*batch reader* can be any function with no parameter that creates a iterable (anything can be used in `for x in iterable`). The output of the iterable should be a batch (list) of data items. Each item inside the list must be a tuple.
Here are valid outputs:
```python
# a mini batch of three data items. Each data item consist three columns of data, each of which is 1.
[(1,1,1),
(2,2,2),
(3,3,3)]
# a mini batch of three data items, each data item is a list (single column).
[([1,1,1],),
([2,2,2],),
([3,3,3],),
```
Please note that each item inside the list must be a tuple, below is an invalid output:
```python
# wrong, [1,1,1] needs to be inside a tuple: ([1,1,1],).
# Otherwise it's ambiguous whether [1,1,1] means a single column of data [1, 1, 1],
### Why return only a single entry, but not a mini batch?
### Why reader return only a single entry, but not a mini batch?
Always returning a single entry make reusing existing data readers much easier (e.g., if existing reader return not a single entry but 3 entries, training code will be more complex because it need to handle cases like batch size 2).
We provide function `paddle.batch` to turn (single entry) reader into batch reader.
If a mini batch is returned, data reader need to take care of batch size. But batch size is a concept for training, it makes more sense for user to specify batch size as a parameter for `train`.
### Why do we need batch reader, isn't train take reader and batch_size as arguments sufficient?
Practically, always return a single entry make reusing existing data readers much easier (e.g., if existing reader return not a single entry but 3 entries, training code will be more complex because it need to handle cases like batch size 2).
In most of the case, train taking reader and batch_size as arguments would be sufficent. However sometimes user want to customize order of data entries inside a mini batch. Or even change batch size dynamically.
### Why use a dictionary but not a list to provide mapping?
### Why use a dictionary but not a list to provide mapping?
