Python: Generic getters and setters

Question

TL;DR: Having to define a unique set of getters and setters for each property()\'d variable sucks. Can I define generic getters and setters and use them with whatever

Answer 1

This is what the descriptor protocol property is based on is for:

class Sasicorn(object):                              
    def __init__(self, attr):                        
        self.attr = "_" + attr                       
    def __get__(self, obj, objtype):                 
        return getattr(obj, self.attr) + ' sasquatch'
    def __set__(self, obj, value):                   
        setattr(obj, self.attr, value + ' unicorns') 

class Foo(object):                                   
    def __init__(self, value = "bar"):               
        self.bar = value                             
        self.baz = "baz"                             
    bar = Sasicorn('bar')                            
    baz = Sasicorn('baz')                            

foo = Foo()                                          
foo2 = Foo('other')                                  
print foo.bar                                        
# prints bar unicorns sasquatch
print foo.baz                                        
# prints baz unicorns sasquatch
print foo2.bar                                       
# prints other unicorns sasquatch

While property in a factory function may be fine for your toy example, it sounds like maybe you need more control for your real use case.