Python: How to load a module twice?

Question

Is there a way to load a module twice in the same python session?
To fill this question with an example: Here is a module:

Mod.py

x = 0
         


        

Answer 1

Yes, you can load a module twice:

import mod
import sys
del sys.modules["mod"]
import mod as mod2

Now, mod and mod2 are two instances of the same module.

That said, I doubt this is ever useful. Use classes instead -- eventually it will be less work.

Edit: In Python 2.x, you can also use the following code to "manually" import a module:

import imp

def my_import(name):
    file, pathname, description = imp.find_module(name)
    code = compile(file.read(), pathname, "exec", dont_inherit=True)
    file.close()
    module = imp.new_module(name)
    exec code in module.__dict__
    return module

This solution might be more flexible than the first one. You no longer have to "fight" the import mechanism since you are (partly) rolling your own one. (Note that this implementation doesn't set the __file__, __path__ and __package__ attributes of the module -- if these are needed, just add code to set them.)