The execfile() docs imply it acts on locals same as exec. But in truth

it acts more like assigning to keys in locals(), i.e. modifications to
function locals aren't reflected in the locals when execfile() returns.

1 files changed, 7 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex b/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex
index 8eccc82..ec7ce86 100644
--- a/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex
+++ b/Doc/lib/libfuncs.tex
@@ -257,6 +257,13 @@ class instances are callable if they have a \method{__call__()} method.
   If both dictionaries are omitted, the expression is executed in the
   environment where \function{execfile()} is called.  The return value is
   \code{None}.
+
+  \strong{Warning:} The default \var{locals} act as described for function
+  \function{locals()} below:  modifications to the default \var{locals}
+  dictionary should not be attempted.  Pass an explicit \var{locals}
+  dictionary if you need to see effects of the code on \var{locals} after
+  function \function{execfile()} returns.  \function{execfile()} cannot
+  be used reliably to modify a function's locals.
 \end{funcdesc}
 
 \begin{funcdesc}{file}{filename\optional{, mode\optional{, bufsize}}}