Passing a lambda function as a variable to another function in timeit

Question

I have a Python function called func that I am trying to time using timeit.

func takes an argument, f, that is also a function. In the program I'm writing, it's a lambda function, but it can be a regularly defined function as well. What matters is that the source code for this function is not available to func, all that's available is a reference to it.

What I'm trying to do:

def testTimingOfFunc(f):
    time = timeit.timeit("package.func(f)", "from src import package")

I get an error that says that f isn't defined.

Everything else is working correctly. When I call:

testTimingOfFunc('lambda x:x**2')

and change the function to:

def testTimingOfFunc(f):
    time = timeit.timeit("package.func(" + str(f) + ")",
                         "from src import package")

everything works as it should, so I know that everything regarding the timeit function is fine.

That's not how testTimingOfFunc works though; A function reference gets passed in, not a string.

Any ideas on how I can pass f as an argument to func in timeit?

SingleNegationElimination · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-22 23:33:15Z

5

timeit can be called with a python callable value: just change your method to:

from src import package
import functools

def testTimingOfFunc(f):
    time = timeit.timeit(functools.partial(package.func, f))

answered Oct 22, 2012 at 23:33

SingleNegationElimination

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Comments

John La Rooy · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-23 00:16:39Z

1

You could store a reference to f in the namespace of package. Be careful that you don't have name conflicts though

def testTimingOfFunc(f):
    from src import package
    package.f = f
    time = timeit.timeit("package.func(package.f)", "from src import package")

edited Oct 23, 2012 at 0:16

answered Oct 23, 2012 at 0:11

John La Rooy

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Comments

Joel Cornett · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-22 23:34:47Z

0

timeit.Timer accepts a no-argument function as one of its parameters:

def tester(f):
    from src import package
    def wrapper():
        package.func(f)
    return wrapper

def foo(x):
    return x * 2

print(timeit.timeit(tester(foo)))

answered Oct 22, 2012 at 23:34

Joel Cornett

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