Import module from subfolder

Question

I want to import subfolders as modules. Therefore every subfolder contains a __init__.py. My folder structure is like this:

src\
  main.py
  dirFoo\
    __init__.py
    foofactory.py
    dirFoo1\
      __init__.py
      foo1.py
    dirFoo2\
      __init__.py
      foo2.py

In my main script I import

from dirFoo.foofactory import FooFactory

In this factory file I include the sub modules:

from dirFoo1.foo1 import Foo1
from dirFoo2.foo2 import Foo2

If I call my foofactory I get the error, that python can't import the submodules foo1 and foo2:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/Users/tmp/src/main.py", line 1, in <module>
from dirFoo.foofactory import FooFactory
  File "/Users/tmp/src/dirFoo/foofactory.py", line 1, in    <module>
from dirFoo1.foo1 import Foo1
    ImportError: No module named dirFoo1.foo1

FlixMa · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-23 12:18:08Z

201

There's no need to mess with your PYTHONPATH or sys.path here.

To properly use absolute imports in a package you should include the "root" packagename as well, e.g.:

from dirFoo.dirFoo1.foo1 import Foo1
from dirFoo.dirFoo2.foo2 import Foo2

Or you can use relative imports:

from .dirfoo1.foo1 import Foo1
from .dirfoo2.foo2 import Foo2

edited May 23, 2020 at 12:18

FlixMa

9431 gold badge7 silver badges20 bronze badges

answered Jan 21, 2012 at 16:18

Rob Wouters

16.4k3 gold badges44 silver badges36 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

6 Comments

Aziz Alto Over a year ago

One thing to remember! add __init__.py to every subfolder you are importing from.

cerebrou Over a year ago

Empty __init__.py may do the job.

jxramos Over a year ago

What would the syntax be if previously Foo1 was in the parent directory and one coded something like from Foo1 import *. Is there a way to achieve that same effect so you don't have to prefix everything with Foo1?

Alex Over a year ago

@AzizAlto: without your comment this solution is not very useful

tdMJN6B2JtUe Over a year ago

Using from .dirfoo1.foo1 import Foo1 etc. worked for me. Also, rather than empty dunder init files, I had these two lines: import site followed by site.addsitedir('./')

|

Vivek22 · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-12 02:01:03Z

Just to notify here. (from a newbee, keviv22)

Never and ever for the sake of your own good, name the folders or files with symbols like "-" or "_". If you did so, you may face few issues. like mine, say, though your command for importing is correct, you wont be able to successfully import the desired files which are available inside such named folders.

Invalid Folder namings as follows:

Generic-Classes-Folder
Generic_Classes_Folder

valid Folder namings for above:

GenericClassesFolder or Genericclassesfolder or genericClassesFolder (or like this without any spaces or special symbols among the words)

What mistake I did:

consider the file structure.

Parent
   . __init__.py
   . Setup
     .. __init__.py
     .. Generic-Class-Folder
        ... __init__.py
        ... targetClass.py
   . Check
     .. __init__.py
     .. testFile.py

What I wanted to do?

from testFile.py, I wanted to import the 'targetClass.py' file inside the Generic-Class-Folder file to use the function named "functionExecute" in 'targetClass.py' file

What command I did?

from 'testFile.py', wrote command, from Core.Generic-Class-Folder.targetClass import functionExecute
Got errors like SyntaxError: invalid syntax

Tried many searches and viewed many stackoverflow questions and unable to decide what went wrong. I cross checked my files multiple times, i used __init__.py file, inserted environment path and hugely worried what went wrong......

And after a long long long time, i figured this out while talking with a friend of mine. I am little stupid to use such naming conventions. I should never use space or special symbols to define a name for any folder or file. So, this is what I wanted to convey. Have a good day!

(sorry for the huge post over this... just letting my frustrations go.... :) Thanks!)

Spaces and dashes ("-") would cause this, but underscores ("_") should still work fine.

Splat · Accepted Answer · 2012-01-21 16:06:42Z

12

Set your PYTHONPATH environment variable. For example like this PYTHONPATH=.:.. (for *nix family).

Also you can manually add your current directory (src in your case) to pythonpath:

import os
import sys
sys.path.insert(0, os.getcwd())

edited Jan 21, 2012 at 16:06

Splat

7633 silver badges10 bronze badges

answered Jan 21, 2012 at 15:04

Max Kamenkov

2,6183 gold badges24 silver badges19 bronze badges

Comments

Flavio Wuensche · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-25 20:34:20Z

8

Say your project is structured this way:

+---MyPythonProject
|   +---.gitignore
|   +---run.py
|   |   +---subscripts
|   |   |   +---script_one.py
|   |   |   +---script_two.py

Inside run.py, you can import scripts one and two by:

from subscripts import script_one as One
from subscripts import script_two as Two

Now, still inside run.py, you'll be able to call their methods with:

One.method_from_one(param)
Two.method_from_two(other_param)

answered Sep 25, 2018 at 20:34

Flavio Wuensche

10.5k2 gold badges65 silver badges57 bronze badges

1 Comment

Dave Over a year ago

Your solution is very elegant. But there is a way to improve it using only a init.py file? Let's say I do not want One.method_from_one(param) but only method_from_one(param)

faremal · Accepted Answer · 2020-10-25 11:31:06Z

3

Just create an empty __init__.py file and add it in root as well as all the sub directory/folder of your python application where you have other python modules. See https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/modules.html#packages

edited Oct 25, 2020 at 11:31

faremal

602 silver badges6 bronze badges

answered Apr 14, 2020 at 12:14

Abhijit Pritam Dutta

5,6112 gold badges13 silver badges17 bronze badges

Comments

user418615 · Accepted Answer · 2024-04-29 14:40:59Z

0

just tested and this worked:

# create sub dir
mkdir ./modules

create module1.py

vim ./modules/module1.py

def hello():
    print("hello have a nice day")
    
def bye():
    print("bye")

vim write and quit

:wq

include module1.py functionality into fileA.py and call it's functions

vim ./fileA.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys
sys.path.append('./modules')

print("===== testing modules =====")
import module1

# call functions of the module
module1.hello()
module1.bye()

answered Apr 29, 2024 at 14:40

user418615

112 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Import module from subfolder

6 Answers 6

6 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

6 Answers 6

6 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related