multiproc.py

"""
Run N number of processes at once

"""
from itertools import izip_longest
from multiprocessing import Process
import time


DATA = (('a', '2'), ('b', '4'), ('c', '6'), ('d', '8'),
        ('e', '1'), ('f', '3'), ('g', '5'), ('h', '7'))

NUM_SIMULTANEOUS_PROCESSES = 3


def mp_handler():
    for data in izip_longest(*[iter(DATA)] * NUM_SIMULTANEOUS_PROCESSES):
        _handle(filter(lambda x: x is not None, data))


def _handle(data):
    procs = []
    num_procs = 0
    for args in data:
        proc = Process(target=mp_worker, args=args)
        proc.start()
        num_procs += 1
        procs.append(proc)
    for proc in procs:
        proc.join()


def mp_worker(proc_name, seconds_to_wait):
    print " Processs {}\tWaiting {} seconds".format(proc_name, seconds_to_wait)
    time.sleep(int(seconds_to_wait))
    print " Process {}\tDONE".format(proc_name)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    mp_handler()