Is it possible to import to the global scope from inside a function (Python)?

Question

I am trying to import a module from inside a function and have it be available to my whole file the same way it would be if I imported outside any functions and before all the other code. The reason it is in a function is because I don't have much control over the structure of the script. Is this possible without resorting to things like hacking __builtin__ or passing what I need all around my code?

Answer 1

How about something like globals()["os"] = __import__("os")?

I guess this could be wrapped in a generic function if you wanted since the module name is a string.

Answer 2

Seeing your new comments, I want to emphasize that this sounds unnecessary. You're actually modifying the script more by importing within a function than by importing at the top of the script in the normal way. Still, in the spirit of answering the question asked, I'm leaving my previous answer.

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I'm honestly not certain this is the correct way to do this, but a quick check confirms that if you declare the module name as global within the function before importing, it is imported into the global namespace.

>>> def import_re():
...     global re
...     import re
... 
>>> re
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 're' is not defined
>>> import_re()
>>> re
<module 're' from '/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.6/lib/python2.6/re.pyc'>

Don't do this unless you really have to -- and then write it in big red letters, so to speak.