[Python-Dev] Fix import errors to have data

[Guido van Rossum]

> No.  I'm proposing a way for a Python developer to detect the
> presence or absence of a module.
> 
> Hm, perhaps it would be better to provide an API (if there isn't one
> already) to test whether a module is present.
> 
> AFAIK, the only way to do it is by trying the import.  Unfortunately,
> the error type alone isn't enough to tell whether the error you
> caught is due to the error condition you are trying to test.
> 
> Perhaps providing an API is a better way to go.

This exists as imp.find_module.

> In general, however, I hate the approach of formatting errors
> as they are raised, rather than as they are converted to strings.

Agreed.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)