How to import global variable from another file?

Question

I have 2 .pys as below. What I want to do is, when I call dictionary() function, it will fill the "global" dictionary my_dict in my test and when I print(keys_list) I want to see the dictionary as a list. If I do it like that, I get NameError: global name 'keys_list' is not defined.

1. functions.py

   def dictionary():
       global my_dict
       global keys_list
       my_dict = {}
       for i in range(3):
           my_dict.__setitem__(str(i),i)
       keys_list = list(keys)
   

2. test1.py

   from functions import dictionary
   
   my_dict()
   print(keys_list)
   print(keys)
   

If I define my function in a class as shown below, I get ImportError: cannot import name dictionary.

class functions:
   def dictionary(self):
       global my_dict
       global keys_list
       my_dict = {}
       for i in range(3):
           my_dict.__setitem__(str(i),i)
       keys_list = list(keys)

P.S. The tool is using Python 2.7 (I am trying to write a script for that tool).

Answer 1

Honestly not 100% sure what you are trying to accomplish. But to be able to use another python function from another file, you'll want to something like this:

The file names file1.py and file2.py so that is why in my import statement I reference file1.

File1.py

class functions:
    my_dict = {}
    keys_list = []
    def dictionary(self):
        for i in range(3):
            self.my_dict.__setitem__(str(i),i)
            self.keys_list.append(str(i))

file2.py

from file1 import functions
tmp = functions()
tmp.dictionary()
print("Keys: " + str(tmp.keys_list))
print("Dictionary: " + str(tmp.my_dict))

Alternative solution global keywords:

File1.py

def dictionary():
    global my_dict 
    my_dict= {}
    global keys_list 
    keys_list = []
    for i in range(3):
        my_dict.__setitem__(str(i),i)
        keys_list.append(str(i))

file2.py

import tmp1

tmp1.dictionary()

print("Keys:" + str(tmp1.keys_list))
print("Dictionary: " + str(tmp1.my_dict))

Output:

Hope this helps (I can elaborate if you'd like as well)!