How to run script from interpreter?

[windhorn]

Yes, it's been covered, but not quite to my satisfaction.

Here's an example simple script:

# Very simple script
bar = 123

I save this as "foo.py" somewhere Python can find it

>>> import foo
>>> bar
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'bar' is not defined

# Oops, it's in a different namespace and I have to prefix EVERYTHING with "foo.". This is inconvenient.

>>> foo.bar
123

Start a new session...

>>> from foo import *
>>> bar
123

Do a little editing:

# Very simple (new) script
bar = 456

Save as foo.py, back to the interpreter:

>>> reload(foo)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'foo' is not defined

# Oops, it's not in the namespace, so there is NO way to use reload

Start a new session...

>>> execfile('foo.py')
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'foo.py'

# Oops, it's on the path, but execfile can't find it

>>> import os,sys
>>> os.chdir('W:/Code')
>>> execfile('foo.py')
>>> bar
456

Do some more editing:

# Very simple (even newer) script
bar = 789

Save it as foo.py, back to the interpreter:

>>> execfile('foo.py')
>>> bar
789

That works, but nothing is very convenient for debugging simple scripts. If I run the script from a command prompt it works, but I lose all my other stuff (debugging functions, variables, etc.).

More a comment than a question but seems like sometimes execfile() is the right tool.

Regards,
Allen