How to import auto from enum in python 2.7?

Question

I'm using an old code based in python 2.7 (Can't change this, unfortunately). I have to introduce a new feature from a piece of code based in python 3.6. This piece of code would work except because it uses the package enum, which is, as far as I know, no longer maintained. So:

from enum import Enum, auto (Doesn't work python 2.7)

Because I think "auto" was not defined in python 2.7. Is it possible to make that line working? or at least install/ import "enum.auto" or something with the same functionality?

Answer 1

You have a couple choices:

• use aenum¹ instead
• copy/create your own auto() and stuff it into enum

---

Using aenum is a two-step process:

• pip install aenum
• change from enum to from aenum

---

Creating/copying an auto and stuffing it into enum:

import enum
from itertools import count

def auto(it=count()):
  return next(it)

enum.auto = auto

---

¹ Disclosure: I am the author of the Python stdlib Enum, the enum34 backport, and the Advanced Enumeration (aenum) library.