[Python-projects] When diagnosing wildcard import problems

[skip at pobox.com]

If I do something like this:

    from time import *

pylint rightfully complains about the wildcard import.  Later on it
complains about all the elements of the time module which I failed to use,
e.g.: 

    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import tzset from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import strptime from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import daylight from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import sleep from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import timezone from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import accept2dyear from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import clock from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import altzone from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import asctime from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:53: [W] Unused import mboxutils
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import localtime from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import mktime from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import time from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:33: [W] Unused import mailbox
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import ctime from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import struct_time from wildcard import
    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Unused import tzname from wildcard import

It seems like it would be better to identify those attributes of the time
module which I *did* use so it's easier to correct the import statement.  In
fact, it might go so far as to suggest a replacement import statement:

    spambayes/oe_mailbox.py:40: [W] Suggest "from time import time, strftime"

or something similar.

Thanks,

-- 
Skip Montanaro - skip at pobox.com - http://smontanaro.dyndns.org/