Propagate import for all modules in a package.

[Phil]

I'm really new to Python and I am absolutely stumped trying to figure
this out. I have searched plenty, but I am either searching for the
wrong keywords or this isn't possible.

What I want to do is have one import be global for the entire package.
Here is an example...

<package>
__init__.py
module1.py
module2.py
...
moduleN.py

I was thinking that I could just, for example, 'from datetime import
datetime' in __init__.py and have the ability to use 'datetime'
anywhere in any of the modules in 'package'.

This didn't work for me. Did I just do something wrong? Is what I am
trying to do possible?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Diez B. Roggisch]

I'm really new to Python and I am absolutely stumped trying to figure
this out. I have searched plenty, but I am either searching for the
wrong keywords or this isn't possible.

What I want to do is have one import be global for the entire package.
Here is an example...

<package>
__init__.py
module1.py
module2.py
...
moduleN.py

I was thinking that I could just, for example, 'from datetime import
datetime' in __init__.py and have the ability to use 'datetime'
anywhere in any of the modules in 'package'.

This didn't work for me. Did I just do something wrong? Is what I am
trying to do possible?

Each module has it's own namespace, there is no real global one. So
there is no obvious and recommended way to do what you want.

You can do it through, by stuffing names into the __builtins__-module,
which acts as "namespace of last resort"


from datetime import datetime
__builtins__['datetime'] = datetime

However, this is strongly discouraged - you can easily get
name-conflicts, and undefined behavior in your modules if you rely on this.

Diez

 

[Albert Hopkins]

I'm really new to Python and I am absolutely stumped trying to figure
this out. I have searched plenty, but I am either searching for the
wrong keywords or this isn't possible.

What I want to do is have one import be global for the entire package.
Here is an example...

<package>
__init__.py
module1.py
module2.py
...
moduleN.py

I was thinking that I could just, for example, 'from datetime import
datetime' in __init__.py and have the ability to use 'datetime'
anywhere in any of the modules in 'package'.

This didn't work for me. Did I just do something wrong? Is what I am
trying to do possible?

That's not how packages (were designed to) work. A package is basically
a namespace. It doesn't do anything special outside of providing a
namespace for common modules. There are some special features (e.g.
__init__.py which is basically the "body" of the package and '__all__'
which handles wildcard imports of a package) but other than that it's
just a namespace.

 

[Phil]

Thanks to both of you for the fast and detailed responses. I will just
treat the package for what it is, a namespace.

 

[Phil]

Thanks to both of you for the fast and detailed responses. I will
just
use the package for what it is, a namespace.

 

[Phil]

Thanks to both of you for the fast and detailed responses. I will just
use the package for what it is, a namespace.