Related
I'm writing a Python application that takes a command as an argument, for example:
$ python myapp.py command1
I want the application to be extensible, that is, to be able to add new modules that implement new commands without having to change the main application source. The tree looks something like:
myapp/
__init__.py
commands/
__init__.py
command1.py
command2.py
foo.py
bar.py
So I want the application to find the available command modules at runtime and execute the appropriate one.
Python defines an __import__() function, which takes a string for a module name:
__import__(name, globals=None, locals=None, fromlist=(), level=0)
The function imports the module name, potentially using the given globals and locals to determine how to interpret the name in a package context. The fromlist gives the names of objects or submodules that should be imported from the module given by name.
Source: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#__import__
So currently I have something like:
command = sys.argv[1]
try:
command_module = __import__("myapp.commands.%s" % command, fromlist=["myapp.commands"])
except ImportError:
# Display error message
command_module.run()
This works just fine, I'm just wondering if there is possibly a more idiomatic way to accomplish what we are doing with this code.
Note that I specifically don't want to get in to using eggs or extension points. This is not an open-source project and I don't expect there to be "plugins". The point is to simplify the main application code and remove the need to modify it each time a new command module is added.
See also: How do I import a module given the full path?
With Python older than 2.7/3.1, that's pretty much how you do it.
For newer versions, see importlib.import_module for Python 2 and Python 3.
Or using __import__ you can import a list of modules by doing this:
>>> moduleNames = ['sys', 'os', 're', 'unittest']
>>> moduleNames
['sys', 'os', 're', 'unittest']
>>> modules = map(__import__, moduleNames)
Ripped straight from Dive Into Python.
The recommended way for Python 2.7 and 3.1 and later is to use importlib module:
importlib.import_module(name, package=None)
Import a module. The name argument specifies what module to import in absolute or relative terms (e.g. either pkg.mod or ..mod). If the name is specified in relative terms, then the package argument must be set to the name of the package which is to act as the anchor for resolving the package name (e.g. import_module('..mod', 'pkg.subpkg') will import pkg.mod).
e.g.
my_module = importlib.import_module('os.path')
Note: imp is deprecated since Python 3.4 in favor of importlib
As mentioned the imp module provides you loading functions:
imp.load_source(name, path)
imp.load_compiled(name, path)
I've used these before to perform something similar.
In my case I defined a specific class with defined methods that were required.
Once I loaded the module I would check if the class was in the module, and then create an instance of that class, something like this:
import imp
import os
def load_from_file(filepath):
class_inst = None
expected_class = 'MyClass'
mod_name,file_ext = os.path.splitext(os.path.split(filepath)[-1])
if file_ext.lower() == '.py':
py_mod = imp.load_source(mod_name, filepath)
elif file_ext.lower() == '.pyc':
py_mod = imp.load_compiled(mod_name, filepath)
if hasattr(py_mod, expected_class):
class_inst = getattr(py_mod, expected_class)()
return class_inst
Using importlib
Importing a source file
Here is a slightly adapted example from the documentation:
import sys
import importlib.util
file_path = 'pluginX.py'
module_name = 'pluginX'
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, file_path)
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
# Verify contents of the module:
print(dir(module))
From here, module will be a module object representing the pluginX module (the same thing that would be assigned to pluginX by doing import pluginX). Thus, to call e.g. a hello function (with no parameters) defined in pluginX, use module.hello().
To get the effect "importing" functionality from the module instead, store it in the in-memory cache of loaded modules, and then do the corresponding from import:
sys.modules[module_name] = module
from pluginX import hello
hello()
Importing a package
To import a package instead, calling import_module is sufficient. Suppose there is a package folder pluginX in the current working directory; then just do
import importlib
pkg = importlib.import_module('pluginX')
# check if it's all there..
print(dir(pkg))
Use the imp module, or the more direct __import__() function.
You can use exec:
exec("import myapp.commands.%s" % command)
If you want it in your locals:
>>> mod = 'sys'
>>> locals()['my_module'] = __import__(mod)
>>> my_module.version
'2.6.6 (r266:84297, Aug 24 2010, 18:46:32) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)]'
same would work with globals()
Similar as #monkut 's solution but reusable and error tolerant described here http://stamat.wordpress.com/dynamic-module-import-in-python/:
import os
import imp
def importFromURI(uri, absl):
mod = None
if not absl:
uri = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), uri))
path, fname = os.path.split(uri)
mname, ext = os.path.splitext(fname)
if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path,mname)+'.pyc'):
try:
return imp.load_compiled(mname, uri)
except:
pass
if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path,mname)+'.py'):
try:
return imp.load_source(mname, uri)
except:
pass
return mod
The below piece worked for me:
>>>import imp;
>>>fp, pathname, description = imp.find_module("/home/test_module");
>>>test_module = imp.load_module("test_module", fp, pathname, description);
>>>print test_module.print_hello();
if you want to import in shell-script:
python -c '<above entire code in one line>'
The following worked for me:
import sys, glob
sys.path.append('/home/marc/python/importtest/modus')
fl = glob.glob('modus/*.py')
modulist = []
adapters=[]
for i in range(len(fl)):
fl[i] = fl[i].split('/')[1]
fl[i] = fl[i][0:(len(fl[i])-3)]
modulist.append(getattr(__import__(fl[i]),fl[i]))
adapters.append(modulist[i]())
It loads modules from the folder 'modus'. The modules have a single class with the same name as the module name. E.g. the file modus/modu1.py contains:
class modu1():
def __init__(self):
self.x=1
print self.x
The result is a list of dynamically loaded classes "adapters".
I'm writing a Python application that takes a command as an argument, for example:
$ python myapp.py command1
I want the application to be extensible, that is, to be able to add new modules that implement new commands without having to change the main application source. The tree looks something like:
myapp/
__init__.py
commands/
__init__.py
command1.py
command2.py
foo.py
bar.py
So I want the application to find the available command modules at runtime and execute the appropriate one.
Python defines an __import__() function, which takes a string for a module name:
__import__(name, globals=None, locals=None, fromlist=(), level=0)
The function imports the module name, potentially using the given globals and locals to determine how to interpret the name in a package context. The fromlist gives the names of objects or submodules that should be imported from the module given by name.
Source: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#__import__
So currently I have something like:
command = sys.argv[1]
try:
command_module = __import__("myapp.commands.%s" % command, fromlist=["myapp.commands"])
except ImportError:
# Display error message
command_module.run()
This works just fine, I'm just wondering if there is possibly a more idiomatic way to accomplish what we are doing with this code.
Note that I specifically don't want to get in to using eggs or extension points. This is not an open-source project and I don't expect there to be "plugins". The point is to simplify the main application code and remove the need to modify it each time a new command module is added.
See also: How do I import a module given the full path?
With Python older than 2.7/3.1, that's pretty much how you do it.
For newer versions, see importlib.import_module for Python 2 and Python 3.
Or using __import__ you can import a list of modules by doing this:
>>> moduleNames = ['sys', 'os', 're', 'unittest']
>>> moduleNames
['sys', 'os', 're', 'unittest']
>>> modules = map(__import__, moduleNames)
Ripped straight from Dive Into Python.
The recommended way for Python 2.7 and 3.1 and later is to use importlib module:
importlib.import_module(name, package=None)
Import a module. The name argument specifies what module to import in absolute or relative terms (e.g. either pkg.mod or ..mod). If the name is specified in relative terms, then the package argument must be set to the name of the package which is to act as the anchor for resolving the package name (e.g. import_module('..mod', 'pkg.subpkg') will import pkg.mod).
e.g.
my_module = importlib.import_module('os.path')
Note: imp is deprecated since Python 3.4 in favor of importlib
As mentioned the imp module provides you loading functions:
imp.load_source(name, path)
imp.load_compiled(name, path)
I've used these before to perform something similar.
In my case I defined a specific class with defined methods that were required.
Once I loaded the module I would check if the class was in the module, and then create an instance of that class, something like this:
import imp
import os
def load_from_file(filepath):
class_inst = None
expected_class = 'MyClass'
mod_name,file_ext = os.path.splitext(os.path.split(filepath)[-1])
if file_ext.lower() == '.py':
py_mod = imp.load_source(mod_name, filepath)
elif file_ext.lower() == '.pyc':
py_mod = imp.load_compiled(mod_name, filepath)
if hasattr(py_mod, expected_class):
class_inst = getattr(py_mod, expected_class)()
return class_inst
Using importlib
Importing a source file
Here is a slightly adapted example from the documentation:
import sys
import importlib.util
file_path = 'pluginX.py'
module_name = 'pluginX'
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, file_path)
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
# Verify contents of the module:
print(dir(module))
From here, module will be a module object representing the pluginX module (the same thing that would be assigned to pluginX by doing import pluginX). Thus, to call e.g. a hello function (with no parameters) defined in pluginX, use module.hello().
To get the effect "importing" functionality from the module instead, store it in the in-memory cache of loaded modules, and then do the corresponding from import:
sys.modules[module_name] = module
from pluginX import hello
hello()
Importing a package
To import a package instead, calling import_module is sufficient. Suppose there is a package folder pluginX in the current working directory; then just do
import importlib
pkg = importlib.import_module('pluginX')
# check if it's all there..
print(dir(pkg))
Use the imp module, or the more direct __import__() function.
You can use exec:
exec("import myapp.commands.%s" % command)
If you want it in your locals:
>>> mod = 'sys'
>>> locals()['my_module'] = __import__(mod)
>>> my_module.version
'2.6.6 (r266:84297, Aug 24 2010, 18:46:32) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)]'
same would work with globals()
Similar as #monkut 's solution but reusable and error tolerant described here http://stamat.wordpress.com/dynamic-module-import-in-python/:
import os
import imp
def importFromURI(uri, absl):
mod = None
if not absl:
uri = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), uri))
path, fname = os.path.split(uri)
mname, ext = os.path.splitext(fname)
if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path,mname)+'.pyc'):
try:
return imp.load_compiled(mname, uri)
except:
pass
if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path,mname)+'.py'):
try:
return imp.load_source(mname, uri)
except:
pass
return mod
The below piece worked for me:
>>>import imp;
>>>fp, pathname, description = imp.find_module("/home/test_module");
>>>test_module = imp.load_module("test_module", fp, pathname, description);
>>>print test_module.print_hello();
if you want to import in shell-script:
python -c '<above entire code in one line>'
The following worked for me:
import sys, glob
sys.path.append('/home/marc/python/importtest/modus')
fl = glob.glob('modus/*.py')
modulist = []
adapters=[]
for i in range(len(fl)):
fl[i] = fl[i].split('/')[1]
fl[i] = fl[i][0:(len(fl[i])-3)]
modulist.append(getattr(__import__(fl[i]),fl[i]))
adapters.append(modulist[i]())
It loads modules from the folder 'modus'. The modules have a single class with the same name as the module name. E.g. the file modus/modu1.py contains:
class modu1():
def __init__(self):
self.x=1
print self.x
The result is a list of dynamically loaded classes "adapters".
Say I have a string: 'src.utils.random_num'
How can I import random_num and actually execute it. What I have thus far:
from importlib import import_module
def parse_module(module_path):
package = '.'.join(module_path.split('.')[:-1])
module = module_path.split('.')[-1]
return package, module
req_import = parse_module('src.utils.random_num')
# import the package, works fine
module = import_module(req_import[0])
# how can I access and execute `random_num` via `req_import[1]`?
module.random_num()
How can I evaluate that random_num is a function and execute it dynamically?
I'm writing a Python application that takes a command as an argument, for example:
$ python myapp.py command1
I want the application to be extensible, that is, to be able to add new modules that implement new commands without having to change the main application source. The tree looks something like:
myapp/
__init__.py
commands/
__init__.py
command1.py
command2.py
foo.py
bar.py
So I want the application to find the available command modules at runtime and execute the appropriate one.
Python defines an __import__() function, which takes a string for a module name:
__import__(name, globals=None, locals=None, fromlist=(), level=0)
The function imports the module name, potentially using the given globals and locals to determine how to interpret the name in a package context. The fromlist gives the names of objects or submodules that should be imported from the module given by name.
Source: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#__import__
So currently I have something like:
command = sys.argv[1]
try:
command_module = __import__("myapp.commands.%s" % command, fromlist=["myapp.commands"])
except ImportError:
# Display error message
command_module.run()
This works just fine, I'm just wondering if there is possibly a more idiomatic way to accomplish what we are doing with this code.
Note that I specifically don't want to get in to using eggs or extension points. This is not an open-source project and I don't expect there to be "plugins". The point is to simplify the main application code and remove the need to modify it each time a new command module is added.
See also: How do I import a module given the full path?
With Python older than 2.7/3.1, that's pretty much how you do it.
For newer versions, see importlib.import_module for Python 2 and Python 3.
Or using __import__ you can import a list of modules by doing this:
>>> moduleNames = ['sys', 'os', 're', 'unittest']
>>> moduleNames
['sys', 'os', 're', 'unittest']
>>> modules = map(__import__, moduleNames)
Ripped straight from Dive Into Python.
The recommended way for Python 2.7 and 3.1 and later is to use importlib module:
importlib.import_module(name, package=None)
Import a module. The name argument specifies what module to import in absolute or relative terms (e.g. either pkg.mod or ..mod). If the name is specified in relative terms, then the package argument must be set to the name of the package which is to act as the anchor for resolving the package name (e.g. import_module('..mod', 'pkg.subpkg') will import pkg.mod).
e.g.
my_module = importlib.import_module('os.path')
Note: imp is deprecated since Python 3.4 in favor of importlib
As mentioned the imp module provides you loading functions:
imp.load_source(name, path)
imp.load_compiled(name, path)
I've used these before to perform something similar.
In my case I defined a specific class with defined methods that were required.
Once I loaded the module I would check if the class was in the module, and then create an instance of that class, something like this:
import imp
import os
def load_from_file(filepath):
class_inst = None
expected_class = 'MyClass'
mod_name,file_ext = os.path.splitext(os.path.split(filepath)[-1])
if file_ext.lower() == '.py':
py_mod = imp.load_source(mod_name, filepath)
elif file_ext.lower() == '.pyc':
py_mod = imp.load_compiled(mod_name, filepath)
if hasattr(py_mod, expected_class):
class_inst = getattr(py_mod, expected_class)()
return class_inst
Using importlib
Importing a source file
Here is a slightly adapted example from the documentation:
import sys
import importlib.util
file_path = 'pluginX.py'
module_name = 'pluginX'
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, file_path)
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
# Verify contents of the module:
print(dir(module))
From here, module will be a module object representing the pluginX module (the same thing that would be assigned to pluginX by doing import pluginX). Thus, to call e.g. a hello function (with no parameters) defined in pluginX, use module.hello().
To get the effect "importing" functionality from the module instead, store it in the in-memory cache of loaded modules, and then do the corresponding from import:
sys.modules[module_name] = module
from pluginX import hello
hello()
Importing a package
To import a package instead, calling import_module is sufficient. Suppose there is a package folder pluginX in the current working directory; then just do
import importlib
pkg = importlib.import_module('pluginX')
# check if it's all there..
print(dir(pkg))
Use the imp module, or the more direct __import__() function.
You can use exec:
exec("import myapp.commands.%s" % command)
If you want it in your locals:
>>> mod = 'sys'
>>> locals()['my_module'] = __import__(mod)
>>> my_module.version
'2.6.6 (r266:84297, Aug 24 2010, 18:46:32) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)]'
same would work with globals()
Similar as #monkut 's solution but reusable and error tolerant described here http://stamat.wordpress.com/dynamic-module-import-in-python/:
import os
import imp
def importFromURI(uri, absl):
mod = None
if not absl:
uri = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), uri))
path, fname = os.path.split(uri)
mname, ext = os.path.splitext(fname)
if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path,mname)+'.pyc'):
try:
return imp.load_compiled(mname, uri)
except:
pass
if os.path.exists(os.path.join(path,mname)+'.py'):
try:
return imp.load_source(mname, uri)
except:
pass
return mod
The below piece worked for me:
>>>import imp;
>>>fp, pathname, description = imp.find_module("/home/test_module");
>>>test_module = imp.load_module("test_module", fp, pathname, description);
>>>print test_module.print_hello();
if you want to import in shell-script:
python -c '<above entire code in one line>'
The following worked for me:
import sys, glob
sys.path.append('/home/marc/python/importtest/modus')
fl = glob.glob('modus/*.py')
modulist = []
adapters=[]
for i in range(len(fl)):
fl[i] = fl[i].split('/')[1]
fl[i] = fl[i][0:(len(fl[i])-3)]
modulist.append(getattr(__import__(fl[i]),fl[i]))
adapters.append(modulist[i]())
It loads modules from the folder 'modus'. The modules have a single class with the same name as the module name. E.g. the file modus/modu1.py contains:
class modu1():
def __init__(self):
self.x=1
print self.x
The result is a list of dynamically loaded classes "adapters".
I have a string, say: abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile.mymethod. How do I dynamically import mymethod?
Here is how I went about it:
def get_method_from_file(full_path):
if len(full_path) == 1:
return map(__import__,[full_path[0]])[0]
return getattr(get_method_from_file(full_path[:-1]),full_path[-1])
if __name__=='__main__':
print get_method_from_file('abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile.mymethod'.split('.'))
I am wondering if the importing individual modules is required at all.
Edit: I am using Python version 2.6.5.
From Python 2.7 you can use the importlib.import_module() function. You can import a module and access an object defined within it with the following code:
from importlib import import_module
p, m = name.rsplit('.', 1)
mod = import_module(p)
met = getattr(mod, m)
met()
You don't need to import the individual modules. It is enough to import the module you want to import a name from and provide the fromlist argument:
def import_from(module, name):
module = __import__(module, fromlist=[name])
return getattr(module, name)
For your example abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile.mymethod, call this function as
import_from("abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile", "mymethod")
(Note that module-level functions are called functions in Python, not methods.)
For such a simple task, there is no advantage in using the importlib module.
For Python < 2.7 the builtin method __ import__ can be used:
__import__('abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile.mymethod', fromlist=[''])
For Python >= 2.7 or 3.1 the convenient method importlib.import_module has been added. Just import your module like this:
importlib.import_module('abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile.mymethod')
Update: Updated version according to comments (I must admit I didn't read the string to be imported till the end and I missed the fact that a method of a module should be imported and not a module itself):
Python < 2.7 :
mymethod = getattr(__import__("abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile", fromlist=["mymethod"]))
Python >= 2.7:
mymethod = getattr(importlib.import_module("abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile"), "mymethod")
from importlib import import_module
name = "file.py".strip('.py')
# if Path like : "path/python/file.py"
# use name.replaces("/",".")
imp = import_module(name)
# get Class From File.py
model = getattr(imp, "classNameImportFromFile")
NClass = model() # Class From file
It's unclear what you are trying to do to your local namespace. I assume you want just my_method as a local, typing output = my_method()?
# This is equivalent to "from a.b.myfile import my_method"
the_module = importlib.import_module("a.b.myfile")
same_module = __import__("a.b.myfile")
# import_module() and __input__() only return modules
my_method = getattr(the_module, "my_method")
# or, more concisely,
my_method = getattr(__import__("a.b.myfile"), "my_method")
output = my_method()
While you only add my_method to the local namespace, you do load the chain of modules. You can look at changes by watching the keys of sys.modules before and after the import. I hope this is clearer and more accurate than your other answers.
For completeness, this is how you add the whole chain.
# This is equivalent to "import a.b.myfile"
a = __import__("a.b.myfile")
also_a = importlib.import_module("a.b.myfile")
output = a.b.myfile.my_method()
# This is equivalent to "from a.b import myfile"
myfile = __import__("a.b.myfile", fromlist="a.b")
also_myfile = importlib.import_module("a.b.myfile", "a.b")
output = myfile.my_method()
And, finally, if you are using __import__() and have modified you search path after the program started, you may need to use __import__(normal args, globals=globals(), locals=locals()). The why is a complex discussion.
This website has a nice solution: load_class. I use it like this:
foo = load_class(package.subpackage.FooClass)()
type(foo) # returns FooClass
As requested, here is the code from the web link:
import importlib
def load_class(full_class_string):
"""
dynamically load a class from a string
"""
class_data = full_class_string.split(".")
module_path = ".".join(class_data[:-1])
class_str = class_data[-1]
module = importlib.import_module(module_path)
# Finally, we retrieve the Class
return getattr(module, class_str)
Use importlib (2.7+ only).
The way I tend to to this (as well as a number of other libraries, such as pylons and paste, if my memory serves me correctly) is to separate the module name from the function/attribute name by using a ':' between them. See the following example:
'abc.def.ghi.jkl.myfile:mymethod'
This makes the import_from(path) function below a little easier to use.
def import_from(path):
"""
Import an attribute, function or class from a module.
:attr path: A path descriptor in the form of 'pkg.module.submodule:attribute'
:type path: str
"""
path_parts = path.split(':')
if len(path_parts) < 2:
raise ImportError("path must be in the form of pkg.module.submodule:attribute")
module = __import__(path_parts[0], fromlist=path_parts[1])
return getattr(module, path_parts[1])
if __name__=='__main__':
func = import_from('a.b.c.d.myfile:mymethod')
func()
How about this :
def import_module(name):
mod = __import__(name)
for s in name.split('.')[1:]:
mod = getattr(mod, s)
return mod