Python import all * from dynamically created module

Question

I have found many variations for importing dynamically created/named modules by reference to their names as text, but all import the module as a whole and do not seem to facilitate importing all * ....

In my case, the objects within the file are dynamically created and named, so their identities cannot be discovered beforehand.

This works, but is there a better way perhaps using importlib ?

PREFIX = "my_super_new"

active_data_module = "{0}_data_module".format(PREFIX)

exec("from {0} import *".format(active_data_module))

It's one thing to use from foo import * when you know what foo is. How will you even know what was imported if you don't know the value of active_data_module? — chepner
– chepner, Commented Jan 23, 2021 at 22:08
@chepner the active data module is generated at runtime from configurations that are user defined. — neil.millikin
– neil.millikin, Commented Jan 23, 2021 at 22:43

Open AI - Opting Out · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-23 22:15:01Z

1

You could use vars with the module. This would return a dictionary of all attributes on the module (I think). Then you can assign the dictionary to the globals dictionary to make it accessible in the current module:

import importlib

PREFIX = "my_super_new"
active_data_module = "{0}_data_module".format(PREFIX)

module = importlib.import_module(active_data_module)

globals().update(vars(module))

answered Jan 23, 2021 at 22:15

Open AI - Opting Out

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neil.millikin · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-23 23:28:38Z

0

Using Peter Wood's answer, I created a small utility function:

import importlib

def import_everything_from_module_by_name(module_name):
    globals().update(vars(importlib.import_module(module_name)))

modules_for_import = [
    module_a,
    module_b,
    module_c
    ]

for module_name in modules_for_import:
    import_everything_from_module_by_name(module_name)

answered Jan 23, 2021 at 23:28

neil.millikin

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1 Comment

Open AI - Opting Out Over a year ago

Just to note, this will only update globals for that particular module. It might not behave the way you think if you call the function from a different module.

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