Import module from parent directory in python [duplicate]

Question

I have python script in following directory structure

common/
    log.py
    file.py
    __init__.py
     conf/
        myconf.py
       
        __init__.py

here is my myconf.py

from common import file

data = file.myfunction()
print (data )

here is file.py

import log

myfunction():

return "dummy"

when i run my myconf.py i get below error

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'log

how to handle import log in my myconf.py?

Ali Hejazizo · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-05 22:00:00Z

4

One solution is to add common to your PYTHONPATH and run everything from there. This is the best practice and the best solution in my opinion to handle the imports.

To do so:

In terminal, cd to the directory where common directory is there.
Run export PYTHONPATH=${PWD}
Change your imports to start from common, for example:

from common import log

from common import file

from common.conf.myconf import something

If you want to run a file, run it from the root:

python common/conf/myconf.py

This way you will never have any import error and all your imports are extremely clear and readable cause they all start from common

answered Jan 5, 2022 at 22:00

Ali Hejazizo

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2 Comments

Andrey Over a year ago

How is it don't work in a long run? You rarely rebuild a whole project structure deep in. That's how I organize imports in every python project I work on. You usually have a root source directory, set it to PYTHONPATH and then all imports are related to the root. Btw you can run your code python -m common.conf.myconf and you then don't need to use PYTHONPATH

Ali Hejazizo Over a year ago

I meant to put this comment on the solution below this. Made a mistake and actually commented on my own answer :)) I'll delete it.

Meng Xiangzhuo · Accepted Answer · 2022-01-05 22:57:27Z

-1

If you want to run myconf.py as the entry point from anywhere without caring about PYTHONPATH you can add the parent folder of common to sys.path.

myconf.py

if __name__ == '__main__':
    import sys; from os.path import dirname
    sys.path.append(dirname(dirname(dirname(__file__))))

from common import file

data = file.myfunction()
print(data)

log.py

from common import log

def myfunction():
    return "dummy"

edited Jan 5, 2022 at 22:57

answered Jan 5, 2022 at 22:19

Meng Xiangzhuo

473 bronze badges

1 Comment

Ali Hejazizo Over a year ago

Manipulating sys.path is not a good practice: stackoverflow.com/questions/51146723/…...

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