python importing a function in which I define a global variable [duplicate]

Question

I'm having difficulty accessing a variable.

I'm working toward the following, calling python script from bash, with arguments, which then imports a function defined in a second python script, executes it and thereby creates a variable which will be used later in the first python script.

At the moment,to test I'm copying and pasting directly into a Python terminal some commands like this:

from script2 import *
foofunction(arg)
print(newlist)

The foo function defined in script2 is executing, I can see files have been written but when I try to print the list supposedly created while executing the imported function, I get a message telling me it's undefined.

Inside my script2.py, i made sure to enter a statement global newlist before defining its length and populating it.

I'm scratching my head at this stage.

Why don't you return newlist in that function and assign it to a variable? — Graipher
– Graipher, Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 16:08
The global keyword does not work that way in python. Have a look here — Valentino
– Valentino, Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 16:11
I don't know why that didn't work when I tried it last night, but Graipher's solution is exactly correct. IF you want to throw that into an answer I'll gladly accept it. — curly
– curly, Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 16:18
from some_module import * is rarely a good practice as it mangles up your namespace. This is a prime example - without the knowledge of script2.py we have no idea whether foofunction and newlist would be a NameError or an object that was defined in script2.py. It's best to be explicit. — r.ook
– r.ook, Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 16:19

nacho · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-18 16:28:26Z

-2

You should refer to newlist and the module where it is defined like this:

from script2 import *
foofunction(arg)
print(script2.newlist)

answered Jan 18, 2019 at 16:28

nacho

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