Added ModelFactory. This replaces the 'models' dict in the tweepy.models module.

This will allow for more flexible plug 'n play for developers that need
to extend Tweepy's models. To use custom models, they will extend the ModelFactory
and then pass this new factory into the API constructor.

Example:
    class MyStatus(Status):
        """A extended Status model"""

    class MyModelFactory(ModelFactory):
        status = MyStatus

    api = API(model_factory=MyModelFactory)

CHANGELOG

@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ during upgrade will be listed here.
     - User model
         - Added lists_memberships, lists_subscriptions, and lists helpers
         - Added followers_ids helper
+    - Added ModelFactory to replace 'models' dict in tweepy.models.
+        Extend this factory to plugin customized models then pass into API().
 + API
     - lists(), lists_memberships(), and lists_subscriptions() now
         take an "user" parameter for specifying which user to query.

tweepy/__init__.py

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ __version__ = '1.4'
 __author__ = 'Joshua Roesslein'
 __license__ = 'MIT'
 
-from tweepy.models import Status, User, DirectMessage, Friendship, SavedSearch, SearchResult, models
+from tweepy.models import Status, User, DirectMessage, Friendship, SavedSearch, SearchResult, ModelFactory
 from tweepy.error import TweepError
 from tweepy.api import API
 from tweepy.cache import Cache, MemoryCache, FileCache

tweepy/api.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import mimetypes
 from tweepy.binder import bind_api
 from tweepy.error import TweepError
 from tweepy.parsers import *
+from tweepy.models import ModelFactory
 
 
 class API(object):
@@ -16,8 +17,8 @@ class API(object):
     def __init__(self, auth_handler=None,
             host='api.twitter.com', search_host='search.twitter.com',
              cache=None, secure=False, api_root='/1', search_root='',
-            retry_count=0, retry_delay=0, retry_errors=None):
-        # you may access these freely
+            retry_count=0, retry_delay=0, retry_errors=None,
+            model_factory=None):
         self.auth = auth_handler
         self.host = host
         self.search_host = search_host
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ class API(object):
         self.retry_count = retry_count
         self.retry_delay = retry_delay
         self.retry_errors = retry_errors
+        self.model_factory = model_factory or ModelFactory
 
     """ statuses/public_timeline """
     public_timeline = bind_api(

tweepy/models.py

@@ -126,15 +126,20 @@ class List(Model):
     def is_subscribed(self, id):
         return self._api.is_subscribed_list(self.user.screen_name, self.slug, id)
 
-# link up default model implementations.
-models = {
-    'status': Status,
-    'user': User,
-    'direct_message': DirectMessage,
-    'friendship': Friendship,
-    'saved_search': SavedSearch,
-    'search_result': SearchResult,
-    'retweet': Retweet,
-    'list': List,
-}
+
+class ModelFactory(object):
+    """
+    Used by parsers for creating instances
+    of models. You may subclass this factory
+    to add your own extended models.
+    """
+
+    status = Status
+    user = User
+    direct_message = DirectMessage
+    friendship = Friendship
+    saved_search = SavedSearch
+    search_result = SearchResult
+    retweet = Retweet
+    list = List
 

tweepy/parsers.py

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import re
 from datetime import datetime
 import time
 
-from tweepy.models import models
 
 def _parse_cursor(obj):
 
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ def _parse_a_href(atag):
 
 def parse_user(obj, api):
 
-    user = models['user']()
+    user = api.model_factory.user()
     user._api = api
     for k, v in obj.items():
         if k == 'created_at':
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ def parse_users(obj, api):
 
 def parse_status(obj, api):
 
-    status = models['status']()
+    status = api.model_factory.status()
     status._api = api
     for k, v in obj.items():
         if k == 'user':
@@ -148,7 +147,7 @@ def parse_statuses(obj, api):
 
 def parse_dm(obj, api):
 
-    dm = models['direct_message']()
+    dm = api.model_factory.direct_message()
     dm._api = api
     for k, v in obj.items():
         if k == 'sender' or k == 'recipient':
@@ -173,12 +172,12 @@ def parse_friendship(obj, api):
     relationship = obj['relationship']
 
     # parse source
-    source = models['friendship']()
+    source = api.model_factory.friendship()
     for k, v in relationship['source'].items():
         setattr(source, k, v)
 
     # parse target
-    target = models['friendship']()
+    target = api.model_factory.friendship()
     for k, v in relationship['target'].items():
         setattr(target, k, v)
 
@@ -194,7 +193,7 @@ def parse_ids(obj, api):
 
 def parse_saved_search(obj, api):
 
-    ss = models['saved_search']()
+    ss = api.model_factory.saved_search()
     ss._api = api
     for k, v in obj.items():
         if k == 'created_at':
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ def parse_saved_search(obj, api):
 def parse_saved_searches(obj, api):
 
     saved_searches = []
-    saved_search = models['saved_search']()
+    saved_search = api.model_factory.saved_search()
     for item in obj:
         saved_searches.append(parse_saved_search(item, api))
     return saved_searches
@@ -215,7 +214,7 @@ def parse_saved_searches(obj, api):
 
 def parse_search_result(obj, api):
 
-    result = models['search_result']()
+    result = api.model_factory.search_result()
     for k, v in obj.items():
         if k == 'created_at':
             setattr(result, k, _parse_search_datetime(v))
@@ -237,7 +236,7 @@ def parse_search_results(obj, api):
 
 def parse_list(obj, api):
 
-    lst = models['list']()
+    lst = api.model_factory.list()
     lst._api = api
     for k,v in obj.items():
         if k == 'user':