Import arbitrary python source file. (Python 3.3+)
Found a solution from importlib
test code.
Using importlib.machinery.SourceFileLoader:
>>> import importlib.machinery
>>> loader = importlib.machinery.SourceFileLoader('a_b', '/tmp/a-b.txt')
>>> mod = loader.load_module()
>>> mod
<module 'a_b' from '/tmp/a-b.txt'>
NOTE: only works in Python 3.3+.
UPDATE Loader.load_module
is deprecated since Python 3.4. Use Loader.exec_module
instead:
>>> import types
>>> import importlib.machinery
>>> loader = importlib.machinery.SourceFileLoader('a_b', '/tmp/a-b.txt')
>>> mod = types.ModuleType(loader.name)
>>> loader.exec_module(mod)
>>> mod
<module 'a_b'>
>>> import importlib.machinery
>>> import importlib.util
>>> loader = importlib.machinery.SourceFileLoader('a_b', '/tmp/a-b.txt')
>>> spec = importlib.util.spec_from_loader(loader.name, loader)
>>> mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
>>> loader.exec_module(mod)
>>> mod
<module 'a_b' from '/tmp/a-b.txt'>
Updated for Python >= 3.8:
Short version:
>>> # https://docs.python.org/3/library/importlib.html#importing-a-source-file-directly
>>> import importlib.util, sys
>>> spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(modname, fname)
>>> module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
>>> sys.modules[modname] = module
>>> spec.loader.exec_module(module)
Full version:
>>> import importlib.util
>>> import sys
>>> from pathlib import Path
>>> from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
>>>
>>>
>>> if TYPE_CHECKING:
... import types
...
...
>>> def import_source_file(fname: str | Path, modname: str) -> "types.ModuleType":
... """
... Import a Python source file and return the loaded module.
... Args:
... fname: The full path to the source file. It may container characters like `.`
... or `-`.
... modname: The name for the loaded module. It may contain `.` and even characters
... that would normally not be allowed (e.g., `-`).
... Return:
... The imported module
... Raises:
... ImportError: If the file cannot be imported (e.g, if it's not a `.py` file or if
... it does not exist).
... Exception: Any exception that is raised while executing the module (e.g.,
... :exc:`SyntaxError). These are errors made by the author of the module!
... """
... # https://docs.python.org/3/library/importlib.html#importing-a-source-file-directly
... spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(modname, fname)
... if spec is None:
... raise ImportError(f"Could not load spec for module '{modname}' at: {fname}")
... module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
... sys.modules[modname] = module
... try:
... spec.loader.exec_module(module)
... except FileNotFoundError as e:
... raise ImportError(f"{e.strerror}: {fname}") from e
... return module
...
>>> import_source_file(Path("/tmp/my_mod.py"), "my_mod")
<module 'my_mod' from '/tmp/my_mod.py'>
Original answer for Python 3.5 and 3.6
Shorter version of @falsetru 's solution:
>>> import importlib.util
>>> spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location('a_b', '/tmp/a-b.py')
>>> mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
>>> spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
>>> mod
<module 'a_b' from '/tmp/a-b.txt'>
I tested it with Python 3.5 and 3.6.
According to the comments, it does not work with arbitrary file extensions.
Similar to @falsetru but for Python 3.5+ and accounting for what the importlib
doc states on using importlib.util.module_from_spec
over types.ModuleType
:
This function [
importlib.util.module_from_spec
] is preferred over usingtypes.ModuleType
to create a new module as spec is used to set as many import-controlled attributes on the module as possible.
We are able to import any file with importlib
alone by modifying the importlib.machinery.SOURCE_SUFFIXES
list.
import importlib
importlib.machinery.SOURCE_SUFFIXES.append('') # empty string to allow any file
spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, file_path)
module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
# if desired: importlib.machinery.SOURCE_SUFFIXES.pop()