title: How do you read in a text (.txt) file as a .py file in Python 2.7?
body: <p>I have a shared folder that contains a text file that I want my program to reference as though it were a .py file. For example, my .txt file has a dictionary in it that I reference in my program. How do i import the dictionary from a text file? Do i read it in line by line? Or is there a way to trick python into thinking it is a .py file.</p>
  
  <p>Here is a sample similar to my .txt file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>#There are some comments here and there
  
  #lists of lists
  equipment = [['equip1','hw','1122','3344'],['equip2','hp','1133','7777'],['equip3','ht','3333','2745']]
  
  #dictionaries
  carts = {'001':'Rev23', '002':'Rev11','003':'Rev7'}
  
  #regular lists
  stations = ("1", "2", "3", "4", "11", "Other") 
  </code></pre>