_method_cache = {}


class methodcaller(object):
    """
    Return a callable object that calls the given method on its operand.

    Unlike the builtin `operator.methodcaller`, instances of this class are
    serializable
    """

    __slots__ = ('method',)
    func = property(lambda self: self.method)  # For `funcname` to work

    def __new__(cls, method):
        if method in _method_cache:
            return _method_cache[method]
        self = object.__new__(cls)
        self.method = method
        _method_cache[method] = self
        return self

    def __call__(self, obj, *args, **kwargs):
        return getattr(obj, self.method)(*args, **kwargs)

    def __reduce__(self):
        return (methodcaller, (self.method,))

    def __str__(self):
        return "<%s: %s>" % (self.__class__.__name__, self.method)

    __repr__ = __str__


class MethodCache(object):
    """Attribute access on this object returns a methodcaller for that
    attribute.

    Examples
    --------
    >>> a = [1, 3, 3]
    >>> M.count(a, 3) == a.count(3)
    True
    """
    __getattr__ = staticmethod(methodcaller)
    __dir__ = lambda self: list(_method_cache)


M = MethodCache()