Let’s say I have the following structure:

my_module/
  __init__.py
  utilities.py

and __init__.py contains

from .utilities import SomeUtilityFunction

Is there a way to prevent or alert developers when they do

from my_module.utilities import SomeUtilityFunction

instead of

from my_module import SomeUtilityFunction

The problem arose when a few modules started using a function that was imported inside a module in which it wasn’t used, while also being available on the module’s __init__.py, so after linting the file and removing the unused import my tests started failing.

any other advice for situations like this?

  • ChaisEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    You could guard it.
    __init__.py:

    _GUARD_SOME_UTILITY_FUNCTION = True
from .utilities import SomeUtilityFunction

    utilities.py:

    def SomeUtilityFunction():
    if not _GUARD_SOME_UTILITY_FUNCTION:
        raise SomeException("Helpful error message")

    Take this with a grain of salt, as I’m typing this on my phone and haven’t actually tried it.

    Alternatively there’s the import-guard package on PyPI. No idea if it’s any good, though. Just something a quick search brought up.

    Edit:
    Ok, I tried my suggestion and it doesn’t work.

    • sebsch@discuss.tchncs.de
      2·
      1 year ago

      This approach seems quite overkomplex. Instead of having these errors on runtime, stuff like this should sit in linter rules of any kind.

      • Chais
        2·
        1 year ago

        It’s only useful during development there.