[Tutor] calling user defined function

[Alan Gauld]

"roberto" <roberto03 at gmail.com> wrote

> i can define a function using the text editor provided by IDLE 3.0;
> then i'd like to call this function from the python prompt
>
> but when i try to do it, python warns me that function doesn't exist
> of course if i define the function directly using the >>> prompt,
> after that everything is fine

You need to save the file containing the function in a folder
in the Python search patyh. tHis is defined in sys.path:

import sys
print sys.path

Saving your file in any folder there will allow python to import
the file as a module.

Thus if you save it in

C:\MyProjects\Python\myFunction.py

and C:\MyProjects\Python is in your sys.path

You can then import your file with

>>> import myFunction       # notice no .py

And call your function foo() with

>>> myFunction.foo()

You can add folders to sys.path either in a startup script or
using the PYTHONPATH environment variable. Make sure
its PYTHONPATH you create or modify not PATH, they
are very different!

HTH

-- 
Alan G
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/