dynamically importing a module and function

[John Machin]

rkmr.em at gmail.com wrote:
> Hi
> I have a function data['function'], that I need to import from a file
> data['module'], in the directory data['cwd']

OT: Any good reason for using a dictionary instead of a class instance 
(data.functiom, data.module, etc)?

> 
> If I do this from python interactive shell (linux fedora core 8) from
> dir /home/mark it works fine:
> 
>             cwd = data['cwd']
>             os.chdir(cwd)
>             print os.getcwd()
>             module = __import__(data['module'])
>             function = getattr(module, data['function'])
> 

This is possibly due to python using what was the current working 
directory when it started up.

An alternative (untested):

saved = sys.path
sys.path = data['cwd']
module = __import__(data['module'])
sys.path = saved

Exception handling is left as an exercise for the reader.

HTH,
John