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The exec Statement

The import statement, in effect, executes the module file. Typically, the files we import are defined as sequences of definitions. Since our main program often begins with a series of import statements, these modules are imported into the global namespace. Python also optimizes the modules brought in by the import statement so that they are only imported once.

The exec statement can execute a file, a string of Python code, as well as a code created by the compile function. Unlike the import statement, it doesn't optimize module definitions or create and save a new namespace.

exec expression

The functions eval and execfile do essentially the same thing.

Fundamental Assumptions

The exec statement, eval function and execfile functions are dangerous tools. These break one of the Fundamental Assumptions: the source you are reading is the source that is being executed. A program that uses the exec statement or eval function is incorprating other source statements into the program dynamically. This can be hard to follow, maintain or enhance.

Generally, the exec statement is something that must be used with some care. The most common use is to bring in a set of configuration parameters written as simple Python assignment statements. For example, we might use a file like the following as the configuration paramaters for a program.

db_server= "dbs_prod_01"
db_port= "3306"
db_name= "PROD"

 
 
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