convert string to a method of a class at runtime?

[Andrew Dalke]

Kevin Altis:
>I would like to be able to take a string containing the definition of a
>method, compile the method and then add it to an instance variable at
>runtime, so that the method defined in the string is part of the class just
>as if it had actually been in the class definition to begin with when the
>module was first used.

I am wary about using such tricks.  Still, try this approach instead

>>> class H:
...  def hello(self, s):
...   print s
...
>>> h = H()
>>> h.hello('world')
world
>>> s = """def world(self, s):
...  print s
...
... """
>>> d = {}
>>> exec s in d
>>> H.world = d["world"]
>>> h.world('new world')
new world
>>>

                    Andrew
                    dalke at dalkescientific.com