How to reload the main file in Python console?

Question

I'm doing updates to other modules imported in my main file, and I can reload them on the fly in the console and get the new behaviour immediately via

import importlib
importlib.reload(module_name)

How can I do this for the main file?

I tried __name__ but did not work.

PS: I have gigantic datasets and I hate running again the main file after tiny changes, takes forever.

Check out this similiar question: https://stackoverflow.com/a/437591/3420371 — CurtLH, Sep 01 '20 at 21:34
@CurtLH I don't see how this answers my question. I think I'm already doing the same thing as in the link you put. — Alex Deft, Sep 01 '20 at 21:37
Why don't you move the functions you need to reload to another module and reload that one? — Francisco, Sep 01 '20 at 21:38

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 01 '20 at 21:38

0

You should put your code in the main file into a main function and add this to the end:

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

This will let you reload the module while also letting you run it normally. However, after you reload, you have to call module.main().

answered Sep 01 '20 at 21:38

SuperStormer

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I have my code in this format already. But how do I reload the main file? – Alex Deft Sep 01 '20 at 21:41
`import module` first, then call `importlib.reload(module)` whenever you make changes. – SuperStormer Sep 01 '20 at 21:44
``NameError: name 'module' is not defined`` – Alex Deft Sep 01 '20 at 21:45
replace module with whatever your main module is called – SuperStormer Sep 01 '20 at 21:56
``NameError: name 'boundary_prediction_normal_estimation' is not defined`` – Alex Deft Sep 01 '20 at 22:19
did you import before calling reload? – SuperStormer Sep 01 '20 at 22:20
The main file doesn't need to be imported, it is the main file. This would cause infinite recursion. – Alex Deft Sep 01 '20 at 22:22
No, you can only reload a module if you import it. Otherwise just rerun it. – SuperStormer Sep 01 '20 at 22:37
That was the whole point of my question. Thanks anyway. Some people suggested a hack: putting the main file code in a file and importing it from a different file. – Alex Deft Sep 01 '20 at 22:41

How to reload the main file in Python console?

1 Answers1