multiprocessing: How do I share a dict among multiple processes?

Question

A program that creates several processes that work on a join-able queue, Q, and may eventually manipulate a global dictionary D to store results. (so each child process may use D to store its result and also see what results the other child processes are producing)

If I print the dictionary D in a child process, I see the modifications that have been done on it (i.e. on D). But after the main process joins Q, if I print D, it's an empty dict!

I understand it is a synchronization/lock issue. Can someone tell me what is happening here, and how I can synchronize access to D?

Answer 1

A general answer involves using a Manager object. Adapted from the docs:

from multiprocessing import Process, Manager

def f(d):
    d[1] += '1'
    d['2'] += 2

if __name__ == '__main__':
    manager = Manager()

    d = manager.dict()
    d[1] = '1'
    d['2'] = 2

    p1 = Process(target=f, args=(d,))
    p2 = Process(target=f, args=(d,))
    p1.start()
    p2.start()
    p1.join()
    p2.join()

    print d

Output:

$ python mul.py 
{1: '111', '2': 6}