PYTHONPATH and eggs

[geoffbache]

Hi all,

I have a very simple problem that seems to have no simple solution.

I have a module which is installed centrally and lives in a Python
egg. I have experimented with some minor changes to it and would like
to set my PYTHONPATH to pick up my local copy of it, but don't want to
have to figure out how to build my own version of the "egg" if
possible.

Unfortunately, the location from PYTHONPATH ends up after the eggs in
sys.path so I can't persuade Python to import my version. The only way
I've found to fix it is to copy the main script and manually hack
sys.path at the start of it which isn't really very nice. I wonder if
there is any better way as I can't be the first person to want to do
this, surely?

I've seen this issue has been discussed elsewhere and flagged as a
problem (e.g.
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/distutils-sig/2009-January/010755.html)

but I've been unable to find any suggestions for workarounds or
indications whether this will be/has been fixed.

Regards,
Geoff Bache