Integrate Variant helper from PR #245 for type-specific Python algorithm registration by Copilot · Pull Request #6 · greenc-FNAL/phlex

Copilot · 2026-01-12T15:13:27Z

PR Framework-R-D#245 introduced a Variant helper to register generic Python algorithms with specific C++ type annotations. This PR integrates that functionality into the Python/C++ interface improvements from PR Framework-R-D#213.

Changes

Core Integration

Add test/python/variant.py - Wrapper class providing custom __annotations__ and __name__ for type-specific registration
Modify plugins/python/src/modulewrap.cpp - Detect and unwrap Variant via phlex_callable attribute in parse_args()
Update test/python/adder.py - Demonstrate usage with generic add() function registered as int-specific iadd

Code Cleanup (Outstanding PR Framework-R-D#213 Review Comments)

Remove commented-out mutex code throughout modulewrap.cpp (GIL already provides thread safety)
Remove debug print statements from verify_extended.py
Remove debug message() calls from CMakeLists.txt
Replace LaTeX $\leftrightarrow$ with Unicode ↔ in copilot-instructions.md

Example Usage

from variant import Variant

def add(i: Addable, j: Addable) -> Addable:
    return i + j

# Register with C++-compatible int annotations
int_adder = Variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")
m.transform(int_adder, input_family=config["input"], output_products=config["output"])

The C++ side extracts phlex_callable when present, enabling the same Python function to be registered multiple times with different type signatures.

Original prompt

Please incorporate the Variant helper defined in Framework-R-D#245 and use thereof into this branch (Framework-R-D#213) as suggested by Framework-R-D#213 (comment).

Also, examine outstanding review comments in Framework-R-D#213 and resolve the conversation where those comments have already been addressed.

💡 You can make Copilot smarter by setting up custom instructions, customizing its development environment and configuring Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. Learn more Copilot coding agent tips in the docs.

- Added variant.py helper from PR Framework-R-D#245 - Modified modulewrap.cpp to recognize Variant wrapper via phlex_callable - Updated adder.py to use Variant helper for type-specific registration - Removed debug print statements from verify_extended.py - Removed commented-out mutex code from modulewrap.cpp - Removed debug message() calls from CMakeLists.txt - Fixed LaTeX syntax in copilot-instructions.md (use Unicode ↔) Co-authored-by: greenc-FNAL <2372949+greenc-FNAL@users.noreply.github.com>

- Fixed docstring in adder.py to reference 'Addable' instead of 'Number' - Fixed error message in variant.py to use correct class name 'Variant' - Added clarifying comments in modulewrap.cpp about reference counting Co-authored-by: greenc-FNAL <2372949+greenc-FNAL@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR integrates the Variant helper from PR Framework-R-D#245 to enable type-specific Python algorithm registration while addressing outstanding code cleanup items from PR Framework-R-D#213 review comments.

Changes:

Adds new test/python/variant.py providing a wrapper class for registering generic Python algorithms with specific C++ type annotations
Modifies plugins/python/src/modulewrap.cpp to detect and unwrap Variant instances via the phlex_callable attribute
Updates test/python/adder.py to demonstrate Variant usage with a generic add function registered as int-specific iadd
Removes debug print statements, unused imports, and commented-out mutex code throughout the codebase
Replaces LaTeX symbols with Unicode in documentation

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 6 out of 6 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
`test/python/variant.py`	New wrapper class providing custom `__annotations__` and `__name__` for type-specific registration
`test/python/adder.py`	Demonstrates Variant usage by converting generic `add()` to int-specific `iadd`
`plugins/python/src/modulewrap.cpp`	Adds Variant unwrapping logic in `parse_args()` and removes commented-out mutex code
`test/python/verify_extended.py`	Removes debug print statements and unused `sys` import
`test/python/CMakeLists.txt`	Removes debug `message()` calls
`.github/copilot-instructions.md`	Replaces LaTeX $\leftrightarrow$ with Unicode `↔`

Copilot · 2026-01-12T16:49:34Z

test/python/variant.py

+            f"Variant '{self.__name__}' was called directly. "
+            f"The framework should extract phlex_callable instead."
+        )
+        return self.phlex_callable(*args, **kwargs)  # type: ignore


The file ends with a trailing blank line (line 80). According to the project's text formatting standards, all text files must have their final line be non-empty and terminated with a single newline character, leaving no trailing blank lines. Remove the blank line at the end of the file.

Copilot · 2026-01-12T16:49:35Z

test/python/variant.py

+        >>> def add(i: Number, j: Number) -> Number:
+        ...     return i + j
+        ...
+        >>> int_adder = variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")


The example code uses lowercase variant instead of the actual class name Variant. This would cause a NameError if someone tried to run this example.

Suggested change

>>> int_adder = variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")

>>> int_adder = Variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")

Copilot · 2026-01-12T16:49:35Z

test/python/adder.py

+
+
+class AddableProtocol[T](Protocol):
+    """Typer bound for any types that can be added."""


Typo in docstring: "Typer bound" should be "Type bound".

Suggested change

"""Typer bound for any types that can be added."""

"""Type bound for any types that can be added."""

Copilot · 2026-01-12T16:49:35Z

test/python/variant.py

+class Variant:
+    """Wrapper to associate custom annotations with a callable.
+
+    This class wraps a callable and provides custom ``__annotations__`` and
+    ``__name__`` attributes, allowing the same underlying function or callable
+    object to be registered multiple times with different type annotations.
+
+    By default, the provided callable is kept by reference, but can be cloned
+    (e.g. for callable instances) if requested.
+
+    Phlex will recognize the "phlex_callable" data member, allowing an unwrap
+    and thus saving an indirection. To detect performance degradation, the
+    wrapper is not callable by default.
+
+    Attributes:
+        phlex_callable (Callable): The underlying callable (public).
+        __annotations__ (dict): Type information of arguments and return product.
+        __name__ (str): The name associated with this variant.
+
+    Examples:
+        >>> def add(i: Number, j: Number) -> Number:
+        ...     return i + j
+        ...
+        >>> int_adder = variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        f: Callable,
+        annotations: dict[str, str | type | Any],
+        name: str,
+        clone: bool | str = False,
+        allow_call: bool = False,
+    ):
+        """Annotate the callable F.
+
+        Args:
+            f (Callable): Annotable function.
+            annotations (dict): Type information of arguments and return product.
+            name (str): Name to assign to this variant.
+            clone (bool|str): If True (or "deep"), creates a shallow (deep) copy
+                of the callable.
+            allow_call (bool): Allow this wrapper to forward to the callable.
+        """
+        if clone == 'deep':
+            self.phlex_callable = copy.deepcopy(f)
+        elif clone:
+            self.phlex_callable = copy.copy(f)
+        else:
+            self.phlex_callable = f
+        self.__annotations__ = annotations
+        self.__name__ = name
+        self._allow_call = allow_call
+
+    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Raises an error if called directly.
+
+        Variant instances should not be called directly. The framework should
+        extract ``phlex_callable`` instead and call that.
+
+        Raises:
+            AssertionError: To indicate incorrect usage, unless overridden.
+        """
+        assert self._allow_call, (
+            f"Variant '{self.__name__}' was called directly. "
+            f"The framework should extract phlex_callable instead."
+        )
+        return self.phlex_callable(*args, **kwargs)  # type: ignore


The new Variant class lacks test coverage. While adder.py demonstrates basic usage, there are no tests verifying:

That phlex_callable is correctly extracted and used by the framework

That the call method raises AssertionError when called directly

That clone functionality (shallow and deep copy) works correctly

That allow_call parameter works when set to True

Consider adding dedicated test cases for the Variant class to ensure the wrapper behaves correctly in various scenarios.

greenc-FNAL · 2026-01-12T18:02:41Z

@copilot I have merged this PR into Framework-R-D#213, and I'm currently hitting Python linter issues. Please analyze the latest state of Framework-R-D#213 and address the reported ruff and mypy issues.

Initial plan

1348f35

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and greenc-FNAL Jan 12, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of greenc-FNAL January 12, 2026 15:14 View session

Copilot AI and others added 2 commits January 12, 2026 15:20

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Incorporate Variant helper from pull request 245 into pull request 213~~ Integrate Variant helper from PR #245 for type-specific Python algorithm registration Jan 12, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from greenc-FNAL January 12, 2026 15:29

Copilot finished work on behalf of greenc-FNAL January 12, 2026 15:29

greenc-FNAL mentioned this pull request Jan 12, 2026

Improve test coverage for Python support Framework-R-D/phlex#213

Merged

greenc-FNAL marked this pull request as ready for review January 12, 2026 16:41

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 12, 2026 16:41

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of greenc-FNAL January 12, 2026 16:42 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jan 12, 2026

View reviewed changes

greenc-FNAL merged commit 885a947 into maintenance/improve-test-coverage Jan 12, 2026
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	>>> int_adder = variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")
	>>> int_adder = Variant(add, {"i": int, "j": int, "return": int}, "iadd")



		class AddableProtocol[T](Protocol):
		"""Typer bound for any types that can be added."""

	"""Typer bound for any types that can be added."""
	"""Type bound for any types that can be added."""

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