Python variable assigned by an outside module is accessible for printing but not for assignment in the target module

Question

I have two files, one is in the webroot, and another is a bootstrap located one folder above the web root (this is CGI programming by the way).

The index file in the web

Answer 1

try this:

def initialize():
    global VAR
    print('Content-type: text/html\n\n')
    print(VAR)
    VAR = 'h'
    print(VAR)

Without 'global VAR' python want to use local variable VAR and give you "UnboundLocalError: local variable 'VAR' referenced before assignment"

Answer 2

Don't declare it global, pass it instead and return it if you need to have a new value, like this:

def initialize(a):
    print('Content-type: text/html\n\n')
    print a
    return 'h'

----

import bootstrap
b = bootstrap.initialize('testVar')