problems setting up Django - ValueError: Empty Module name

Question

I've decided to play around a bit with Django (since I've heard so much about it). I'm walking through the tutorial here:

http://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.2/intro/tutorial01/#intro-tutorial01

about halfway through the tutorial, i'm asked to run this from my command line:

python manage.py syncdb

However, I'm getting this error:

C:\django-projects\mysite>python manage.py syncdb
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "manage.py", line 11, in <module>
    execute_manager(settings)
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 438, in execute_manager
    utility.execute()
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 379, in execute
    self.fetch_command(subcommand).run_from_argv(self.argv)
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 257, in fetch_command
    klass = load_command_class(app_name, subcommand)
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 67, in load_command_class
    module = import_module('%s.management.commands.%s' % (app_name, name))
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\utils\importlib.py", line 35, in import_module
    __import__(name)
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\commands\syncdb.py", line 7, in <module>
    from django.core.management.sql import custom_sql_for_model, emit_post_sync_signal
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\sql.py", line 5, in <module>
    from django.contrib.contenttypes import generic
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\contrib\contenttypes\generic.py", line 6, in <module>
    from django.db import connection
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\db\__init__.py", line 75, in <module>
    connection = connections[DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS]
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\db\utils.py", line 91, in __getitem__
    backend = load_backend(db['ENGINE'])
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\db\utils.py", line 32, in load_backend
    return import_module('.base', backend_name)
  File "C:\Python25\lib\site-packages\django\utils\importlib.py", line 35, in import_module
    __import__(name)
ValueError: Empty module name

here is the relevant part of my setup.py

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3.', # Add 'postgresql_psycopg2', 'postgresql', 'mysql', 'sqlite3' or 'oracle'.
        'NAME': 'c:/python25/ramysDB',                      # Or path to database file if using sqlite3.
        'USER': '',                      # Not used with sqlite3.
        'PASSWORD': '',                  # Not used with sqlite3.
        'HOST': '',                      # Set to empty string for localhost. Not used with sqlite3.
        'PORT': '',                      # Set to empty string for default. Not used with sqlite3.
    }
}

Remove the last period so ENGINE is 'django.db.backends.sqlite3'. I hope that works for you. — Ricky
– Ricky, Commented Aug 2, 2010 at 2:29
As Ricky says, just: "You can name it anything. I usually name mine 'dev.db' (no file path) for local development" It worked for me — repcax
– repcax, Commented Sep 6, 2011 at 17:31

elimisteve · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-04 00:22:11Z

14

I got this error because of a non-existent Django app name listed in settings.py, which, in our case, was the empty string:

INSTALLED_APPS = (
...
''
)

Removing that one line solved the problem.

answered Jan 4, 2012 at 0:22

elimisteve

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Comments

Ricky · Accepted Answer · 2010-08-02 02:27:57Z

6

It looks like you don't have your database configured right. Check your settings.py and make sure you have a valid database ENGINE defined:

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.', # Add 'postgresql_psycopg2', 'postgresql', 'mysql', 'sqlite3' or 'oracle'.
        'NAME': '',                      # Or path to database file if using sqlite3.
        'USER': '',                      # Not used with sqlite3.
        'PASSWORD': '',                  # Not used with sqlite3.
        'HOST': '',                      # Set to empty string for localhost. Not used with sqlite3.
        'PORT': '',                      # Set to empty string for default. Not used with sqlite3.
    }
}

You probably want django.db.backends.sqlite3? And set a NAME for it.

Update:

You have an extra period in ENGINE. Change it to 'django.db.backends.sqlite3'. Hope that helps.

edited Aug 2, 2010 at 2:27

answered Aug 2, 2010 at 2:11

Ricky

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6 Comments

Ramy Over a year ago

DATABASES = { 'default': { 'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3.', # Add 'postgresql_psycopg2', 'postgresql', 'mysql', 'sqlite3' or 'oracle'. 'NAME': 'c:/python25/ramysDB', # Or path to database file if using sqlite3. 'USER': '', # Not used with sqlite3. 'PASSWORD': '', # Not used with sqlite3. 'HOST': '', # Set to empty string for localhost. Not used with sqlite3. 'PORT': '', # Set to empty string for default. Not used with sqlite3. } }

Ramy Over a year ago

that's my setup. here's the bit i don't get from the tutorial: "If you're using SQLite, you don't need to create anything beforehand - the database file will be created automatically when it is needed." what, then, should the NAME parameter look like? should i have a path to a file or just a path to a directory like I have? What would the file extension be if I do put a filename there?

Ricky Over a year ago

You can name it anything. I usually name mine 'dev.db' (no file path) for local development.

Ricky Over a year ago

BTW, that will place the database file in your project directory (where you run ./manage.py from). Oh, I think you have an extra period at the end of your ENGINE. change it to 'django.db.backends.sqlite3'. I bet that is it.

Ramy Over a year ago

got it. not sure if it was the extra '.' or the dev.db. either way, seems to be working now. thanks, Ricky! _Ramy

|

GannyL · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-23 18:43:23Z

0

Add app name at "INSTALLED_APPS" in settings.py

answered Feb 23, 2018 at 18:43

GannyL

1

Comments

volfcan · Accepted Answer · 2023-03-20 09:54:29Z

0

Removing an empty string from

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'blog.apps.BlogConfig',
    'users.apps.UsersConfig',
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    '' <-- This one
]

Also worked for me too

answered Mar 20, 2023 at 9:54

volfcan

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1 Comment

Blue Robin Over a year ago

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