[Python-Dev] import problems (original) (raw)

Steven D'Aprano steve at pearwood.info
Sat Nov 29 02🔞01 CET 2008

On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:20:01 am Alex Martelli wrote:

On Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 9:47 AM, Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote: > On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:30:49 am Christian Heimes wrote: > ... > >> May I point you to the two leading underscores? The name >> 'import' clearly suggests that the function is part of >> Python's internals. By definition all attributes of the form * >> are not meant to be used directly. > > What about doc, name and slots, to mention just a few?

Excellent examples of "not meant to be used directly". [snip]

We obviously have different ideas about what that means, because I agree with everything you say but disagree with the conclusion. The idiom "if name == 'main'" is very common; and I frequently have scripts that "print doc" if given a --help command line option. And as you say, slots is meant to be bound directly.

> I believe that import() is the recommended way to import a > module known only at runtime. The docs also don't seem to agree > with your assertion that import is not to be touched. On the > contrary: > > "The function is invoked by the import statement. It mainly exists > so that you can replace it with another function that has a > compatible interface..." > http://docs.python.org/library/functions.html

Yes, that documentation predates the current generation of import hooks which almost remove the need for such trickery.

Should this be reported as a documentation bug? Given the new import hooks, would it be fair to say that the main reason for import is to use it to import a module whose name is only known at runtime?

-- Steven

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