built-in function- module name clash

[Olivier Vierlinck]

Hi,

I've a python script using somecalls to the abs() built-in function.

Now, I have to import a module named 'abs' too...
The consequence if that line code like

if (abs(a-b) < epsilon:
...
does not work anymore, with this error msg:

TypeError: 'module' object is not callable

Clearly, the interpreter tries first to consider 'abs' as a module name rather than a built-in function name.
Any idea on how to force it to call the abs() fct? Some kind of scoping or specific syntax?
(I could rename the abs module too but ...)

Thanks for your help,
cheers,
Olivier

 

[Jason Lai]

Hi,

I've a python script using somecalls to the abs() built-in function.

Now, I have to import a module named 'abs' too...
The consequence if that line code like

if (abs(a-b) < epsilon:
...
does not work anymore, with this error msg:

TypeError: 'module' object is not callable

Clearly, the interpreter tries first to consider 'abs' as a module name rather than a built-in function name.
Any idea on how to force it to call the abs() fct? Some kind of scoping or specific syntax?
(I could rename the abs module too but ...)

Thanks for your help,
cheers,
Olivier

__builtins__.abs(a-b)

Not very pretty, but it works.

- Jason

 

[Alex Martelli]

Hi,

I've a python script using somecalls to the abs() built-in function.

Now, I have to import a module named 'abs' too...
The consequence if that line code like

if (abs(a-b) < epsilon:
...
does not work anymore, with this error msg:

TypeError: 'module' object is not callable

Clearly, the interpreter tries first to consider 'abs' as a module name

rather than a built-in function name.

Nope, it just uses the latest binding you requested for name 'abs',
whatever kind of object that may refer to, there's just one (at a given
time in a given scope).

Any idea on how to force it to call the abs() fct? Some kind of scoping or specific syntax?
(I could rename the abs module too but ...)

A name at a given time in a scope can refer to ONE thing -- so either
'abs' names a function or it names a module, not both, in that one scope
at one and the same time.

You can import under a false name, no need to rename your abs.py:

import abs as myabs

or you can get an alias for the builtin before you trample on it:

builtin_abs = abs
import abs

and perhaps restore it later if you're done naming your abs module --
and other ways yet. But you just can't have barename 'abs' refer to two
different thing as the same name in the same scope.


Alex