Reloading modules

[Michael Hudson]

Michael Hudson <mwh at python.net> writes:

> Jeff Davis <jdavis at empires.org> writes:
> 
> > Is there a way to say that all calls to import should check for a newer 
> > version, if a newer one exists then completely drop the old one and import 
> > the new one?
> 
> An import hook could do this.  Wouldn't be trivial to write, but not
> too hard, either.

This "seems to work".  It's probably still a bit fragile, but might be
handy during development, I guess.

import __builtin__, os, time

old_import = __import__

def my_import(*args):
    mod = old_import(*args)
    file = getattr(mod, "__file__", "")
    if file.endswith("c"):
        file = file[:-1]
    if not file.endswith(".py"):
        return mod
    mtime = os.path.getmtime(mod.__file__[:-1])
    itime = getattr(mod, "__importtime__", 0)
    if itime < mtime:
        reload(mod)
    mod.__importtime__ = time.time()
    return mod

__builtin__.__import__ = my_import

Cheers,
M.

-- 
  ARTHUR:  But which is probably incapable of drinking the coffee.
                    -- The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Episode 6