[Python-Dev] Proposed Python api for testing whether a module exists

[Barry Warsaw]

On Mon, 2004-08-02 at 12:32, Jim Fulton wrote:
> I propose to add the following function to the imp module:
> 
>    exists(module_name)
> 
>       Test whether the named module can be found.
> 
>       This method should be used when you want to perform
>       alternate actions depending on whether a module is available.
> 
>       Returns True of the module can be found and False otherwise.
>       A True return value does not guarentee that the module will be
>       importable.  The module will not be imported as a result of
>       calling exists, but parent modules may be.
> 
>       If a dotted module name is given, then parent modules will be
>       imported if they haven't already been imported.

+1, but shouldn't "parent module" really be spelled "parent package"?

-Barry

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