 
class Semaphore(object):

    """docstring for Semaphore"""
    def __init__(self, db, id, counter, value, collection_name='mongotools.semaphore'):
        self._db = db
        self._name = collection_name
        self._id = id
        self._counter = counter
        self._max = value
        doc = self._db[self._name].find_and_modify(dict(_id=id), {'$setOnInsert':{counter:value}}, upsert=True, new=True)
        if counter not in doc:
            self._db[self._name].update({'_id':id, counter:{'$exists':False}}, {'$set': {counter:value}}, w=1)

    def acquire(self):
        doc = self._db[self._name].update({'_id':self._id, self._counter:{'$gt':0}}, {'$inc': {self._counter:-1} }, w=1)
        return doc['updatedExisting']

    def release(self):
        self._db[self._name].update({'_id':self._id, self._counter:{'$lt':self._max}}, {'$inc': {self._counter:1}})

    def peek(self):
        doc = self._db[self._name].find_one({'_id':self._id})
        return doc[self._counter]

    def status(self):
        """
        Returns True if the the semaphore is available to be acquired (greater than 0),
        but does not actually acquire the semaphore. 
        """
        doc = self._db[self._name].find_one({'_id':self._id})
        return doc[self._counter] > 0

class Semaphore(object):

    """docstring for Semaphore"""
    def __init__(self, db, id, counter, value, collection_name='mongotools.semaphore'):
        self._db = db
        self._name = collection_name
        self._id = id
        self._counter = counter
        self._max = value
        doc = self._db[self._name].find_and_modify(dict(_id=id), {'$setOnInsert':{counter:value}}, upsert=True, new=True)
        if counter not in doc:
            self._db[self._name].update({'_id':id, counter:{'$exists':False}}, {'$set': {counter:value}}, w=1)

    def acquire(self):
        doc = self._db[self._name].update({'_id':self._id, self._counter:{'$gt':0}}, {'$inc': {self._counter:-1} }, w=1)
        return doc['updatedExisting']

    def release(self):
        self._db[self._name].update({'_id':self._id, self._counter:{'$lt':self._max}}, {'$inc': {self._counter:1}})


--- 
+++ 
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-
+ 
 class Semaphore(object):
 
     """docstring for Semaphore"""
@@ -19,3 +19,14 @@
     def release(self):
         self._db[self._name].update({'_id':self._id, self._counter:{'$lt':self._max}}, {'$inc': {self._counter:1}})
 
+    def peek(self):
+        doc = self._db[self._name].find_one({'_id':self._id})
+        return doc[self._counter]
+
+    def status(self):
+        """
+        Returns True if the the semaphore is available to be acquired (greater than 0),
+        but does not actually acquire the semaphore. 
+        """
+        doc = self._db[self._name].find_one({'_id':self._id})
+        return doc[self._counter] > 0
Add peek to get counter
