Question

How do you determine which file is imported in Python with an “import” statement?

I want to determine that I am loading the correct version of a locally modified .py file. Basically the equivalent of “which” in a POSIX environment.

Answer 1

Start python with the -v parameter to enable debugging output. When you then import a module, Python will print out where the module was imported from:

$ python -v
...
>>> import re
# /usr/lib/python2.6/re.pyc matches /usr/lib/python2.6/re.py
import re # precompiled from /usr/lib/python2.6/re.pyc
...

If you additionally want to see in what other places Python searched for the module, add a second -v:

$ python -v -v
...
>>> import re
# trying re.so
# trying remodule.so
# trying re.py
# trying re.pyc
# trying /usr/lib/python2.6/re.so
# trying /usr/lib/python2.6/remodule.so
# trying /usr/lib/python2.6/re.py
# /usr/lib/python2.6/re.pyc matches /usr/lib/python2.6/re.py
import re # precompiled from /usr/lib/python2.6/re.pyc
...