Use a python module in jinja template

Question

trying to use subprocess python module to apply some commands if a dbt macro logic is not met

macro:

{% macro check_select_arg(run_all=False, dbt_command='dbt run') %}
{% do log("ON START ✅", info=True) %}

{% set subprocess = imprt( 'subprocess' ) %}

{% if run_all %}
{{subprocess.run(dbt_command, shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True)}}

{% elif not invocation_args_dict.select
        and target.name not in ['prod']
        and invocation_args_dict.which in ['build', 'run', 'test', 'source', 'snapshot', 'seed'] %}
    {{ exceptions.raise_compiler_error("❌ Error: You must provide at least one select argument") }}

{% endif %}

{% endmacro %}

my python code:

import jinja2
import importlib
FOLDER_PATH = "check_select_arg.sql"


environment = jinja2.Environment()

template_file = open(FOLDER_PATH, "r")
template_string = template_file.read()
template_file.close()
template = environment.from_string(template_string)
template.render(imprt = importlib.import_module)

the problem is that when i run the command dbt run-operation check_select_arg --arg "{run_all: True, dbt_command: 'dbt run'}"

it returns the following error: Encountered an error while running operation: Compilation Error 'imprt' is undefined

i was expecting to be able to access subprocess and thus, run the dbt command.

thanks all for the help in advance

Answer 1

While I totally agree with Serge Ballesta recommendation to avoid to use templates for complex things such as subprocessing, there must be a technical Jinja2 bug in your code : whenever you use a context in a macro, macro should be imported along with the context, or, with Jinja 2.1 and up use include instead of import

See https://tedboy.github.io/jinja2/templ12.html