Don't force variables to have a name field .. but rather first check if

theano/scan_module/scan.py

@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ def scan( fn
                     # ^ explicitly provided a None for taps
                     warning (' Output %s ( index %d) has a initial state '
                              ' but taps is explicitly set to None ' % (
-                                 outs_info[i]['initial'].name
+                                 getattr(outs_info[i]['initial'],'name','None')
                                  , i) )
                 outs_info[i]['taps'] = [-1]
         else:
@@ -416,12 +416,10 @@ def scan( fn
                 nw_slice = seq['input'][0].type()
                 actual_slice = seq['input'][k-mintap]
 
-                if not hasattr(seq['input'],'name'):
-                    raise TypeError('Expected object with a "name" field, got '+str(seq)+"['input'] = "+str(seq['input']))
 
                 # Add names to slices for debugging and pretty printing ..
                 # that is if the input already has a name
-                if seq['input'].name:
+                if getattr(seq['input'],'name', None) is not None:
                     if k > 0:
                         nw_name = seq['input'].name + '[t+%d]'%k
                     elif k == 0:
@@ -481,7 +479,7 @@ def scan( fn
 
     # Add names -- it helps a lot when debugging
     for (nw_seq, seq) in zip(scan_seqs, seqs):
-        if seq['input'].name:
+        if getattr(seq['input'],'name', None) is not None:
             nw_seq.name = seq['input'].name + '[%d:]'%k
 
     # Conventions :
@@ -534,7 +532,7 @@ def scan( fn
 
             actual_arg = init_out['initial']
             arg = safe_new(init_out['initial'])
-            if init_out['initial'].name:
+            if getattr(init_out['initial'],'name', None) is not None:
                 arg.name = init_out['initial'].name+'[t-1]'
             # We need now to allocate space for storing the output and copy
             # the initial state over. We do this using the expand function
@@ -579,7 +577,7 @@ def scan( fn
                 nw_slice = init_out['initial'][0].type()
 
                 # give it a name or debugging and pretty printing
-                if init_out['initial'].name:
+                if getattr(init_out['initial'],'name', None) is not None:
                     if k > 0:
                         nw_slice.name = ( init_out['initial'].name +
                                             '[t+%d]'%k )
@@ -746,7 +744,7 @@ def scan( fn
     for input in dummy_f.maker.expanded_inputs:
         if isinstance(input.variable, SharedVariable) and input.update:
             new_var = safe_new(input.variable)
-            if input.variable.name:
+            if getattr(input.variable,'name', None) is not None:
                 new_var.name = input.variable.name + '_copy'
             shared_inner_inputs.append( new_var )
             shared_scan_inputs.append( input.variable )
@@ -777,7 +775,7 @@ def scan( fn
     ## Step 5.6 all shared variables with no update rules
     def new_variable( v ):
         new_v = safe_new(v)
-        if v.name:
+        if getattr(v,'name', None) is not None:
             new_v.name = v.name + '_copy'
         return new_v
     other_inner_args += [ new_variable(arg) for arg in non_seqs

theano/scan_module/scan_op.py

@@ -226,10 +226,10 @@ class Scan(Op):
         for idx in xrange(self.n_seqs):
             if inputs[1+idx].dtype != self.inputs[idx].dtype:
                 raise ValueError(err_msg1%( 'Sequence'
-                                       , inputs[1+idx].name
+                                       , str(inputs[1+idx])
                                        , idx
                                        , inputs[1+idx].dtype
-                                       , self.inputs[idx].name
+                                       , str(self.inputs[idx])
                                        , self.inputs[idx].dtype) )
 
         # Check that this 3 things have the same dtype for mit_mot:
@@ -246,10 +246,10 @@ class Scan(Op):
             for k in self.tap_array[index-start]:
                 if inputs[index].dtype != self.inputs[index_i].dtype:
                     raise ValueError(err_msg1%( 'Initial state'
-                                               , inputs[index].name
+                                               , str(inputs[index])
                                                , index
                                                , inputs[index].dtype
-                                               , self.inputs[index_i].name
+                                               , str(self.inputs[index_i])
                                                , self.inputs[index_i].dtype) )
                 index_i += 1
             for k in self.mit_mot_out_slices[index-start]:
@@ -266,14 +266,14 @@ class Scan(Op):
             for k in self.tap_array[index-start]:
                 if inputs[index].dtype != self.inputs[index_i].dtype:
                     raise ValueError(err_msg1%( 'Initial state'
-                                               , inputs[index].name
+                                               , str(inputs[index])
                                                , index
                                                , inputs[index].dtype
-                                               , self.inputs[index_i].name
+                                               , str(self.inputs[index_i])
                                                , self.inputs[index_i].dtype) )
                 index_i += 1
             if inputs[index].dtype != self.outputs[index_o].dtype:
-                raise ValueError(err_msg2%( inputs[index].name
+                raise ValueError(err_msg2%( str(inputs[index])
                                            , index
                                            , inputs[index].dtype
                                            , self.outputs[index_o].dtype) )
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class Scan(Op):
         while index < end:
             if (hasattr(inputs[index],'dtype') and
                 inputs[index].dtype != self.outputs[index_o].dtype):
-                raise ValueError(err_msg2%( inputs[index].name
+                raise ValueError(err_msg2%( str(inputs[index])
                                            , index
                                            , inputs[index].dtype
                                            , self.outputs[index_o].dtype) )
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ class Scan(Op):
                 g_out_slices.append(g_outs_no_shared[dx][0])
             else:
                 g_out_slices.append(None)
-            if out.name:
+            if getattr(out,'name',None) is not None:
                 inner_g_out.name = 'g_'+out.name
             else:
                 inner_g_out.name = 'g_'+str(dx)
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ class Scan(Op):
                     nw_seq = seq[dim_offset +k -mintap: -(maxtap -k)]
                 else:
                     nw_seq = seq[dim_offset +k -mintap: ]
-                if seq.name:
+                if getattr(seq,'name', None) is not None:
                     nw_seq.name = seq.name + '[%d:]'%k
                 scan_seqs.append(nw_seq)