What do I import: file_name or class in Python?

Question

I have a file named schedule.py:

class SchedGen:
    """ Class creates a pseudo random Schedule. 
    With 3/4 of total credit point required for graduation"""
    def __init__(self, nof_courses=40):
        random.seed()
        self.courses = {}
        self.nof_courses = nof_courses

        for i in xrange(nof_courses):
            self.courses[i] = college.Course(i)

        self.set_rand_cred()
        self.set_rand_chance()
        self.set_rand_preq_courses()



    def set_rand_cred(self):
        """ Set random credit to courses uniformly between 2 and 6"""
        temp_dict = self.courses.copy()

While importing content of schedule do I do import schedule like:

import schedule

If that's correct how can I access the function set_rand_cred(self) from SchedGen class?

Answer 1

You can either do

import schedule
schedgen = schedule.SchedGen()
schedgen.set_rand_red()

or

from schedule import SchedGen
schedgen = SchedGen()
schedgen.set_rand_red()

This link provides some information how Pythons import statement works.

Answer 2

The set_rand_cred() function is an instance function of the class, so you need to first create a class instance. To create a class instance, you need to be able to access the name of the class. You can do that in two ways.

Here's how to solve the problem using each way:

Importing the module:

import schedule

s = schedule.SchedGen()
s.set_rand_cred()

Importing the class from within the module and putting the class into the local namespace:

from schedule import SchedGen

s = SchedGen()
s.set_rand_cred()