python - reload (update) a module file in the interpreter

Question

Let's say I have this python script script.py and I load it in the interpreter by typing

import script

and then I execute my function by typing:

script.testFunction(testArgument)

OK so far so good, but when I change script.py, if I try to import again the script doesn't update. I have to exit from the interpreter, restart the interpreter, and then import the new version of the script for it to work.

What should I do instead?

Answer 1

You can issue a reload script, but that will not update your existing objects and will not go deep inside other modules.

Fortunately this is solved by IPython - a better python shell which supports auto-reloading.

To use autoreloading in IPython, you'll have to type import ipy_autoreload first, or put it permanently in your ~/.ipython/ipy_user_conf.py.

Then run:

%autoreload 1
%aimport script

%autoreload 1 means that every module loaded with %aimport will be reloaded before executing code from the prompt. This will not update any existing objects, however.

See http://ipython.org/ipython-doc/dev/config/extensions/autoreload.html for more fun things you can do.