---
title: External importer example
python: https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/tree/latest/examples/python/external_importer/rerun-importer-python-file.py
rust: https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/tree/latest/examples/rust/external_importer/src/main.rs
cpp: https://github.com/rerun-io/rerun/tree/latest/examples/cpp/external_importer/main.cpp
thumbnail: https://static.rerun.io/external_data_loader_py/6c5609f5dd7d1de373c81babe19221b72d616da3/480w.png
thumbnail_dimensions: [480, 302]
---

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This is an example executable importer plugin for the Rerun Viewer.

It will log Python source code files as markdown documents.

On Linux & Mac you can simply copy it in your $PATH as `rerun-importer-python-file.py`, then open a Python source file with Rerun (`rerun file.py`).
Make sure the file has a shebang (`#!/usr/bin/env python3`) and is executable (`chmod +x`).

On Windows you have to install the script as an executable first and then put the executable under %PATH%.
One way to do this is to use `pyinstaller`: `pyinstaller .\examples\python\external_importer\rerun-importer-python-file.py -n rerun-importer-python-file --onefile`

Consider using the [`send_columns`](https://ref.rerun.io/docs/python/stable/common/columnar_api/#rerun.send_columns) API for importers that ingest time series data from a file.
This can be much more efficient that the stateful `log` API as it allows bundling
component data over time into a single call consuming a continuous block of memory.