[Python-3000] Should package __init__ files include pkgutil.extend_path?

[Phillip J. Eby]

At 03:28 PM 9/6/2008 -0700, Brett Cannon wrote:
>On Sat, Sep 6, 2008 at 2:06 PM,  <skip at pobox.com> wrote:
> > I'm trying to figure out how to install this dbm.sqlite module I have
> > without overwriting the basic install.  My thought was to create a dbm
> > package in site-packages then copy sqlite.py there.  That doesn't work
> > though.  Modifying dbm.__init__.py to include this does:
> >
> >    import pkgutil
> >    __path__ = pkgutil.extend_path(__path__, __name__)
> >
> > I'm wondering if all the core packages in 3.x should include the above in
> > their __init__.py files.
> >
>
>Well, a side-effect of this is that all package imports will suddenly
>spike the number of stat calls linearly to the number of entries on
>sys.path.

"All package imports"?  "Spike"?


>Another option is to use a pth file that imports your module (as like
>_dbm_sqlite.py or something) and have it, as a side-effect of
>importing, set itself on dbm.

That adds an import to startup time, whether you use the package or 
not.  At least extend_path will only take effect if you actually 
import that package.