How to sequentially run multiple script in python

Question

I have a list of .py file that I need to run sequentially. I usually do it manually, one by one.

Anyway I'd like to have a .py file by which I run these .py automatically.

In R I usually use the command source:

Source (file1, file2 etc)

Is there a way to do anything similar in python? By the way, I use IDLE, so I'd like to have a solution using this program.

Thank you in advance

You could try `import file1, file2`. That will import all the modules, which means running them. However, they won't be the `__main__` module. So anything inside a `if __name__ == '__main__'` block won't be run. Each file will also run in its own namespace. I suspect `Source` runs all those files in the same namespace. — Dunes, Oct 05 '20 at 11:49
IDLE should not be relevant, anymore than any other IDE. Your code is executed by python, not the IDE feeding your code. — Terry Jan Reedy, Oct 05 '20 at 15:09

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 05 '20 at 11:37

0

execfile(filename)

is probably what you want to use

for instance if you have a list of files to run e.g.

files_to_run = ["path_to/File1", "path_to/File2", "path_to/File3", "path_to/File4"]

for file in files_to_run:
    execfile(file)

answered Oct 05 '20 at 11:37

an inconspicuous semicolon

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Since `execfile` is no longer supported in Python 3, this will only temporarily help, if at all. – guidot Oct 05 '20 at 11:40
hmm ill try and find the code where i did this, it was a long time ago but i managed to restart the file using a function – an inconspicuous semicolon Oct 05 '20 at 11:42
okay found out a better thing to do if you import all the files into your code then have them all have a common function (like c++ int main() ) then after all of the files are imported you could call the functions in the order you like this hould also allwo you to check for return values – an inconspicuous semicolon Oct 05 '20 at 11:45
Thank you. I try your code but I got this error: NameError: name 'execfile' is not defined. – piravi Oct 05 '20 at 11:56
ye turns out execfile was removed in python 3.8 you wou;ld do what i commented above – an inconspicuous semicolon Oct 06 '20 at 07:48

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 05 '20 at 11:55

simple import technically executes the file.

In python, it is common practice to use to define all the required functions int he module and function calls are defined inside if __name__ == "__main__": [means the code inside the if will execute only if the script called directly not when imported]

so that the same module can used as executable and also imported in another file.

Technically, if you did not use if __name__ == "__main__": in your files, simply import itself will execute them.

How to sequentially run multiple script in python

2 Answers2