3 Python Services

The modules described in this chapter provide a wide range of services related to the Python interpreter and its interaction with its environment. Here's an overview:

sys

-- Access system specific parameters and functions.

types

-- Names for all built-in types.

traceback

-- Print or retrieve a stack traceback.

pickle

-- Convert Python objects to streams of bytes and back.

shelve

-- Python object persistency.

copy

-- Shallow and deep copy operations.

marshal

-- Convert Python objects to streams of bytes and back (with different constraints).

imp

-- Access the implementation of the import statement.

parser

-- Retrieve and submit parse trees from and to the runtime support environment.

__builtin__

-- The set of built-in functions.

__main__

-- The environment where the top-level script is run.

• 3.1 Built-in Module sys
• 3.2 Standard Module types
• 3.3 Standard Module traceback
• 3.4 Standard Module pickle
• 3.5 Standard Module shelve
• 3.6 Standard Module copy
• 3.7 Built-in Module marshal
• 3.8 Built-in Module imp
  • 3.8.1 Examples
• 3.9 Built-in Module parser
  • 3.9.1 Creating AST Objects
  • 3.9.2 Converting AST Objects
  • 3.9.3 Queries on AST Objects
  • 3.9.4 Exceptions and Error Handling
  • 3.9.5 AST Objects
  • 3.9.6 Examples
    • Emulation of compile()
    • Information Discovery
• 3.10 Built-in Module __builtin__
• 3.11 Built-in Module __main__