def METHOD_NAME(params_file,module_name="params"):
    """ Helper to load a python file used to provide input parameters. """
    pscript = "from visit_utils import *\n" + open(params_file).read()
    params = define_module(module_name,pscript)
    # auto setup 'root' PropertyTree
    if not 'root' in dir(params):
        root = PropertyTree()
        for val in dir(params):
            if val.count("__") != 2:
                root[val] = params.__dict__[val]
        params.__dict__['root'] = root
    return params