How to set working directory for projects in PyCharm?

Question

I'm unable to use relative paths in my code while using PyCharm. For instance, a simple open('test.txt', 'r') will not work - whereupon I am sure the file exists in the same level as the running py file. PyCharm will return this error.

FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory:

After reading answers online on Stack Overflow, I have tried multiple options including:

Changing test.txt to ./test.txt
Closing project, deleting the .idea folder, open the folder with code.
Reinstalling as well as installing the latest version of PyCharm.
Invalidating caches and restarting.

None of these options have worked for me. Is there someway I can tell PyCharm to refresh the current working directory (or even to see where it thinks the current working directory is)?

Running the script in a terminal window will work. This appears to be a problem with PyCharm and not the script.

you can put this in your script to see the current working directory import os print(os.getcwd()) — Dan
– Dan, Commented Dec 16, 2015 at 4:45
Interesting, it says that it's at C:\Program Files (x86)\JetBrains\PyCharm 5.0.2\jre\jre\bin — qwertyuip9
– qwertyuip9, Commented Dec 16, 2015 at 4:47
Are you running with elevated permissions on the command line? If you are on a Unix like system then you should check your permissions for the file — Dan
– Dan, Commented Dec 16, 2015 at 4:48

andere · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-02 15:27:50Z

75

Change: Run > Edit Configurations > Working directory, which sets the working directory for a specific project. (This is on a Mac)

answered Jan 2, 2016 at 15:27

andere

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1 Comment

Ladislav Ondris Over a year ago

Note that this changes only the single configuration.

Dan · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-16 04:52:53Z

61

I have Pycharm 4.5, so things might have changed a bit.

Try going to Settings > Project > Project Structure

On this dialog, click your folder that has the source code in it, and then click the blue folder in the menu to note it as "source" folder. I believe this fixes a lot of the path issues in Pycharm

Here is the link to "content roots": https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/help/content-root.html

answered Dec 16, 2015 at 4:52

Dan

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3 Comments

qwertyuip9 Over a year ago

It was a similar fix that I just found (link here), I had to add the working directory by clicking on the project name on the top right and editing its configurations. It seems counter intuitive to have to add this extra step - perhaps there was some issues in creating the project in the first place. I'll marks yours as correct since it was the closest!

davidA Over a year ago

Sadly this didn't work for me on OSX - even though I had the root of my project set as a Source folder, where my script is, the Runner was unable to locate the script. The only solution I found was @andere's below, where you explicitly set the working directory to the absolute path. I'm not sure if this breaks when the project is moved...

Dan Over a year ago

@meowsqueak Glad you worked it out... With your problem I also typically us os.chir(directory_path) using a directory path i split from __file__. Doing that helps when running the script outside of an IDE and in the event that the script is called from a directory other than where the script and text file is located.

Ufos · Accepted Answer · 2019-09-09 14:47:16Z

16

Current version 2019.2 somehow ignores "source root" from the "project structure". Here's how to actually enforce it:

Run -> Edit Configurations -> Python -> "Edit Templates" -> fill out "Working Directory"

answered Sep 9, 2019 at 14:47

Ufos

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3 Comments

enigmq Over a year ago

+1. This solution solved my problem. What happened: I had a project folder with some python files that worked with paths (reading files and stuff). Than I pulled, new directory from github, and moved those python files to new folder. Working Directory stayed as old one. So this solution solved it, thanks :)

Alon Samuel Over a year ago

Thanks!!! I used to change manually the working directory for each file :) Didn't know there was a template

Huginn Over a year ago

Thank you! In VSCode working directory was a directory with a project but in PyCharm a working directory becomes a parent directory of a script, not a project. So this is fixed my problem and behavior has become as expected.

falsetru · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-16 05:03:15Z

8

__file__ refers to file path. So you can use the following to refer file in the same directory:

import os

dirpath = os.path.dirname(__file__)
filepath = os.path.join(dirpath, 'test.txt')
open(filepath, 'r')

edited Dec 16, 2015 at 5:03

answered Dec 16, 2015 at 4:57

falsetru

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2 Comments

Dan Over a year ago

I like your solution better than mine :) I was trying to keep it at the Pycharm level though haha

qwertyuip9 Over a year ago

Thanks! My problem was more focused in PyCharm but good to know that I could use the os module too!

BeneIT · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-08 09:05:01Z

4

In PyCharm, click on "run/edit configurations..."

Then find your script file in the "Python" dropdown menu. Check the "Working Directory" entry and change it if necessary.

answered Aug 8, 2018 at 9:05

BeneIT

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desertnaut · Accepted Answer · 2023-12-27 21:15:56Z

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GO TO EDIT CONFIGURATION (just LEFT side of GREEN CODE RUNNER ICON)
click on python (not any specific python script) ONLY SELECT PYTHON
then below right side click on [edit configuration templetes]
select current working dir by going into those blocks
It will change the CWD of all python file that exists in project folder.. then all file will understand the RELATIVE PATH that starts from your actual project name..

edited Dec 27, 2023 at 21:15

desertnaut

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answered Jul 1, 2021 at 18:06

sarang tamrakar

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Comments

Fioletibiel · Accepted Answer · 2018-06-09 10:16:25Z

1

Sometimes it is different. I solved my problem by clicking "Run" at the Pycharm's toolbar and then "Edit Configurations..." and I change my Interpreter to another actual one. Just changing it in the settings does not help, but this opperation already does ;)

answered Jun 9, 2018 at 10:16

Fioletibiel

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Comments

Gnnr · Accepted Answer · 2023-09-12 08:29:28Z

1

If you're trying to change the working directory of the Python Console inside PyCharm, you can find the corresponding settings under

Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Console | Python Console | Working directory

(see here).

answered Sep 12, 2023 at 8:29

Gnnr

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desertnaut · Accepted Answer · 2023-12-27 21:16:30Z

1

I too had the same issue few minutes ago... but,with the latest version of PyCharm it is resolved by simply using the relative path of that file. For instance, a simple f = open('test', 'r') will work.

edited Dec 27, 2023 at 21:16

desertnaut

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answered Jul 18, 2018 at 8:20

user9203442

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desertnaut · Accepted Answer · 2023-12-27 21:17:04Z

0

A little clarification for mac users. In mac, what @andere said above is correct for setting working directory. However, if your code is in a different folder, say working_dir/src/ (like classic java/scala file structure) in that case you still need to set your Sources Root. In mac's PyCharm this can be done by right clicking on the src/ folder > Mark Directory as > Sources Root.

edited Dec 27, 2023 at 21:17

desertnaut

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answered Nov 19, 2018 at 1:39

mithunpaul

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Comments

David Lambert · Accepted Answer · 2023-12-28 23:04:23Z

I'm using PyCharm 2023.3, and I've also had trouble with PyCharm not being able to find files. Because PyCharm has lots of bells and whistles in this area, it can get really tangled up. To find and fix all trouble in this area:

In the "Run" menu, select "Edit Configurations..."
You will get a window listing all your configurations. Each one will have:

Line 1: An interpreter.

Line 2: The Python file to run.

Line 4: The working directory to use.
But at the bottom of that window, on the left, will be the blue hyperlink "Edit configuration templates..." When you click that hyperlink,
A new window also comes, which has a list on the left. Selecting "Python" in the list on the left will bring up another configuration that also lists:

Line 1: An interpreter.

Line 2: The Python file to run.

Line 4: The working directory to use.
In the "File" menu, select "Settings..." A window comes up which has 3 panes. In the left pane, expand "Project: ". Below that you should see two items, "Python Interpreter" and "Project Structure".
Select "Project Structure".
in the right-most pane will appear a text box showing the Content Root. Make sure that's correct.
Once you clean up all the working directories, make sure your project folder is not being synchronized by OneDrive, which can really mess with your paths.

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