String variable as import module specifier

Question

I have tried the following:

>> modname = 'sys'
>> import modname
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<console>", line 1, in <module>
ImportError: No module named modname

Why does import not recognize 'sys' as the name of the module to be imported?

Ashwini Chaudhary · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-04 10:02:39Z

5

use importlib module if you want to import a module based on a string.

>>> import importlib
>>> mod = importlib.import_module('sys')
>>> mod
<module 'sys' (built-in)>

answered Jun 4, 2013 at 10:02

Ashwini Chaudhary

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6 Comments

Thank you. It is a workaround (hence the upvote), but it does not quite answer my question, or does it not?

@MarcosGonzalez You can't do it with a string

@MarcosGonzalez import statement doesn't works with strings.

Why? It seems so 'intuitive' ;-)

@MarcosGonzalez There should be one way to do it

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jamylak · Accepted Answer · 2013-06-04 10:02:44Z

2

>>> modname = 'sys'
>>> sys = __import__(modname)

answered Jun 4, 2013 at 10:02

jamylak

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Thank you. It is a workaround (hence the upvote), but it does not quite answer my question, or does it not?

@MarcosGonzalez I suggesst you accept the answer by AshwiniChaudhary It is the current accepted way to do it

@MarcosGonzalez I wasn't aware of importlib when posting this ;)