[Tutor] Replacing "source" in Bash Scripting

[bob gailer]

James wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I'm re-writing a rather complex bash script I've been using for years  
> in Python.  The bash script uses a relatively simple configuration  
> file in order to get pertinent information before it runs.  The  
> configuration file is relatively simple: about 30 variables are  
> defined in this manner in the config file:
>
> VARNAME=value
>
> In the bash script I simply "source" this configuration file and the  
> script runs merrily using those variables defined in the  
> configuration file.  i.e.,
>
> "source configFile"
>
> I'm trying to implement similar behavior in a Python script,  
> specifically having a configuration file (with a list of variables  
> and their values defined) that my Python program will read once  
> running.  I'm not really sure what the best way to implement this is.
>
> Ideas?
>   
The simplest, IMHO, is: create and import a module (e.g. config.py) with 
a series of assignments:

VARNAME1='value1'
VARNAME2='value2'

In the script:

from config import *

There are also a number of modules in the Python library for doing more 
complex config file manipulation.