Can I call functions or change variables throught eventlet.backdoor in Python?

Question

I wrote this minimal code to explain my case:

import threading
import time
import eventlet
from eventlet import backdoor

eventlet.monkey_patch()

global should_printing
should_printing = True

def turn_off_printing():
    global should_printing
    should_printing = not should_printing

def printing_function():
    global should_printing
    while should_printing == True:
        print "printing"
        time.sleep(1)

def console():
    while True:
        print "inside console"
        time.sleep(1)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    eventlet.spawn(backdoor.backdoor_server, eventlet.listen(('localhost', 3000)))

    thread = threading.Thread(target=printing_function)
    thread.start()

    thread = threading.Thread(target=console)
    thread.start()

After executing it, I connect through telnet, import my module and call turn_off_printing(). But it not works. Do i made mistake, or it is not possible?

Answer 1

As fthinker said in comment above:

It doesn't look like the backdoor server is using the same namespace. Typing the function names said they were undefined and your variable 'should_printing' is undefined as well. I tested this while telnetted into the interpreter set up by the backdoor server.

(if fthinker reply as answer post i will delete this post)

Answer 2

Make sure you pass all the variables/functions you like to access while invoking backdoor

if __name__ == '__main__':
    s=eventlet.spawn(backdoor.backdoor_server, eventlet.listen(('localhost', 3000)), globals())

    thread1 = threading.Thread(target=printing_function)
    thread1.start()

    s.wait()

Now should_printing should be visible on the python interpreter running on port 3000 and setting it to false would stop printing

Answer 3

You can't access should_printing because the __main__ module is different from the module imported, even if they are the same module. Check the detail here

the executing script runs in a module named __main__, importing the
script under its own name will create a new module unrelated to
__main__.