger'})
...     height: float = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'cm', 'type': 'range', 'min': 150, 'max': 210, 'database':'Decimal(3,2)'})
...     weight: float = field(default=None, metadata={'unit': 'kg', 'type': 'range', 'min': 55, 'max': 85, 'database':'Decimal(3,2)'})
...     group: str = field(default=None, metadata={'type': 'choice', 'options': ['user', 'staff', 'admin'], 'database':'VarChar(30)'})
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, height=178.0, weight=75.5, group='user')
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, height=178.0, weight=75.5, group='root')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: group value (root) not in ['user', 'staff', 'admin']
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=42, height=178.0, weight=90, group='user')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: weight value (90) not between 55 and 85
>>> mark = User('Mark', 'Watney', age=69, height=178.0, weight=75.5, group='user')
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: age value (69) not between 30 and 50

4.8.10. Use Case - 0x06

>>> from dataclasses import dataclass, field
>>>
>>>
>>> @dataclass
... class Date:
...     gid: int = field(metadata={'type': 'range', 'min': 1902, 'max': 2038})
...     month: str = field(metadata={'type': 'choice', 'options': ['Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr']})
...     day: int = field(metadata={'type': 'range', 'min': 1, 'max': 31})
...
...     def _validate_range(self, field):
...         min = self.__dataclass_fields__[field].metadata['min']
...         max = self.__dataclass_fields__[field].metadata['max']
...         value = getattr(self, field)
...         if not min <= value <= max:
...             raise ValueError(f'Field {field} value {value} is not between {min} and {max}')
...
...     def _validate_choice(self, field):
...         options = self.__dataclass_fields__[field].metadata['options']
...         value = getattr(self, field)
...         if value not in options:
...             raise ValueError(f'Field {field} value {value} not in {options}')
...
...     def __post_init__(self):
...         for attrname, field in self.__dataclass_fields__.items():
...             match field.metadata['type']:
...                 case 'range': self._validate_range(attrname)
...                 case 'choice': self._validate_choice(attrname)
...                 case _: raise NotImplementedError
>>> d = Date(1969, 'Feb', 30)
>>> d = Date(1969, 'Feb', 33)
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: Field day value 33 is not between 1 and 31
>>> d = Date(1969, 'XYZ', 33)
Traceback (most recent call last):
ValueError: Field month value XYZ not in ['Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr']

4.8.11. Use Case - 0x07

>>> import logging
>>> from abc import ABC
>>> from dataclasses import field, dataclass
>>> from datetime import datetime, timezone
>>> from uuid import uuid4
>>>
>>> DEBUG = True
>>>
>>> @dataclass
... class BaseModel(ABC):
...     def _validate_range(self, fieldname):
...         MIN = self.__dataclass_fields__[fieldname].metadata['min']
...         MAX = self.__dataclass_fields__[fieldname].metadata['max']
...         UNIT = self.__dataclass_fields__[fieldname].metadata['unit']
...         value = getattr(self, fieldname)
...         if not MIN <= value <= MAX:
...             raise ValueError(f'Field `{fieldname}` not between {MIN} and {MAX}.'
...                              f'Please remember that values need to be in {UNIT}')
...
...     def _validate_choice(self, fieldname):
...         OPTIONS = self.__dataclass_fields__[fieldname].metadata['options']
...         value = getattr(self, fieldname)
...         if value not in OPTIONS:
...             raise ValueError(f'Field `{fieldname}` not in {OPTIONS}')
...
...     def __post_init__(self):
...         if DEBUG:
...             self._since = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc)
...             self._uuid = str(uuid4())
...             self._log = logging.getLogger(self.__class__.__name__)
...
...         for fieldname in self.__dataclass_fields__.keys():
...             match self.__dataclass_fields__[fieldname].metadata.get('type'):
...                 case 'range': self._validate_range(fieldname)
...                 case 'choice': self._validate_choice(fieldname)
...                 case _: continue

Define a model:

>>> @dataclass
... class User(BaseModel):
...     firstname: str
...     lastname: str
...     age: int = field(metadata={'type':'range', 'min':30, 'max':50, 'unit':'years'})
...     weight: float = field(metadata={'type':'range', 'min':50, 'max':100, 'unit':'kg'})
...     height: float = field(metadata={'type':'range', 'min':150, 'max':200, 'unit':'cm'})
...     group: str = field(metadata={'type':'choice', 'options':['users','staff','admins']})

Use:

>>> mark = User(
...     firstname='Mark',
...     lastname='Watney',
...     age=40,
...     weight=75.5,
...     height=185.0,
...     group='users',
... )