//  [python]
def function_factory(model, loss, train_x, train_y, print_params=False):
    """A factory to create a function required by tfp.optimizer.lbfgs_minimize.

    Args:
        model [in]: an instance of `tf.keras.Model` or its subclasses.
        loss [in]: a function with signature loss_value = loss(pred_y, true_y).
        train_x [in]: the input part of training data.
        train_y [in]: the output part of training data.

    Returns:
        A function that has a signature of:
            loss_value, gradients = f(model_parameters).
    """

    # obtain the shapes of all trainable parameters in the model
    shapes = tf.shape_n(model.trainable_variables)
    n_tensors = len(shapes)

    # we'll use tf.dynamic_stitch and tf.dynamic_partition later, so we need to
    # prepare required information first
    count = 0
    idx = []  # stitch indices
    part = []  # partition indices

    for i, shape in enumerate(shapes):
        n = numpy.prod(shape)
        idx.append(tf.reshape(tf.range(count, count+n, dtype=tf.int32), shape))
        part.extend([i]*n)
        count += n

    part = tf.constant(part)

    @tf.function
    def assign_new_model_parameters(params_1d):
        """A function updating the model's parameters with a 1D tf.Tensor.

        Args:
            params_1d [in]: a 1D tf.Tensor representing the model's trainable parameters.
        """

        params = tf.dynamic_partition(params_1d, part, n_tensors)
        for i, (shape, param) in enumerate(zip(shapes, params)):
            model.trainable_variables[i].assign(tf.reshape(param, shape))

    # now create a function that will be returned by this factory
    @tf.function
    def f(params_1d):
        """A function that can be used by tfp.optimizer.lbfgs_minimize.

        This function is created by function_factory.

        Args:
           params_1d [in]: a 1D tf.Tensor.

        Returns:
            A scalar loss and the gradients w.r.t. the `params_1d`.
        """

        # use GradientTape so that we can calculate the gradient of loss w.r.t. parameters
        with tf.GradientTape() as tape:
            # update the parameters in the model
            assign_new_model_parameters(params_1d)
            # calculate the loss
            try:
                # VP trying to sort our float32 vs float64
                loss_value = tf.cast(
                    loss(model(train_x, training=True), train_y), dtype=model.dtype)
                # loss_value = loss(model(train_x, training=True), train_y)
            except Exception as e:
                # this try except does not work against a graph execution failure such as a Cholesky decomp failure
                # really not sure what to do
                print(f'BFGS function evaluation failed with exception: {e}')

            else:
                # calculate gradients and convert to 1D tf.Tensor
                grads = tape.gradient(loss_value, model.trainable_variables)
                grads = tf.dynamic_stitch(idx, grads)

                # print out iteration & loss
                f.iter.assign_add(1)
                tf.print("Iter:", f.iter, "loss:", loss_value)
                if print_params:
                    tf.print('params:', params_1d)

                # store loss value so we can retrieve later
                tf.py_function(f.history.append, inp=[loss_value], Tout=[])

                return loss_value, grads

    # store these information as members so we can use them outside the scope
    f.iter = tf.Variable(0)
    f.idx = idx
    f.part = part
    f.shapes = shapes
    f.assign_new_model_parameters = assign_new_model_parameters
    f.history = []

    return f