Python - Creating a command line like interface for loading modules/functions -

in python project i'm trying make interface command prompt can type name of function , executed. example:

prompt >>> run.check running function check.... prompt >>> run.get running function 

in above example when type run.check should run function named check , run.get should run function , on.

right have prompt using raw_input , can execute commands using dictionary of function alias' , function names ie,

commands = {'exit': sys.exit,  'hello': greet,  'option3': function3,  'option4': function4, } cmd = raw_input("prompt >>> ")  commands.get(cmd, invalidfunction)() 

but lot of functions in programs needs arguments passed not know how method. thing that, main purpose of project modules (.py files) added folder , executed dynamically main python program using command prompt interface , minimum if possible no change main program.

i'm not sure of using function exec has drawbacks concerning security.

thank you.

i have 2 solutions. 1 exec , 1 eval. can use them basis implement own:

1. this rough solution using exec execute commands , dynamically load modules:

   >>> class mydict(dict):     def __getitem__(self, name):         # overwrite __getitem__ access of unknown variables         print 'name in self:', name in self         if not name in self:             # todo: handle importerror             module = __import__(name)             return module         return dict.__getitem__(self, name)   >>> d = mydict(x = 1) >>> exec 'print x' in d name in self: true 1 >>> exec 'print os' in d # loads os module because variable os not defined name in self: false <module 'os' '/usr/lib64/python2.7/os.pyc'> 

2. if not want use exec:

   >>> def exec_in_module(string):     module, command = string.split('.', 1)     module = __import__(module)     try:         return eval(command, module.__dict__)     except syntaxerror:         exec command in module.__dict__         return none   >>> exec_in_module('os.listdir(".")') ['readme.md', ...]