{Import from File} Error when importing from other directory

Question

I want to import a file from %appdata%/.EliteCS/sysfiles/gui.py however whenever I do, this comes up.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\Samuel\Documents\Elite\elite_computer_system.py", line 10, in <
module>
    import gui
ImportError: No module named gui

C:\Users\Samuel\Documents\Elite>pause
Press any key to continue . . .

My %appdata%/.EliteCS/sysfiles/ folder contains 2 files: __init__.py (empty py file) and gui.py, a py file full of definitions, but no actual code. When asking python to import it thus:

sys.path.insert(0, '%appdata%/.EliteCS/sysfiles')
import gui

it gives the error, same for from gui import * instead of the import gui line. Would someone please tell me what I am doing wrong. I can't work out what's wrong.

@MartijnPieters whoops, that may be the error. I'll get back to you. — Sleumas, Dec 01 '13 at 00:46
no, the typo was in the question. The DIR is named .EliteCS/sysfiles — Sleumas, Dec 01 '13 at 00:47
`'%appdata%'` is not expanded by Python; that won't work as is. — Martijn Pieters, Dec 01 '13 at 00:49
Thank you for pointing that out, I've now changed it to a finite path: Now it works like a dream. Thank you so much, +1 to you. Put it as an answer, and I'll accept+upvote it. — Sleumas, Dec 01 '13 at 00:57
I've removed the 'how I solved it' part; best to leave the question just that, a question. — Martijn Pieters, Dec 01 '13 at 01:07

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:56

The %appdata% variable is not expanded by Python for you.

Either use an absolute path to the application data folder, or retrieve the %appdata% variable from the system and concatenate that with .EliteCS/sysfiles.

See How do I find the Windows common application data folder using Python? for methods to retrieve system paths like appdata.

If you use the environment option, that'd be:

import os
import sys

sys.insert(0, os.path.join(os.environ['APPDATA'], '.EliteCS', 'sysfiles'))

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 01 '13 at 00:42

0

Why not place gui.py in the same folder as the file you are running? Then you can just say import gui and it will definitly run.

answered Dec 01 '13 at 00:42

shnaz

125
2
7

The whole point is that the files live in a mini FS in %appdata%/.EliteCS and the .py can be moved wherever you want it. – Sleumas Dec 01 '13 at 00:52

{Import from File} Error when importing from other directory

2 Answers2