python import package globally

Question

My directory structure is:

package_name/
  __init__.py
  script.py
  time.py

I'm trying to import time (the built-in package) from script.py. however, my sibling time.py is hooked up instead.

What's the syntax of importing a package globally? (e.g. importing from /usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages)

In c# i know it as the global:: prefix, what's the equivalent in python?

possible duplicate of [python: importing from builtin library when module with same name exists](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6031584/python-importing-from-builtin-library-when-module-with-same-name-exists) — BartoszKP, Jul 20 '15 at 19:27

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 20 '15 at 19:29

2

Be more explicit with your imports. import time will import the python time module. from mypackage import time will import the time module in your mypackage package.

import time should never import mypackage.time

That said, don't shadow python built-in names, it's a bad habit and leads to these headaches later.

answered Jul 20 '15 at 19:29

Lawrence Dean Vanderpool

138
1
8

That's frustrating advice when python adds features that shadow names we already have – Greg Apr 28 '20 at 05:00

Jossef Harush Kadouri · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-26T14:01:25.903

A Hack

While there are other ways, i adopted this one

1) add a sub package

Let's call it utils. your directory tree should look like:

package_name/
  __init__.py
  script.py
  time.py

  utils/
      __init__.py

2) create a file named builtin.py under that package

This should be the contents of builtin.py :

import time
time = time

3) use it!

Import time in script.py using this:

from utils.builtin import time

time.sleep(5)

python import package globally

My directory structure is:

2 Answers2

A Hack