Overcoming Python's limitations regarding instance methods

Question

It seems that Python has some limitations regarding instance methods.

1. Instance methods can\'t be copied.
2. Instance methods can\'t be pickled.

Answer 1

You might be able to do this using copy_reg.pickle. In Python 2.6:

import copy_reg
import types

def reduce_method(m):
    return (getattr, (m.__self__, m.__func__.__name__))

copy_reg.pickle(types.MethodType, reduce_method)

This does not store the code of the method, just its name; but that will work correctly in the common case.

This makes both pickling and copying work!