[Tutor] Where is sys.py?

[Steven D'Aprano]

Lisi wrote:
> If sys.py is a file, it must be somewhere; but I can't find it.  Where is it?  
> I would like to look at it.

Others have already answered this, but consider how you might explore 
the answer at the interactive interpreter:

 >>> import os
 >>> os.__file__
'/usr/lib/python2.5/os.pyc'
 >>> import sys
 >>> sys.__file__
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute '__file__'


So the sys module has no __file__ attribute, and therefore there is no 
sys.py. Looking deeper:


 >>> import inspect
 >>> inspect.getfile(sys)
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
   File "/usr/lib/python2.5/inspect.py", line 347, in getfile
     raise TypeError('arg is a built-in module')
TypeError: arg is a built-in module


Hmmm, not the most user-friendly of messages ("arg" is a built-in 
module? how about *naming* it, all modules have a name!) but the answer 
is clear: sys is part of the Python virtual machine itself, and does not 
live in a file.

(Except, of course, that Python itself is compiled from files, and the 
code creating sys will be in those.)

Furthermore:

 >>> import math
 >>> math.__file__
'/usr/lib/python2.5/lib-dynload/mathmodule.so'


So here we have a module that does live in a file, but it is a C 
library, not a .py python file. (On Windows, it may be a .dll.)


> The modules within it must surely be somewhere too.  But since I can't find 
> sys, I obviously can't find the modules.  Again, I'd like to look at them.


I don't understand what you mean by "modules within it".

Do you mean sys.modules?

That's easy:

 >>> sys.modules['inspect']
<module 'inspect' from '/usr/lib/python2.5/inspect.pyc'>



-- 
Steven