[Python-Dev] New relative import issue

[Paul Moore]

On 9/21/06, Guido van Rossum <guido at python.org> wrote:
> I think one missing feature is a mechanism whereby you can say "THIS
> package (gives top-level package name) lives HERE (gives filesystem
> location of package)" without adding the parent of HERE to sys.path
> for all module searches. I think Phillip Eby's egg system might
> benefit from this.

This is pretty easy to do with a custom importer on sys.meta_path.
Getting the details right is a touch fiddly, but it's conceptually
straightforward.

Hmm, I might play with this - a set of PEP 302 importers to completely
customise the import mechanism. The never-completed "phase 2" of the
PEP included a reimplementation of the built in import mechanism as
hooks. Is there any interest in this actually happening? I've been
looking for an interesting coding project for a while (although I
never have any free time...)

Paul.