[Python-Dev] New and Improved Import Hooks

[Moore, Paul]

> My current sys.import_hooks patch implements #3 and I think
> that's the most logical thing to do; after all sys.path may not
> be meaningful for a hook. #2 makes little sense I guess. #1
> could be an option, but, given the current state of import.c,
> would be a lot harder to implement. I also think that #3 is the
> most efficient scheme, as the hook can save some local state
> while traversing sys.path.

Have you looked at Gordon McMillan's import utilities? He handles
this by having a "shadowpath" in the manager which maps sys.path
entries to "Owners", where each Owner is responsible for loading
from one location (directory, zipfile, whatever).

I'm convinced you're reinventing the wheel here, at least in part.
(But reinventing it in C, rather than Python, so it's not a
completely bad thing :-))

Paul.