[Python-Dev] __import__ problems

[Mart Somermaa]

>> The variant proposed by Hrvoje Niksic:
>> 
>>  >>> __import__(modname)
>>  >>> mod = sys.modules[modname]
>> 
>> looks more appealing, but comes with the drawback that sys has to be 
>> imported for that purpose only.
>
> That is not a real drawback, as "sys" will certainly be present in the 
> system, so the "importing" boils down to a dict lookup and a variable 
> assignment.

I meant that you have to

>>> import sys

only to access sys.modules (i.e. importing sys may not be necessary otherwise).

Compare

>>> mod = __import__(modname, submodule=True)

with

>>> import sys
>>> __import__(modname)
>>> mod = sys.modules[modname]