Importing file of same file and function name in python

Question

src
 |
  -- Country
     |
      -- test_file.py -> test_file(function)
  -- State
     |
      -- test_file.py -> i want to run this file

I have to run the test_file in State which is the present working directory. I have to import the function test_file from test_file in country.

Using the path

import sys
sys.path.append('../Country')
from test_file import *

print test_file()

When i run the file. It says role_name function not found. It is not able to find the function. But if i change the name of the file in Country from test_file to some other name, Its working fine. I am thinking this problem has to do with some kind of ambiguousness.

I need to have the same name for both files. Is there another way out for this problem?

Attempted relative import in non-package <-- gives this error. I dont have the luxury to run it in this format "python - m test_file.py" — Harsha Jasti, Feb 28 '17 at 13:50
The answers to this question might be helpfull: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/67631/how-to-import-a-module-given-the-full-path In the answers they show the use of importlib (python 3)/ imp (python 2). — C.Fe., Feb 28 '17 at 13:50

Guillaume · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-28T14:01:15.317

4

Replace sys.path.append('../Country') by sys.path.insert(0, '../Country')

Since you append your Country module at the end of the path, test_file.py in current working directory (State) will take precedence. Inserting at the beginning of the path should solve that. Also do not use import * but import role_path, this way the import directive will fail if the required object is not found, instead of silently continuing and letting errors trigger later.

But it would be a lot cleaner to just import your function this way, if Country is a proper module (with an __init__.py or not depending on the Python version):

from ..Country.test_file import role_path

edited Feb 28 '17 at 14:01

answered Feb 28 '17 at 13:53

Guillaume

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this makes sense. I've faced a similar problem before! and sys.path.insert() came to rescue! – Keerthana Prabhakaran Feb 28 '17 at 13:54
sys.path.insert() worked like a charm. Thank you, Guillaume! – Harsha Jasti Feb 28 '17 at 14:00

Importing file of same file and function name in python

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