feat: add an asdict() method to the Gitlab Objects

JohnVillalovos · JohnVillalovos · commit 0975678651e4 · 2022-02-02T12:10:00.000-08:00
Add an `asdict()` method that returns a dictionary representation copy
of the Gitlab Object. This is a copy and changes made to it will have
no impact on the Gitlab Object.

The `asdict()` method name was chosen as both the `dataclasses` and
`attrs` libraries have an `asdict()` function which has the similar
purpose of creating a dictionary represenation of an object.
diff --git a/docs/api-usage.rst b/docs/api-usage.rst
@@ -192,6 +192,14 @@ You can print a Gitlab Object. For example:
    # Or explicitly via `pformat()`. This is equivalent to the above.
    print(project.pformat())
 
+You can get a dictionary representation copy of the Gitlab Object. Modifications made to
+the dictionary will have no impact on the GitLab Object.
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   project = gl.projects.get(1)
+   project_dict = project.asdict()
+
 
 Base types
 ==========
diff --git a/gitlab/base.py b/gitlab/base.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+import copy
 import importlib
 import pprint
 import textwrap
@@ -144,15 +145,16 @@ def __getattr__(self, name: str) -> Any:
     def __setattr__(self, name: str, value: Any) -> None:
         self.__dict__["_updated_attrs"][name] = value
 
-    def __str__(self) -> str:
-        data = self._attrs.copy()
+    def asdict(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        data = copy.deepcopy(self._attrs)
         data.update(self._updated_attrs)
-        return f"{type(self)} => {data}"
+        return data
+
+    def __str__(self) -> str:
+        return f"{type(self)} => {self.asdict()}"
 
     def pformat(self) -> str:
-        data = self._attrs.copy()
-        data.update(self._updated_attrs)
-        return f"{type(self)} => \n{pprint.pformat(data)}"
+        return f"{type(self)} => \n{pprint.pformat(self.asdict())}"
 
     def pprint(self) -> None:
         print(self.pformat())
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_base.py b/tests/unit/test_base.py
@@ -249,3 +249,13 @@ def test_pprint(self, capfd, fake_manager):
             " 'ham': 'eggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggseggs'}\n"
         )
         assert stderr == ""
+
+    def test_asdict(self, fake_manager):
+        fake_object = FakeObject(fake_manager, {"attr1": "foo"})
+        assert fake_object.attr1 == "foo"
+        result = fake_object.asdict()
+        assert result == {"attr1": "foo"}
+
+        result["attr1"] = "testing"
+        assert result == {"attr1": "testing"}
+        assert fake_object.attr1 == "foo"
