[New-bugs-announce] [issue36426] exec() issue when used inside function

[Domen Jurkovič]

New submission from Domen Jurkovič <domen.jurkovic at gmail.com>:

I've reported a stack overflow question and no reasonable explation was offered. Here is what I've discovered:
.. code-block:: python
    def func():
        varName = 'bar'
        varValue = 42
        localVarToEvaluate = varName + ' = varValue'

        try:
            exec(localVarToEvaluate)
        except Exception as err:
            print(str(err))
        
        if 'bar' in locals():
            # print(locals()['bar']) # (1) OK
            # print(bar)  # (2) ERR
            #print("'bar' OK:", bar)  # (3) ERR
            pass # uncomment any line above

    func()

After ``exec()`` is executed, ``bar`` can be seen in ``locals()``, but not accessible by intereter. Also, It can be accessed by directly calling ``print(locals()['bar'](``, but not ``print(bar)``.

This is the problem as long as the code is wrapped in function. If the same code is placed in the module body, works as expected. 

Is there any exaplanation for such behaviour, or is this a bug?

----------
components: Interpreter Core, Windows
messages: 338812
nosy: paul.moore, schperplata, steve.dower, tim.golden, zach.ware
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: exec() issue when used inside function
type: behavior
versions: Python 2.7, Python 3.5, Python 3.6, Python 3.7

_______________________________________
Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<https://bugs.python.org/issue36426>
_______________________________________