[Python-Dev] Allowing import star with namespaces

[Steven D'Aprano]

Brendan Moloney wrote:
> We all know that doing:
> 
>> from pkg import *
> 
> is bad because it obliterates the 'pkg' namespace. So why not allow something like:

I don't quite know what you mean by obliterating the pkg namespace, but 
if my guess is correct, you're wrong. One of the problems with import * 
is that it (potentially) obliterates the caller's namespace, not pkg. 
That is, if you have a function spam(), and you do "from module import 
*", and module also has spam(), it blows away your function. The pkg 
namespace isn't touched -- it's just unavailable to the caller.

  >> import pkg.*
> 
> This would still be helpful for interactive sessions while keeping namespaces around.

I don't understand what the difference between that and just "import 
pkg" would be.


By the way, this sort of question should probably go to the python-ideas 
mailing list for any extended discussion.



-- 
Steven