Best way to handle changing list of class imports

[Diez B. Roggisch]

Scott Grant schrieb:
> Hi there,
> 
> I'd like to set up a framework in which I can add or remove new
> classes of a given expected subclass to my package, and have the
> system load that set at runtime and be able to use them.  In essence,
> if I have a class X, and subclasses A, B, and C that derive from X,
> what's the most pythonic way to allow me to add or remove A, B, or C
> from the package before runtime, to iterate over all known imported
> classes that inherit from X, while minimizing the modifications to my
> existing program.
> 
> Is the best way to set up a directory in my package for these classes,
> and to define the list of active imports in the __all__ list in
> __init__.py?  Or is there a better way?
> 
> For detail, I'm writing a system that students will be able to submit
> game strategies that will compete against each other in a framework
> that passes them game state and expects moves in return.  It would be
> great to be able to add or remove these player strategies as new ones
> come in, but I don't want to add a bunch of overhead importing each
> one specifically in the game manager itself.

I think you re-think your approach and kind of invert it. Instead of 
viewing your system as game-strategies plugged into the framework, make 
a game-strategy *use* your framework.

Thus what your students deliver must be an executable script that sets 
up the game, and then passes the own strategy into it.

Diez