`sys.dont_write_bytecode` is True, but .pyc files are still generated

Question

I'm setting the PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE environment variable to avoid .pyc files, and I have checked that sys.dont_write_bytecode is True.

But .pyc files are still generated everywhere.

PS: I'm using Python 2.6.6

The reason is that my script is running under env -i.

Answer 1

It should appear before importing your modules. I have moved it to the top of code and it works.

#!/bin/python

import sys
sys.dont_write_bytecode = True

import myModule

Answer 2

It could be that you are mispelling the env variable? PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE

This works: PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 python -c "import test"

So does this: python -B -c "import test"

And when running a script directly which imports test.py: ./importer.py

importer.py

#!/usr/bin/env python -B

import test