[Python-Dev] PEP 364, Transitioning to the Py3K standard library

[Brett Cannon]

On 3/7/07, Barry Warsaw <barry at python.org> wrote:
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> On Mar 7, 2007, at 7:39 PM, Brett Cannon wrote:
>
> >> I think it's important to import on demand only though.
> >
> > And I agree.
>
> Cool.
>
> >> I should
> >> probably make that clear in the PEP <wink>.  IOW, "import email"
> >> should not by side-effect import all sub-modules just because there's
> >> a remapping involved.  This actually would be quite easy to do, but
> >> it's one of the reasons why the Python 2.5 email package hack goes
> >> through so much trouble.
> > I am not suggesting that every rename be imported.  All I am saying is
> > that a .pth file could ``import pkg.old_names`` and that old_names
> > module adds the mappings, that's all.  It doesn't do anything that you
> > are not proposing be done automatically.
>
> Cool, I see.  What advantage do you see with importing the
> pkg.old_names from a .pth file rather than just including whatever is
> necessary right in pkg/__init__.py?
>

It is only needed if the name of the package itself changed since you
need a bootstrap before you try to import the package itself.
Otherwise __init__.py is the right place if the root package name has
not changed.

-Brett