Python: Dynamically import module contents

Question

I have lots of

from myproject.settings import param1
from myproject.settings import ...

scattered all over my project.

Upon startup, I would like to load different "settings" module according to env var (for example export SETTINGS=myproject.settings2)

I tried to put in the myproject.__init__.py someting like

module_name =  os.environ['SETTINGS']
m=__import__(module_name)
settings = m

but it won't work.

from myproject.settings import *
ImportError: No module named settings

How can this be achieved ?

jonesy · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-05 16:32:32Z

1

Try using a bogus 'fromlist' argument.

mymodule = __import__(mod, fromlist=['a'])

It's worked for me before in situations similar to yours.

answered Oct 5, 2010 at 16:32

jonesy

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leoluk · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-05 15:30:14Z

0

settings = __import__(os.environ['SETTINGS'])

but it won't work.

Why? Your approach is the right one. As example, Django does this the same way.

answered Oct 5, 2010 at 15:30

leoluk

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2 Comments

GabiMe Over a year ago

I don't know I do from myproject.settings import * and get ImportError: No module named settings

leoluk Over a year ago

__import__ imports the module, just access it by the variable you assigned it to; settings.SOME_SETTING = True

Srikar Appalaraju · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-05 16:00:20Z

0

You could try to add the absolute path of myproject.settings to PYTHONPATH like so:

PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:$HOME/myproject/settings/ export PYTHONPATH

Now you could keep this in ~/.bashrc (assuming UNIX env). This way whenever you open a new terminal this path is added to PYTHONPATH. i.e. python interpretor would add this path to it's like of paths to look for while importing a module.

Now whichever path you are simply type import settings & since myproject/settings is present python would load settings file.

Hope this helps...

answered Oct 5, 2010 at 16:00

Srikar Appalaraju

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Comments

Diego Garcia · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-11 20:07:57Z

0

I tried the code below and it worked.

Here is my folder structure:

src/
 app.py
 settings/
   __init__.py
   production.py
   sandbox.py

In settings.__init__.py, I wrote:

import os    
settings_module = os.environ.get('APP_SETTINGS')
if not settings_module:
    from .sandbox import *
else:
    exec('from {} import *'.format(settings_module))

If the var env was not set, imports the sandbox module. If was setting, imports the module dynamically.

Hope this helps

answered Oct 11, 2018 at 20:07

Diego Garcia

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