243

How can I import variables from one file to another?

example: file1 has the variables x1 and x2 how to pass them to file2?

How can I import all of the variables from one to another?

1
  • Why do you want to do that? Depending on the use-case, this is actually not what you really want. Commented Sep 1, 2021 at 11:48

9 Answers 9

239
from file1 import *  

will import all objects and methods in file1

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Do note, however, this is generally something you should not do.
As David notes, this pollutes the namespace and can have catastrophic consequences by masking objects and functions from other modules including those in the standard distro
how to map this to a variable name e.g from file1 import * f1
136

Import file1 inside file2:

To import all variables from file1 without flooding file2's namespace, use:

import file1

#now use file1.x1, file2.x2, ... to access those variables

To import all variables from file1 to file2's namespace( not recommended):

from file1 import *
#now use x1, x2..

From the docs:

While it is valid to use from module import * at module level it is usually a bad idea. For one, this loses an important property Python otherwise has — you can know where each toplevel name is defined by a simple “search” function in your favourite editor. You also open yourself to trouble in the future, if some module grows additional functions or classes.

4 Comments

and if I have 1000 variables to pass?
@Ofek Just use import file1 then.
It doesn't import the variables :\
it does import the variables, though you'll have to prepend file1.varX for each file.
83

Best to import x1 and x2 explicitly:

from file1 import x1, x2

This allows you to avoid unnecessary namespace conflicts with variables and functions from file1 while working in file2.

But if you really want, you can import all the variables:

from file1 import * 

Comments

37

Actually this is not really the same to import a variable with:

from file1 import x1
print(x1)

and

import file1
print(file1.x1)

Altough at import time x1 and file1.x1 have the same value, they are not the same variables. For instance, call a function in file1 that modifies x1 and then try to print the variable from the main file: you will not see the modified value.

Comments

20

first.py:

a=5

second.py:

import first
print(first.a)

The result will be 5.

Comments

15

script1.py

title="Hello world"

script2.py is where we using script1 variable

Method 1:

import script1
print(script1.title)

Method 2:

from script1 import title
print(title)

Comments

10

Marc response is correct. Actually, you can print the memory address for the variables print(hex(id(libvar)) and you can see the addresses are different.

# mylib.py
libvar = None
def lib_method():
    global libvar
    print(hex(id(libvar)))

# myapp.py
from mylib import libvar, lib_method
import mylib

lib_method()
print(hex(id(libvar)))
print(hex(id(mylib.libvar)))

Comments

2

I found that executing a file that declares the variables you want to use loads them in the memory. But one problem about is that it would execute all the commands in the file, so if you wanted just the variables you would need that the file only declare variables. Here's one example:

File1:

a=1
b=3

File2:

with open("File1.py") as file:
    exec(file.read())

c = a+b
print(c)

Output:4

Im new in python so idk if doing this has any other problem, but i thought it was something interesting to share.

1 Comment

It's very bad to do something like that. It's super bad practice. It will execute all of the code in the file, which may be very dangerous. NEVER use exec or eval.
0

If you need to import of a variable from a dir on the same level or below you can use import_module coming from you cwd of the project:

from importlib import import_module
mod = import_module(
    f"{cwd}.source.myfolder.myfile"
)
var = getattr(mod, "my_variable")

Comments

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.