Where is the actual file for a module?

Question

I apparently have multiple versions of a module installed and I am trying to figure out where the files are because only one of them is from package management and I want to delete the other.

Is there a simple way to ask Python where it found a module after importing it?

Jean-François Fabre · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-27T09:09:19.790

3

if the module isn't built-in, you can do this:

import your_module
print(your_module.__file__)

test:

>>> import os
>>> print(os.__file__)
L:\Python34\lib\os.py

if module is built-in, you get an error:

>>> import sys
>>> print(sys.__file__)
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 301, in runcode
  File "<interactive input>", line 1, in <module>
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute '__file__'
>>>

(check if module has the __file__ attribute using hasattr is also an option to avoid errors; if hasattr(module_name, '__file__'):)

also: by directly printing the module:

>>> print(os)
<module 'os' from 'L:\\Python34\\lib\\os.py'>

edited Apr 27 '17 at 09:09

answered Apr 27 '17 at 08:59

Jean-François Fabre

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doing just `print module` it's a little bit more "elegant" and still useful `import os; print os` prints `` and `import sys; print sys` prints `` – Lohmar ASHAR Apr 27 '17 at 09:03
1

Might be worth adding `if hasattr(module_name, '__file__'):` – cdarke Apr 27 '17 at 09:03
good suggestions. I hope you don't mind me editing my answer with those. – Jean-François Fabre Apr 27 '17 at 09:10

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 27 '17 at 08:59

0

You can use __file__ after importing the module:

>>> import os 
>>> os.__file__
'/usr/lib/python2.7/os.pyc'

answered Apr 27 '17 at 08:59

bhansa

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Where is the actual file for a module?

2 Answers2