ARROW-426: Python: Conversion from pyarrow.Array to a Python list

python/pyarrow/array.pyx

@@ -167,6 +167,12 @@ cdef class Array:
 
         return PyObject_to_object(np_arr)
 
+    def to_pylist(self):
+        """
+        Convert to an list of native Python objects.
+        """
+        return [x.as_py() for x in self]
+
 
 cdef class NullArray(Array):
     pass

python/pyarrow/scalar.pyx

@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ cdef object box_arrow_scalar(DataType type,
                              const shared_ptr[CArray]& sp_array,
                              int index):
     cdef ArrayValue val
-    if sp_array.get().IsNull(index):
+    if type.type.type == Type_NA:
+        return NA
+    elif sp_array.get().IsNull(index):
         return NA
     else:
         val = _scalar_classes[type.type.type]()

python/pyarrow/table.pyx

@@ -108,6 +108,15 @@ cdef class ChunkedArray:
         for i in range(self.num_chunks):
             yield self.chunk(i)
 
+    def to_pylist(self):
+        """
+        Convert to a list of native Python objects.
+        """
+        result = []
+        for i in range(self.num_chunks):
+            result += self.chunk(i).to_pylist()
+        return result
+
 
 cdef class Column:
     """
@@ -143,6 +152,12 @@ cdef class Column:
 
         return pd.Series(PyObject_to_object(arr), name=self.name)
 
+    def to_pylist(self):
+        """
+        Convert to a list of native Python objects.
+        """
+        return self.data.to_pylist()
+
     cdef _check_nullptr(self):
         if self.column == NULL:
             raise ReferenceError("Column object references a NULL pointer."

python/pyarrow/tests/test_column.py

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def test_basics(self):
         assert column.length() == 5
         assert len(column) == 5
         assert column.shape == (5,)
+        assert column.to_pylist() == [-10, -5, 0, 5, 10]
 
     def test_pandas(self):
         data = [

python/pyarrow/tests/test_convert_builtin.py

@@ -22,28 +22,34 @@
 class TestConvertList(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_boolean(self):
-        arr = pyarrow.from_pylist([True, None, False, None])
+        expected = [True, None, False, None]
+        arr = pyarrow.from_pylist(expected)
         assert len(arr) == 4
         assert arr.null_count == 2
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.bool_()
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == expected
 
     def test_empty_list(self):
         arr = pyarrow.from_pylist([])
         assert len(arr) == 0
         assert arr.null_count == 0
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.null()
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == []
 
     def test_all_none(self):
         arr = pyarrow.from_pylist([None, None])
         assert len(arr) == 2
         assert arr.null_count == 2
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.null()
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == [None, None]
 
     def test_integer(self):
-        arr = pyarrow.from_pylist([1, None, 3, None])
+        expected = [1, None, 3, None]
+        arr = pyarrow.from_pylist(expected)
         assert len(arr) == 4
         assert arr.null_count == 2
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.int64()
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == expected
 
     def test_garbage_collection(self):
         import gc
@@ -62,13 +68,15 @@ def test_double(self):
         assert len(arr) == 6
         assert arr.null_count == 3
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.double()
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == data
 
     def test_string(self):
         data = ['foo', b'bar', None, 'arrow']
         arr = pyarrow.from_pylist(data)
         assert len(arr) == 4
         assert arr.null_count == 1
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.string()
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == ['foo', 'bar', None, 'arrow']
 
     def test_mixed_nesting_levels(self):
         pyarrow.from_pylist([1, 2, None])
@@ -90,3 +98,4 @@ def test_list_of_int(self):
         assert len(arr) == 4
         assert arr.null_count == 1
         assert arr.type == pyarrow.list_(pyarrow.int64())
+        assert arr.to_pylist() == data