Use numpy array in shared memory for multiprocessing

I would like to use a numpy array in shared memory for use with the multiprocessing module. The difficulty is using it like a numpy array, and not just as a ctypes array.

from multiprocessing import Process, Array
import scipy

def f(a):
    a[0] = -a[0]

if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Create the array
    N = int(10)
    unshared_arr = scipy.rand(N)
    arr = Array('d', unshared_arr)
    print "Originally, the first two elements of arr = %s"%(arr[:2])

    # Create, start, and finish the child processes
    p = Process(target=f, args=(arr,))
    p.start()
    p.join()

    # Printing out the changed values
    print "Now, the first two elements of arr = %s"%arr[:2]

This produces output such as:

Originally, the first two elements of arr = [0.3518653236697369, 0.517794725524976]
Now, the first two elements of arr = [-0.3518653236697369, 0.517794725524976]

The array can be accessed in a ctypes manner, e.g. arr[i] makes sense. However, it is not a numpy array, and I cannot perform operations such as -1*arr, or arr.sum(). I suppose a solution would be to convert the ctypes array into a numpy array. However (besides not being able to make this work), I don't believe it would be shared anymore.

It seems there would be a standard solution to what has to be a common problem.

To add to @unutbu's (not available anymore) and @Henry Gomersall's answers. You could use shared_arr.get_lock() to synchronize access when needed:

shared_arr = mp.Array(ctypes.c_double, N)
# ...
def f(i): # could be anything numpy accepts as an index such another numpy array
    with shared_arr.get_lock(): # synchronize access
        arr = np.frombuffer(shared_arr.get_obj()) # no data copying
        arr[i] = -arr[i]

Example

import ctypes
import logging
import multiprocessing as mp

from contextlib import closing

import numpy as np

info = mp.get_logger().info

def main():
    logger = mp.log_to_stderr()
    logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)

    # create shared array
    N, M = 100, 11
    shared_arr = mp.Array(ctypes.c_double, N)
    arr = tonumpyarray(shared_arr)

    # fill with random values
    arr[:] = np.random.uniform(size=N)
    arr_orig = arr.copy()

    # write to arr from different processes
    with closing(mp.Pool(initializer=init, initargs=(shared_arr,))) as p:
        # many processes access the same slice
        stop_f = N // 10
        p.map_async(f, [slice(stop_f)]*M)

        # many processes access different slices of the same array
        assert M % 2 # odd
        step = N // 10
        p.map_async(g, [slice(i, i + step) for i in range(stop_f, N, step)])
    p.join()
    assert np.allclose(((-1)**M)*tonumpyarray(shared_arr), arr_orig)

def init(shared_arr_):
    global shared_arr
    shared_arr = shared_arr_ # must be inherited, not passed as an argument

def tonumpyarray(mp_arr):
    return np.frombuffer(mp_arr.get_obj())

def f(i):
    """synchronized."""
    with shared_arr.get_lock(): # synchronize access
        g(i)

def g(i):
    """no synchronization."""
    info("start %s" % (i,))
    arr = tonumpyarray(shared_arr)
    arr[i] = -1 * arr[i]
    info("end   %s" % (i,))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    mp.freeze_support()
    main()

If you don't need synchronized access or you create your own locks then mp.Array() is unnecessary. You could use mp.sharedctypes.RawArray in this case.

The Array object has a get_obj() method associated with it, which returns the ctypes array which presents a buffer interface. I think the following should work...

from multiprocessing import Process, Array
import scipy
import numpy

def f(a):
    a[0] = -a[0]

if __name__ == '__main__':
    # Create the array
    N = int(10)
    unshared_arr = scipy.rand(N)
    a = Array('d', unshared_arr)
    print "Originally, the first two elements of arr = %s"%(a[:2])

    # Create, start, and finish the child process
    p = Process(target=f, args=(a,))
    p.start()
    p.join()

    # Print out the changed values
    print "Now, the first two elements of arr = %s"%a[:2]

    b = numpy.frombuffer(a.get_obj())

    b[0] = 10.0
    print a[0]

When run, this prints out the first element of a now being 10.0, showing a and b are just two views into the same memory.

In order to make sure it is still multiprocessor safe, I believe you will have to use the acquire and release methods that exist on the Array object, a, and its built in lock to make sure its all safely accessed (though I'm not an expert on the multiprocessor module).