Add artifact get() returning the artifact object (after downloading and loading)

trains/binding/artifacts.py

@@ -114,6 +114,47 @@ class Artifact(object):
         self._timestamp = datetime.fromtimestamp(artifact_api_object.timestamp)
         self._metadata = dict(artifact_api_object.display_data) if artifact_api_object.display_data else {}
         self._preview = artifact_api_object.type_data.preview if artifact_api_object.type_data else None
+        self._object = None
+
+    def get(self):
+        """
+        Return an object constructed from the artifact file
+
+        Currently supported types: Numpy.array, pandas.DataFrame, PIL.Image, dict (json)
+        All other types will return a pathlib2.Path object pointing to a local copy of the artifacts file (or directory)
+
+        :return: One of the following objects Numpy.array, pandas.DataFrame, PIL.Image, dict (json), pathlib2.Path
+        """
+        if self._object:
+            return self._object
+
+        local_file = self.get_local_copy()
+
+        if self.type == 'numpy' and np:
+            self._object = np.load(local_file)[self.name]
+        elif self.type in ('pandas', Artifacts._pd_artifact_type) and pd:
+            self._object = pd.read_csv(local_file)
+        elif self.type == 'image':
+            self._object = Image.open(local_file)
+        elif self.type == 'JSON':
+            with open(local_file, 'rt') as f:
+                self._object = json.load(f)
+
+        local_file = Path(local_file)
+
+        if self._object is None:
+            self._object = local_file
+        else:
+            from trains.storage.helper import StorageHelper
+            # only of we are not using cache, we should delete the file
+            if not hasattr(StorageHelper, 'get_cached_disabled'):
+                # delete the temporary file, we already used it
+                try:
+                    local_file.unlink()
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
+
+        return self._object
 
     def get_local_copy(self, extract_archive=True):
         """