python import * or a list from other level

Question

I'm trying to import a few classes from a module in another level. I can type all the classes, but I' trying to do it dynamically

if I do:

from ..previous_level.module import *
    raise: SyntaxError: import * only allowed at module level

the same from myapp folder:

from myapp.previous_level.module import *
    raise: SyntaxError: import * only allowed at module level

So I thought:

my_classes = ['Class_Foo', 'Class_Bar']
for i in my_classes:
    from ..previous_level.module import i
        raise: ImportError: cannot import name 'i'

and also:

my_classes = ['Class_Foo', 'Class_Bar']
for i in my_classes:
    __import__('myapp').previous_level.module.y
    raise: AttributeError: module 'myapp.previous_level.module' has no attribute 'y'

I've tried string format , getattr() , __getattr__ but no success.

It's impossible to do import this way, or I'm doing something wrong?

Answer 1

The error SyntaxError: import * only allowed at module level happens if you try to import * from within a function. This is not visible from the question, but it seems that the original code was simething like:

def func():
    from ..previous_level.module import *  # SyntaxError

On the other hand, importing at the beginning of a module would be valid:

from ..previous_level.module import *      # OK

That said, I would still suggest using absolute imports without *:

from myapp.previous_level.module import ClassA, ClassB, ClassC

x = ClassA()

# or:

import myapp.previous_level.module

x = myapp.previous_level.module.ClassA()

BTW, this is completely wrong:

for i in my_classes:
    from ..previous_level.module import i