Proper repr implementations, improved index_of method, and improved initialization

- Repr now supports reversal using eval i.e. obj == eval(repr(obj)) for any data object. This assumes a GA object called ga.
- Index of now supports local searching if an estimate of the index is given.
- Initialization of data objects is now easier and works for any iterable input e.g. ga.make_chromosome

src/structure/chromosome.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from copy import deepcopy
+from structure import Gene as make_gene
 
 class Chromosome:
 
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class Chromosome:
         """Initialize the chromosome with fitness value of None, and a
         set of genes dependent on user-passed parameter."""
 
-        self.gene_list = [deepcopy(gene) for gene in gene_list]
+        self.gene_list = [make_gene(gene) for gene in gene_list]
         self.fitness = None
 
 
@@ -70,6 +70,15 @@ class Chromosome:
         self.gene_list[index] = gene
 
 
+    def __delitem__(self, index):
+        """
+        Allows the user to use
+                del chromosome[index]
+        to delete a gene at the specified index.
+        """
+        del self.gene_list[index]
+
+
     def __len__(self):
         """
         Allows the user to use
@@ -88,16 +97,41 @@ class Chromosome:
         return (searched_gene in self.gene_list)
 
 
-    def index_of(self, searched_gene):
+    def index_of(self, gene, guess = None):
         """
         Allows the user to use
                 index = chromosome.index_of(gene)
+                index = chromosome.index_of(gene, guess)
         to find the index of a gene in the chromosome.
         Be sure to check if the chromosome contains the gene
-        first, or to catch an exception if the gene is not
+        first, or to catch an IndexError exception if the gene
-        in the chromosome.
+        is not in the chromosome. A guess may be used to find
+        the index quicker.
         """
-        return self.gene_list.index(searched_gene)
+
+        # Use built-in method
+        if guess is None:
+            return self.gene_list.index(gene)
+
+        # Use symmetric mod
+        guess %= len(self)
+        if guess >= len(self)//2:
+            guess -= len(self)
+
+        # Search outwards for the gene
+        for i in range(1+len(self)//2):
+
+            # Search to the left
+            if gene == self[guess-i]:
+                return (guess-i) % len(self)
+
+            # Search to the right
+            elif gene == self[guess+i]:
+                return (guess+i) % len(self)
+
+        # Gene not found
+        else:
+            raise IndexError("No such gene in the chromosome found")
 
 
     def __eq__(self, chromosome):
@@ -107,17 +141,19 @@ class Chromosome:
                 chromosome_1 != chromosome_2
         to compare two chromosomes based on their genes.
         """
-
+        return self.gene_list == chromosome.gene_list
-        return all(gene_1 == gene_2 for gene_1, gene_2 in zip(self, chromosome))
 
 
     def __repr__(self):
         """
         Allows the user to use
-                repr(chromosome)
+                chromosome_string = repr(chromosome)
-        to get a backend representation of the chromosome.
+                chromosome = eval(chromosome_string)
+        to get a backend representation of the chromosome
+        which can be evaluated directly as code to create
+        the chromosome.
         """
-        return ', '.join(repr(gene) for gene in self)
+        return f"EasyGA.make_chromosome({repr(self.gene_list)})"
 
 
     def __str__(self):

src/structure/gene.py

@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@ from copy import deepcopy
 class Gene:
 
     def __init__(self, value):
-        """Initialize a gene with fitness of value None and the input value."""
+        """Initialize a gene with the input value."""
+
+        # Copy another gene
+        try:
+            self.value = deepcopy(value.value)
+
+        # Otherwise copy the given value
+        except:
             self.value = deepcopy(value)
 
 
@@ -20,10 +27,11 @@ class Gene:
     def __repr__(self):
         """
         Allows the user to use
-                repr(gene)
+                gene_string = repr(gene)
+                gene = eval(gene_string)
         to get a backend representation of the gene.
         """
-        return str(self.value)
+        return f"EasyGA.make_gene({repr(self.value)})"
 
 
     def __str__(self):

src/structure/population.py

@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
-from copy import deepcopy
+from structure import Chromosome as make_chromosome
 
 class Population:
 
     def __init__(self, chromosome_list):
-        """Initialize the population with fitness of value None, and a
+        """Initialize the population with a collection
-        set of chromosomes dependant on user-passed parameter."""
+        of chromosomes dependant on user-passed parameter."""
 
-        self.chromosome_list = [deepcopy(chromosome) for chromosome in chromosome_list]
+        self.chromosome_list = [make_chromosome(chromosome) for chromosome in chromosome_list]
-        self.fitness = None
         self.mating_pool = []
         self.next_population = []
 
@@ -135,25 +134,61 @@ class Population:
         return (searched_chromosome in self.chromosome_list)
 
 
-    def index_of(self, searched_chromosome):
+    def index_of(self, chromosome, guess = None):
         """
         Allows the user to use
                 index = population.index_of(chromosome)
+                index = population.index_of(chromosome, guess)
         to find the index of a chromosome in the population.
         Be sure to check if the population contains the chromosome
-        first, or to catch an exception if the chromosome is not
+        first, or to catch an IndexError exception if the chromosome
-        in the population.
+        is not in the population. A guess may be used to find the
+        index quicker.
         """
-        return self.chromosome_list.index(searched_chromosome)
+
+        # Use built-in method
+        if guess is None:
+            return self.chromosome_list.index(gene)
+
+        # Use symmetric mod
+        guess %= len(self)
+        if guess >= len(self)//2:
+            guess -= len(self)
+
+        # Search outwards for the gene
+        for i in range(len(self)//2):
+
+            # Search to the left
+            if chromosome == self[guess-i]:
+                return (guess-i) % len(self)
+
+            # Search to the right
+            elif chromosome == self[guess+i]:
+                return (guess+i) % len(self)
+
+        # Gene not found
+        else:
+            raise IndexError("No such chromosome in the population found")
 
 
     def __repr__(self):
         """
         Allows the user to use
-                repr(population)
+                population_string = repr(population)
+                population = eval(population_string)
+        to get a backend representation of the population
+        which can be evaluated directly as code to create
+        the population.
+        """
+        return "EasyGA.make_population({repr(self.chromosome_list)})"
+
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        """
+        Allows the user to use
                 str(population)
                 print(population)
-        to get a backend representation of the population.
+        to get a frontend representation of the population.
         """
         return ''.join(
             f'Chromosome - {index} {chromosome} / Fitness = {chromosome.fitness}\n'