Import a package into Octave using the syntax "import packagename.*" or "import py.packagename.*" if using Pythonic

import.m

function import(varargin) 
  % Import a package. Only entire packages can be imported currently.
  error(nargchk(1,inf,nargin,'struct'));
  % Import the packages one-by-one.
  for i=1:nargin
    [pkgname,names]=import1(varargin{i});  
    % Pythonic specific case...
    for j=1:length(names) 
      assignin('caller',char(names{j}),pyeval({[pkgname '.' char(names{j})]}));
    end
  end
end

function [pkgname,names]=import1(pkgname)
  names={};
  pkgname_parts=strsplit(pkgname,'.');
  % Pythonic specific case...
  if strcmp(pkgname_parts{1},'py')
    b_pythonic=true;
    pkg load pythonic;
    pkgname_parts=pkgname_parts(2:end);
  else
    b_pythonic=false;
  end
  if length(pkgname_parts)~=2||~strcmp(pkgname_parts{end},'*')
    error('Only the syntax ''import packagename.*'' or ''import py.packagename.*'' (if using Pythonic) are currently supported');
  end
  pkgname=pkgname_parts{1};
  if b_pythonic
    pyexec(['import ' pkgname]);
    names=pyeval(['dir(' pkgname ')']);
  else
    % Get path for package.
    pkgpath=locatepkg(pkgname);
    % Add to path.
    addpath(pkgpath);
  end
end

function pkgpath=locatepkg(pkgname)
  pathdirs=strsplit(path, pathsep);
  for iPath=1:length(pathdirs)
    pkgpath=[pathdirs{iPath} filesep '+' pkgname];
    if exist(pkgpath,'dir')
      return;
    end
  end
  error('Package ''%s'' cannot be located in the path', pkgname);
end