Is it possible to import
a Python module from over the internet using the http
(s
), ftp
, smb
or any other protocol? If so, how? If not, why?
I guess it's about making Python use more the one protocol(reading the filesystem) and enabling it to use others as well. Yes I agree it would be many folds slower, but some optimization and larger future bandwidths would certainly balance it out.
E.g.:
import site
site.addsitedir("https://bitbucket.org/zzzeek/sqlalchemy/src/e8167548429b9d4937caaa09740ffe9bdab1ef61/lib")
import sqlalchemy
import sqlalchemy.engine
In principle, yes, but all of the tools built-in which kinda support this go through the filesystem.
To do this, you're going to have to load the source from wherever, compile it with compile
, and exec
it with the __dict__
of a new module. See below.
I have left the actually grabbing text from the internet, and parsing uris etc as an exercise for the reader (for beginners: I suggest using requests
)
In pep 302 terms, this would be the implementation behind a loader.load_module
function (the parameters are different). See that document for details on how to integrate this with the import
statement.
import imp
modulesource = 'a=1;b=2' #load from internet or wherever
def makemodule(modulesource,sourcestr='http://some/url/or/whatever',modname=None):
#if loading from the internet, you'd probably want to parse the uri,
# and use the last part as the modulename. It'll come up in tracebacks
# and the like.
if not modname: modname = 'newmodulename'
#must be exec mode
# every module needs a source to be identified, can be any value
# but if loading from the internet, you'd use the URI
codeobj = compile(modulesource, sourcestr, 'exec')
newmodule = imp.new_module(modname)
exec(codeobj,newmodule.__dict__)
return newmodule
newmodule = makemodule(modulesource)
print(newmodule.a)
At this point newmodule
is already a module object in scope, so you don't need to import it or anything.
modulesource = '''
a = 'foo'
def myfun(astr):
return a + astr
'''
newmod = makemodule(modulesource)
print(newmod.myfun('bat'))
Ideone here: http://ideone.com/dXGziO
Tested with python 2, should work with python 3 (textually compatible print used;function-like exec syntax used).
Another version,
I like this answer. when applied it, i simplified it a bit - similar to the look and feel of javascript
includes over HTTP.
This is the result:
import os
import imp
import requests
def import_cdn(uri, name=None):
if not name:
name = os.path.basename(uri).lower().rstrip('.py')
r = requests.get(uri)
r.raise_for_status()
codeobj = compile(r.content, uri, 'exec')
module = imp.new_module(name)
exec (codeobj, module.__dict__)
return module
Usage:
redisdl = import_cdn("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/p/redis-dump-load/master/redisdl.py")
# Regular usage of the dynamic included library
json_text = redisdl.dumps(host='127.0.0.1')
- Tip - place the
import_cdn
function in a common library, this way you could re-use this small function
- Bear in mind It will fail when no connectivity to that file over http
This seems to be a use case for a self-written import hook. Look up in PEP 302 how exactly they work.
Essentially, you'll have to provide a finder object which, in turn, provides a loader object. I don't understand the process at the very first glance (otherwise I'd be more explicit), but the PEP contains all needed details for implementing the stuff.
Take a look at: [https://github.com/Asmeble/Languages/raw/Documentation-of-5/13/2018-%22What-you-think-is-left-for-indifference-has-yet-to-shape-or-be-shaped%22/Python3.6/URL_import.py]
I use it to import code from my github for development of projects elsewhere.
Although this would be useful for game developers, or web-application designers, and updating your code-base wouldn't take long, even to setup or teardown.