I have two Python packages, working and notworking. Package working has the following structure and content:
working/
__init__.py # from . import views
dialogs.py # import views
views/
__init__.py # from . import main
main.py # from .. import dialogs
Package notworking is identical in structure and content, with one exception: it 'fixes' the non-relative import that appears in working/dialogs.py. Because we don't want to accidentally import the wrong views module, right?:
notworking/
__init__.py # from . import views
dialogs.py # from . import views # That's better! Right?
views/
__init__.py # from . import main
main.py # from .. import dialogs
With this one 'improvement', module notworking no longer imports:
Python 2.7.6 (default, Jun 22 2015, 17:58:13)
[GCC 4.8.2] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import notworking
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>
File "notworking/__init__.py", line 2, in <module>
from . import views
File "notworking/views/__init__.py", line 2, in <module>
from . import main
File "notworking/views/main.py", line 2, in <module>
from .. import dialogs
File "notworking/dialogs.py", line 2, in <module>
from . import views
ImportError: cannot import name views
I would love for someone knowledgeable to explain why the absolute import works and the relative import does not work.
(Secondarily, I am open to suggestions on how to solve the mutual dependencies between dialogs and views that got me into this sticky wicket in the first place.)
