Initializing defaults to module variables

[Eric Deveaud]

Burton Samograd wrote:
>  Hi, 
> 
>  I'm writing an app that stores some user configuration variables in a
>  file ~/.program/config, which it then imports like so:
> 
>          import sys
>          from posix import environ
>          sys.path.append(environ["HOME"]+"/.program")
>          import config
> 
>  I can then access the configuration through code like:
> 
>          login(config.username)

better use some plain text configuration file
check ConfigParser documentation.

>  So I guess the real question is:
> 
>          Is there a way to create a module namespace and populate it
>          before sourcing the file?

if you take a look at how naming space is affected by the variants 
"from module import *" and his conterpart "import module", you will have your
answer.

shortly

if you use "import foo" all the variables/class/functions comming from the
module foo are located in a globlal space dictionary named foo

if you use "form foo import *" all variables/class/functions comming from the
foo module are located in gloabal space naming dictionary.


try this

-=-=-=-=-=-=- consider module foo.py -=-=-=-=-=-=-

my_var = "my var from foo"

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-


hebus:~/tmp > python
Python 2.4.2 (#1, Mar 22 2006, 12:59:23) 
[GCC 3.3.5 (Debian 1:3.3.5-5)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import foo
>>> print my_var
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in ?
NameError: name 'my_var' is not defined
  
and now

hebus:~/tmp > python
Python 2.4.2 (#1, Mar 22 2006, 12:59:23) 
[GCC 3.3.5 (Debian 1:3.3.5-5)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> from foo import *
>>> print my_var
my var from foo


this will lead to a solution regarding your problem

hebus:~/tmp > python
Python 2.4.2 (#1, Mar 22 2006, 12:59:23) 
[GCC 3.3.5 (Debian 1:3.3.5-5)] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> my_var = 'some default value'
>>> from foo import *
>>> print my_var
my var from foo


once again, I bet your best choice will be to have some plain text config file

	Eric

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