[Python-Dev] imputil and modulefinder replacements

[Gordon McMillan]

[Greg Ward]

> The only import hook I'm familiar with is Quixote, where we have
> defined a Python dialect called PTL (Python Template Language,
> used to embed HTML [or other text] in Python).  Install Quixote's
> import hook, and you can import .ptl files just like .py files. 
> It's very handy.  Out of curiosity, does anyone know of any other
> import hooks like this out there -- ie. import something that is
> not strictly Python.  (It sounds like most import hooks/hacks
> deal with the location of the .py files to import.  Quixote
> doesn't touch that, but it adds the ability to import
> not-quite-Python source files.)

I know of import hooks like that, but in 1000+ emails from 
Installer users, no one has ever attempted to distribute an app 
that uses one. If the hook writes out a .pyc, then the hook is 
pretty much developer-only, anyway.
 

> Note that my experience of this in Java was largely negative,
> because Java doesn't have a standard way of putting .class files
> in the filesystem (AFAIK) -- so everything has to be in a .jar
> file, and those .jar files can be anywhere you please.  

Huh? Jar files don't date from day 1 - for .class files it works 
almost like Python.

> So you
> end up with a mile-long CLASSPATH that's very fragile and forever
> needing fixing.  As long as most Python modules are accessed the
> ordinary way (files in a directory), then Python won't have a
> problem.  But if somebody makes a Python installation with
> "stdlib.zip", "distutils.zip", "mxDateTime.zip", etc. etc., then
> the poor users will be in the same boat as Java users.

I think the only difference is that Python goes to considerable 
effort (and expense) to work out a sys.path before considering 
PYTHONPATH.
 


- Gordon