Correct IDLE usage (was Reason for not allowing import twice but allowing reload())

[Rustom Mody]

On Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 12:23:02 PM UTC+5:30, Terry Reedy wrote:
> On 2/29/2016 7:42 AM, Rustom Mody wrote:
> 
> > Is import needed at all when trying out in Idle?
> ...
> > So it does appear that
> > 1. import not necessary with(in) idle
> > 2. However import and f5 (ie is run as main) are different
> >
> > May some idle experts elaborate on this? Whats the idle idiom of import-ing?
> 
> Rustom, since I know that you are not a rank beginner, I have trouble 
> understanding what you are asking.  

Heh!
I know some things; dont know many things

> F5 when editing foo.py is equivalent 
> to running "python -i foo.py" on a command line while 'in' the directory 
> containing foo.py.  In both cases, foo.py is run as a main module, with 
> __name__ == '__main__'.  The difference is that F5 runs foo.py under 
> IDLE supervision, with results going into and interactive inputs coming 
> from IDLE shell instead of the console interpreter.
> 
> Imports are used in a module to access objects within the imported module.

Let me try to explain again

There is import and import.
There is the formal meaning of the import keyword in python -- call it import-f
There is the informal expectation and need of programmers to 'pull something 
into python' -- call it import-i

That there is some cognitive dissonance between import-f and import-i is seen
in the OP's question itself; also Chris' "I dont believe the language should be
changed" 

So the question is around:
What is the best practice for doing import-i in python?
As the OP finds import-f works once and fails thereafter

In idle one can get the desired result of import-i with F5
Is that right?

Also in general is there good usecases for import-f at that interpreter prompt
in idle?
I think not but not sure of it