Added thorough documentation to Record and RecordMode classes.

theano/tests/record.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from theano.compile import Mode
 import theano
 from theano.printing import hex_digest
 
+
 class MismatchError(Exception):
     """
     Raised by Record.handle_line when the
@@ -15,8 +16,52 @@ class MismatchError(Exception):
     of a record.
     """
 
+
 class Record(object):
+    """
+    Records a sequence of strings (from a string buffer). These can then be
+    compared to another sequence of strings, and if the two sequences don't
+    match a mismatch exception is raised.
+
+    Example:
+       # Create a Record object and store 'hello world' inside it
+       output = cStringIO.StringIO()
+       recorder = Record(file_object=output, replay=False)
+       recorder.handle_line('hello world \n')
+
+       # Store the previous output
+       output_value = output.getvalue()
+       output = cStringIO.StringIO(output_value)
+
+       # Create another Record object, now in playback mode, and set
+       # it to the previous sequence of strings
+       playback_checker = Record(file_object=output,  replay=True)
+
+       # Check if it matches the previous one
+       playback_checker.handle_line('hello world \n')
+
+       # Now check if it the next item matches something else. This will
+       # throw an exception because there is no next item
+       playback_checker.handle_line('hello new world \n')
+    """
+
     def __init__(self, file_object=None, file_path=None, replay=False):
+        """
+        Initializes Record object to use file on disc and whether it is in
+        replay mode or not.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        file_object : StringIO
+            The input string buffer.
+        file_path : string, optional
+            File to save Record to.
+        replay : bool, optional
+            Determines whether or not the object is in playback mode. If not
+            in playback mode, the content of record will be written to the
+            file. If in playback mode, the content of file is loaded into the
+            record.
+        """
 
         assert file_object is not None or file_path is not None
 
@@ -30,6 +75,18 @@ class Record(object):
         self.__dict__.update(locals())
 
     def handle_line(self, line):
+        """
+        If not in playback mode, it records a new string. If in playback mode,
+        it compares the current string to the next element in the sequence.
+        If these are identical the element is removed and otherwise a mismatch
+        exception is raised.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        line : string
+            The string to record.
+        """
+
         assert line.endswith('\n')
         assert line[:-2].find('\n') == -1
         if self.replay:
@@ -50,20 +107,62 @@ class Record(object):
         else:
             self.f.write(line)
 
+
 class RecordMode(Mode):
     """
-    Records all computations done with a function in a file at output_path
-    Prints the index of each apply node and md5 digests of the numpy ndarrays
-    it receives as inputs and produces as outputs.
+    Records all computations done with a function in a file at output_path.
+    Writes into the file the index of each apply node and md5 digests of the
+    numpy ndarrays it receives as inputs and produces as output.
+
+    Example:
+       # We use RecordMode to test that the computation of a function is
+       identical. Create a Record object and use it to initialize a
+       RecordMode object.
+       output = cStringIO.StringIO()
+       record = Record(file_object=output, replay=False)
+       record_mode = RecordMode(record)
+
+       # Then call the function you wish to test, which uses Apply nodes,
+       # with record_mode as first parameter to record all the computations
+       # to file.
+       ...
+
+       # Create a new RecordMode object and initialize it with the previous
+       # record.
+       output = cStringIO.StringIO(output.getvalue())
+       playback = Record(file_object=output, replay=True)
+       playback_mode = RecordMode(playback)
+
+       # Call the function to test again with record_mode as first parameter.
+       # An exception will be thrown if the recorded computations are not
+       # identical between the two runs.
+       ...
+
     """
 
     def set_record(self, record):
+        """
+        Configure object to use an existing Record object.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        record : Record
+            The Record object to use.
+        """
+
         self.record = record
         self.known_fgraphs = set([])
 
     def __init__(self, record = None, **kwargs):
         """
         Takes either a Record object or the keyword arguments to make one.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        record : Record
+            The existing Record object to use.
+        kwargs : pointer?
+            Keyword arguments to construct new object.
         """
 
         if record is None:
@@ -73,15 +172,26 @@ class RecordMode(Mode):
 
         self.set_record(record)
 
-
         def handle_line(line, i, node, fn):
+            """
+            Records new node computation.
+
+            Parameters
+            ----------
+            line : string
+                Name of function?
+            i : integer?
+                unique id of node?
+            node : ???
+            fn : ???
+            """
             try:
                 self.record.handle_line(line)
             except MismatchError, e:
                 print 'Got this MismatchError:'
                 print e
                 print 'while processing node i='+str(i)+':'
-                print 'str(node):',str(node)
+                print 'str(node):', str(node)
                 print 'Symbolic inputs: '
                 for elem in node.inputs:
                     print theano.printing.min_informative_str(elem)
@@ -94,6 +204,9 @@ class RecordMode(Mode):
                 raise MismatchError("Non-determinism detected by WrapLinker")
 
         def callback(i, node, fn):
+            """
+            Function called by Apply nodes at the end of each computation?
+            """
 
             fgraph = node.fgraph
 
@@ -103,17 +216,21 @@ class RecordMode(Mode):
                                  "running during the playback.")
 
             if fgraph not in self.known_fgraphs:
-                assert not any([elem.name == fgraph.name for elem in self.known_fgraphs])
+                assert not any([elem.name == fgraph.name
+                                for elem in self.known_fgraphs])
                 self.known_fgraphs.add(fgraph)
                 num_app = len(fgraph.apply_nodes)
-                line = 'Function '+fgraph.name+' has '+str(num_app)+' apply nodes.\n'
+                line = 'Function '+fgraph.name+' has ' + str(num_app) \
+                       + ' apply nodes.\n'
                 handle_line(line, i, node, fn)
 
             line = 'Function name: '+fgraph.name + '\n'
             handle_line(line, i, node, fn)
             line = 'Node '+str(i)+':'+str(node)+'\n'
             handle_line(line, i, node, fn)
-            assert all([isinstance(x, list) and len(x) == 1 for x in fn.inputs])
+            assert all([isinstance(x, list)
+                        and len(x) == 1 for x in fn.inputs])
+
             def digest(x):
                 x = x[0]
                 return hex_digest(x)
@@ -125,7 +242,7 @@ class RecordMode(Mode):
             line = 'Outputs: ' + outputs_digest + '\n'
             handle_line(line, i, node, fn)
 
-        #linker = theano.gof.OpWiseCLinker()
+        # linker = theano.gof.OpWiseCLinker()
         linker = theano.gof.vm.VM_Linker(use_cloop=bool(theano.config.cxx))
 
         wrap_linker = theano.gof.WrapLinkerMany([linker], [callback])