Importing variables from another file?

Actually this is not really the same to import a variable with:

from file1 import x1
print(x1)

and

import file1
print(file1.x1)

Altough at import time x1 and file1.x1 have the same value, they are not the same variables. For instance, call a function in file1 that modifies x1 and then try to print the variable from the main file: you will not see the modified value.


Import file1 inside file2:

To import all variables from file1 without flooding file2's namespace, use:

import file1

#now use file1.x1, file2.x2, ... to access those variables

To import all variables from file1 to file2's namespace( not recommended):

from file1 import *
#now use x1, x2..

From the docs:

While it is valid to use from module import * at module level it is usually a bad idea. For one, this loses an important property Python otherwise has — you can know where each toplevel name is defined by a simple “search” function in your favourite editor. You also open yourself to trouble in the future, if some module grows additional functions or classes.


from file1 import *  

will import all objects and methods in file1


Best to import x1 and x2 explicitly:

from file1 import x1, x2

This allows you to avoid unnecessary namespace conflicts with variables and functions from file1 while working in file2.

But if you really want, you can import all the variables:

from file1 import *