Can't Import Using Absolute Path

Question

I have a very simple test Python 3 project with the following file structure:

test/a.py
test/b.py
test/__init__.py

Everywhere I read, people say that in a.py I should import b.py using an absolute path:

from test.b import *

However, when I try I get the following error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "a.py", line 1, in <module>
    from test.b import *
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'test.b'

I understand that I can import b.py using from b import *, however this is not what people recommend. They all recommend from test.b import *. But I can't get even this simple example to work.

Are you running `a.py` as a script? Then your module search path won't include the parent directory of `test` and it is not findable as a top-level name. — Martijn Pieters, Jan 08 '18 at 12:28
By giving us the information we are asking for, for starters. This is almost certainly a duplicate, this is a common issue (files inside packages should not be used as scripts). — Martijn Pieters, Jan 08 '18 at 12:33

overflo · Answer 1 · 2018-01-08T15:41:22.777

7

As Martijn said in the comment, it depends on how you call a.py. If you call it directly from within the directory by typing python a.py you will get the error above.

However, if you call it like that: python -m test.a while being one directory above the test directory, your import will work just fine.

edited Jan 08 '18 at 15:41

answered Jan 08 '18 at 13:26

overflo

325
2
12

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 08 '18 at 13:20

3

The common directory structure is like this:

test/a.py
test/b.py
test/__init__.py
run.py

The main code should be put into run.py. When you want to import a.py in run.py, just write from test.a import * or something like that. And if you need to import b.py in a.py, do as you have been told from test.b import *. Then, run run.py would get the correct result.

answered Jan 08 '18 at 13:20

Hou Lu

3,012
2
16
23

Ahh I see. So to do `from test.b import *`, `run.py` needs to be a sibling to `test/`. Thanks – Anton Jan 08 '18 at 13:35

Can't Import Using Absolute Path

2 Answers2