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New Features in Python 1.6

Eric Hagemann ehagemann at home.com
Sat Apr 1 21:39:54 EST 2000 
What are the options for users wanting 1.6 that may not have access to
modules.python.org
on a regular basis or at all.  I'd hate to be disconnected from the net and
find I need that
'one' function that used to be in the standard library ......... e.g. can I
down load the
entire library and forgo the net check ?  What happens if there is no net --
will the import function
get unhappy ?

Also when you import like this does the code check the net for a newer
version or only
when you have no version of the particular sub-module ?






"Guido van Rossum" <guido at python.org> wrote in message
news:200004011740.MAA04675 at eric.cnri.reston.va.us...
(uid)
>
> 2. Imputils
>
> Complementary to the Distutils are the Imputils, or Import Utilities.
> Python's import mechanism has been reworked to make it easy for Python
> programmers to put "hooks" into the code that finds and loads modules.
> The default import mechanism now includes hooks, written in Python, to
> load modules via HTTP from a known URL.
>
> This has allowed us to drop most of the standard library from the
> distribution.  Now, for example, when you import a less-commonly-needed
> module from the standard library, Python fetches the code for you.  For
> example, if you say
>
>     import tokenize
>
> then Python -- via the Imputils -- will fetch
> http://modules.python.org/lib/tokenize.py for you and install it on your
> system for future use.  (This is why the Python interpreter is now
> installed as a setuid binary under Unix -- if you turn off this bit, you
> will be unable to load modules from the standard library!)
>
> If you try to import a module that's not part of the standard library,
> then the Imputils will find out -- again from modules.python.org --
> where it can find this module.  It then downloads the entire relevant
> module distribution, and uses the Distutils to build and install it on
> your system.  It then loads the module you requested.  Simplicity
> itself!
>
>
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