Merge pull request #4552 from minrk/use_dill

add pickleutil.use_dill

docs/source/whatsnew/pr/use-dill.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,7 b''
+Using dill to expand serialization support
+------------------------------------------
+
+adds :func:`~IPython.utils.pickleutil.use_dill` for allowing
+dill to extend serialization support in :mod:`IPython.parallel` (closures, etc.).
+Also adds :meth:`DirectView.use_dill` convenience method for enabling dill
+locally and on all engines with one call.

examples/parallel/Using Dill.ipynb

@@ -0,0 +1,463 b''
+{
+ "metadata": {
+  "gist_id": "5241793",
+  "name": ""
+ },
+ "nbformat": 3,
+ "nbformat_minor": 0,
+ "worksheets": [
+  {
+   "cells": [
+    {
+     "cell_type": "heading",
+     "level": 1,
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Using dill to pickle anything"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "IPython.parallel doesn't do much in the way of serialization.\n",
+      "It has custom zero-copy handling of numpy arrays,\n",
+      "but other than that, it doesn't do anything other than the bare minimum to make basic interactively defined functions and classes sendable.\n",
+      "\n",
+      "There are a few projects that extend pickle to make just about anything sendable, and one of these is [dill](http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/~mmckerns/dill).\n",
+      "\n",
+      "To install dill:\n",
+      "        \n",
+      "    pip install dill"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "First, as always, we create a task function, this time with a closure"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "def make_closure(a):\n",
+      "    \"\"\"make a function with a closure, and return it\"\"\"\n",
+      "    def has_closure(b):\n",
+      "        return a * b\n",
+      "    return has_closure"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 1
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "closed = make_closure(5)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 2
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "closed(2)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "metadata": {},
+       "output_type": "pyout",
+       "prompt_number": 3,
+       "text": [
+        "10"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 3
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "import pickle"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 4
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Without help, pickle can't deal with closures"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "pickle.dumps(closed)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "ename": "PicklingError",
+       "evalue": "Can't pickle <function has_closure at 0x10d2552a8>: it's not found as __main__.has_closure",
+       "output_type": "pyerr",
+       "traceback": [
+        "\u001b[1;31m---------------------------------------------------------------------------\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;31mPicklingError\u001b[0m                             Traceback (most recent call last)",
+        "\u001b[1;32m<ipython-input-5-0f1f376cfea0>\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36m<module>\u001b[1;34m()\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m----> 1\u001b[1;33m \u001b[0mpickle\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mdumps\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mclosed\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mdumps\u001b[1;34m(obj, protocol)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1372\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mdef\u001b[0m \u001b[0mdumps\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mprotocol\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mNone\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1373\u001b[0m     \u001b[0mfile\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mStringIO\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m-> 1374\u001b[1;33m     \u001b[0mPickler\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mfile\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mprotocol\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mdump\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m   1375\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mreturn\u001b[0m \u001b[0mfile\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mgetvalue\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1376\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mdump\u001b[1;34m(self, obj)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    222\u001b[0m         \u001b[1;32mif\u001b[0m \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mproto\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m>=\u001b[0m \u001b[1;36m2\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    223\u001b[0m             \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mwrite\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mPROTO\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m+\u001b[0m \u001b[0mchr\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mproto\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m--> 224\u001b[1;33m         \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0msave\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m    225\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mwrite\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mSTOP\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    226\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36msave\u001b[1;34m(self, obj)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    284\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mdispatch\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mget\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mt\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    285\u001b[0m         \u001b[1;32mif\u001b[0m \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m--> 286\u001b[1;33m             \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m \u001b[1;31m# Call unbound method with explicit self\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m    287\u001b[0m             \u001b[1;32mreturn\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    288\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36msave_global\u001b[1;34m(self, obj, name, pack)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    746\u001b[0m             raise PicklingError(\n\u001b[0;32m    747\u001b[0m                 \u001b[1;34m\"Can't pickle %r: it's not found as %s.%s\"\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m%\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m--> 748\u001b[1;33m                 (obj, module, name))\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m    749\u001b[0m         \u001b[1;32melse\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    750\u001b[0m             \u001b[1;32mif\u001b[0m \u001b[0mklass\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mis\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mnot\u001b[0m \u001b[0mobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;31mPicklingError\u001b[0m: Can't pickle <function has_closure at 0x10d2552a8>: it's not found as __main__.has_closure"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 5
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "But after we import dill, magic happens"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "import dill"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 6
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "pickle.dumps(closed)[:64] + '...'"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "metadata": {},
+       "output_type": "pyout",
+       "prompt_number": 7,
+       "text": [
+        "\"cdill.dill\\n_load_type\\np0\\n(S'FunctionType'\\np1\\ntp2\\nRp3\\n(cdill.dill...\""
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 7
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "So from now on, pretty much everything is pickleable."
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "heading",
+     "level": 2,
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Now use this in IPython.parallel"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "As usual, we start by creating our Client and View"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "from IPython import parallel\n",
+      "rc = parallel.Client()\n",
+      "view = rc.load_balanced_view()"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 8
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Now let's try sending our function with a closure:"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "view.apply_sync(closed, 3)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "ename": "ValueError",
+       "evalue": "Sorry, cannot pickle code objects with closures",
+       "output_type": "pyerr",
+       "traceback": [
+        "\u001b[1;31m---------------------------------------------------------------------------\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;31mValueError\u001b[0m                                Traceback (most recent call last)",
+        "\u001b[1;32m<ipython-input-9-23a646829fdc>\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36m<module>\u001b[1;34m()\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m----> 1\u001b[1;33m \u001b[0mview\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mapply_sync\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mclosed\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;36m3\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mapply_sync\u001b[1;34m(self, f, *args, **kwargs)\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mspin_after\u001b[1;34m(f, self, *args, **kwargs)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     73\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mdef\u001b[0m \u001b[0mspin_after\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m*\u001b[0m\u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m**\u001b[0m\u001b[0mkwargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     74\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;34m\"\"\"call spin after the method.\"\"\"\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m---> 75\u001b[1;33m     \u001b[0mret\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m*\u001b[0m\u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m**\u001b[0m\u001b[0mkwargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m     76\u001b[0m     \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mspin\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     77\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mreturn\u001b[0m \u001b[0mret\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mapply_sync\u001b[1;34m(self, f, *args, **kwargs)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    248\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mreturns\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m \u001b[0mactual\u001b[0m \u001b[0mresult\u001b[0m \u001b[0mof\u001b[0m \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m*\u001b[0m\u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m**\u001b[0m\u001b[0mkwargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    249\u001b[0m         \"\"\"\n\u001b[1;32m--> 250\u001b[1;33m         \u001b[1;32mreturn\u001b[0m \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0m_really_apply\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mkwargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mblock\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mTrue\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m    251\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    252\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;31m#----------------------------------------------------------------\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36m_really_apply\u001b[1;34m(self, f, args, kwargs, block, track, after, follow, timeout, targets, retries)\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36msync_results\u001b[1;34m(f, self, *args, **kwargs)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     64\u001b[0m     \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0m_in_sync_results\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mTrue\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     65\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mtry\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m---> 66\u001b[1;33m         \u001b[0mret\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m*\u001b[0m\u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m**\u001b[0m\u001b[0mkwargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m     67\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mfinally\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     68\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0m_in_sync_results\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mFalse\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36m_really_apply\u001b[1;34m(self, f, args, kwargs, block, track, after, follow, timeout, targets, retries)\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36msave_ids\u001b[1;34m(f, self, *args, **kwargs)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     49\u001b[0m     \u001b[0mn_previous\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mlen\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mclient\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mhistory\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     50\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mtry\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m---> 51\u001b[1;33m         \u001b[0mret\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m*\u001b[0m\u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m**\u001b[0m\u001b[0mkwargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m     52\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mfinally\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     53\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mnmsgs\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mlen\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mclient\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mhistory\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m-\u001b[0m \u001b[0mn_previous\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/view.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36m_really_apply\u001b[1;34m(self, f, args, kwargs, block, track, after, follow, timeout, targets, retries)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1053\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1054\u001b[0m         msg = self.client.send_apply_request(self._socket, f, args, kwargs, track=track,\n\u001b[1;32m-> 1055\u001b[1;33m                                 metadata=metadata)\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m   1056\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mtracker\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mNone\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mif\u001b[0m \u001b[0mtrack\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mis\u001b[0m \u001b[0mFalse\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32melse\u001b[0m \u001b[0mmsg\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m[\u001b[0m\u001b[1;34m'tracker'\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m]\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1057\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/parallel/client/client.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36msend_apply_request\u001b[1;34m(self, socket, f, args, kwargs, metadata, track, ident)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m   1252\u001b[0m         bufs = serialize.pack_apply_message(f, args, kwargs,\n\u001b[0;32m   1253\u001b[0m             \u001b[0mbuffer_threshold\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0msession\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mbuffer_threshold\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m-> 1254\u001b[1;33m             \u001b[0mitem_threshold\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mself\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0msession\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mitem_threshold\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m   1255\u001b[0m         )\n\u001b[0;32m   1256\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/kernel/zmq/serialize.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mpack_apply_message\u001b[1;34m(f, args, kwargs, buffer_threshold, item_threshold)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    163\u001b[0m     \u001b[0minfo\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[0mdict\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mnargs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mlen\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0margs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mnarg_bufs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mlen\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0marg_bufs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mkw_keys\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m\u001b[0mkw_keys\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    164\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m--> 165\u001b[1;33m     \u001b[0mmsg\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m=\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m[\u001b[0m\u001b[0mpickle\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mdumps\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mcan\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mf\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m-\u001b[0m\u001b[1;36m1\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m]\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m    166\u001b[0m     \u001b[0mmsg\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mappend\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mpickle\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mdumps\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0minfo\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m-\u001b[0m\u001b[1;36m1\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m    167\u001b[0m     \u001b[0mmsg\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mextend\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0marg_bufs\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/utils/codeutil.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mreduce_code\u001b[1;34m(co)\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     36\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mdef\u001b[0m \u001b[0mreduce_code\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0;32m     37\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mif\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_freevars\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mor\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_cellvars\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[1;32m---> 38\u001b[1;33m         \u001b[1;32mraise\u001b[0m \u001b[0mValueError\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;34m\"Sorry, cannot pickle code objects with closures\"\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m     39\u001b[0m     args =  [co.co_argcount, co.co_nlocals, co.co_stacksize,\n\u001b[0;32m     40\u001b[0m             \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_flags\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_code\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_consts\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_names\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m\n",
+        "\u001b[1;31mValueError\u001b[0m: Sorry, cannot pickle code objects with closures"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 9
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Oops, no dice. For IPython to work with dill,\n",
+      "there are one or two more steps. IPython will do these for you if you call `pickleutil.use_dill`:"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "from IPython.utils import pickleutil\n",
+      "pickleutil.use_dill()"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 10
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Now let's try again"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "view.apply_sync(closed, 3)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "metadata": {},
+       "output_type": "pyout",
+       "prompt_number": 11,
+       "text": [
+        "15"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 11
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Yay! Now we can use dill to allow IPython.parallel to send anything.\n",
+      "\n",
+      "And that's it! We can send closures and other previously non-pickleables to our engines.\n",
+      "\n",
+      "But wait, there's more!"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "view.apply_sync(make_closure, 2)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "ename": "RemoteError",
+       "evalue": "ValueError(Sorry, cannot pickle code objects with closures)",
+       "output_type": "pyerr",
+       "traceback": [
+        "\u001b[1;31m---------------------------------------------------------------------------\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;31mValueError\u001b[0m                                Traceback (most recent call last)\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/kernel/zmq/serialize.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mserialize_object\u001b[1;34m(obj, buffer_threshold, item_threshold)\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0;32m    100\u001b[0m         \u001b[0mbuffers\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mextend\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0m_extract_buffers\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mcobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mbuffer_threshold\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0;32m    101\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;32m--> 102\u001b[1;33m     \u001b[0mbuffers\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0minsert\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;36m0\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mpickle\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mdumps\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mcobj\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m-\u001b[0m\u001b[1;36m1\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m    103\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mreturn\u001b[0m \u001b[0mbuffers\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0;32m    104\u001b[0m \u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;32m/Users/minrk/dev/ip/mine/IPython/utils/codeutil.pyc\u001b[0m in \u001b[0;36mreduce_code\u001b[1;34m(co)\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0;32m     36\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mdef\u001b[0m \u001b[0mreduce_code\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0;32m     37\u001b[0m     \u001b[1;32mif\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_freevars\u001b[0m \u001b[1;32mor\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_cellvars\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m:\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;32m---> 38\u001b[1;33m         \u001b[1;32mraise\u001b[0m \u001b[0mValueError\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m(\u001b[0m\u001b[1;34m\"Sorry, cannot pickle code objects with closures\"\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m)\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[0m\u001b[0;32m     39\u001b[0m     args =  [co.co_argcount, co.co_nlocals, co.co_stacksize,",
+        "\u001b[0;32m     40\u001b[0m             \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_flags\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_code\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_consts\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m \u001b[0mco\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m.\u001b[0m\u001b[0mco_names\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m,\u001b[0m\u001b[1;33m\u001b[0m\u001b[0m",
+        "\u001b[1;31mValueError\u001b[0m: Sorry, cannot pickle code objects with closures"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 12
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "If we want dill support for objects coming *from* the engines,\n",
+      "then we need to call `use_dill()` there as well.\n",
+      "\n",
+      "`DirectView` objects have a method to call `use_dill` locally and on every engine:"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "rc[:].use_dill()"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "metadata": {},
+       "output_type": "pyout",
+       "prompt_number": 13,
+       "text": [
+        "<AsyncResult: use_dill>"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 13
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "This is equivalent to\n",
+      "\n",
+      "```python\n",
+      "from IPython.utils.pickleutil import use_dill\n",
+      "use_dill()\n",
+      "rc[:].apply(use_dill)\n",
+      "```"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "Let's give it a try now:"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "remote_closure = view.apply_sync(make_closure, 4)\n",
+      "remote_closure(5)"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "metadata": {},
+       "output_type": "pyout",
+       "prompt_number": 14,
+       "text": [
+        "20"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 14
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "At this point, we can send/recv all kinds of stuff"
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "def outer(a):\n",
+      "    def inner(b):\n",
+      "        def inner_again(c):\n",
+      "            return c * b * a\n",
+      "        return inner_again\n",
+      "    return inner"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [],
+     "prompt_number": 15
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "markdown",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "source": [
+      "So outer returns a function with a closure, which returns a function with a closure.\n",
+      "\n",
+      "Now, we can resolve the first closure on the engine, the second here, and the third on a different engine,\n",
+      "after passing through a lambda we define here and call there, just for good measure."
+     ]
+    },
+    {
+     "cell_type": "code",
+     "collapsed": false,
+     "input": [
+      "view.apply_sync(lambda f: f(3),view.apply_sync(outer, 1)(2))"
+     ],
+     "language": "python",
+     "metadata": {},
+     "outputs": [
+      {
+       "metadata": {},
+       "output_type": "pyout",
+       "prompt_number": 16,
+       "text": [
+        "6"
+       ]
+      }
+     ],
+     "prompt_number": 16
+    }
+   ],
+   "metadata": {}
+  }
+ ]
+}
  No newline at end of file

IPython/parallel/client/view.py

@@ -25,6 +25,7 b' from types import ModuleType'
 import zmq
 
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
+from IPython.utils import pickleutil
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import (
     HasTraits, Any, Bool, List, Dict, Set, Instance, CFloat, Integer
 )
@@ -507,6 +508,16 b' class DirectView(View):'
         for r in results:
             # raise possible remote ImportErrors here
             r.get()
+    
+    def use_dill(self):
+        """Expand serialization support with dill
+        
+        adds support for closures, etc.
+        
+        This calls IPython.utils.pickleutil.use_dill() here and on each engine.
+        """
+        pickleutil.use_dill()
+        return self.apply(pickleutil.use_dill)
 
 
     @sync_results

IPython/utils/pickleutil.py

@@ -40,6 +40,36 b' else:'
     class_type = (type, ClassType)
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Functions
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def use_dill():
+    """use dill to expand serialization support
+    
+    adds support for object methods and closures to serialization.
+    """
+    # import dill causes most of the magic
+    import dill
+    
+    # dill doesn't work with cPickle,
+    # tell the two relevant modules to use plain pickle
+    
+    global pickle
+    pickle = dill
+
+    try:
+        from IPython.kernel.zmq import serialize
+    except ImportError:
+        pass
+    else:
+        serialize.pickle = dill
+    
+    # disable special function handling, let dill take care of it
+    can_map.pop(FunctionType, None)
+
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Classes
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------