cannot import a module after os.chdir()

Question

I have a python file with the class A defined in it in a different directory than the one I am working in. I want to import a module from that class in my script. I wrote something like this in jupyter:

import os
parent_dir = 'path/to/class'
os.chdir(parent_dir) 
from A import a

It works perfectly fine and I get to execute the program. However when I run the script in the same directory from the terminal, I get this error:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'a'

I put a os.getcwd() before the error to make sure it is in the same directory, and when I go to that directory from the terminal and import the module directly there are no errors. I wonder why I get this error when running the script.

score 16 · Accepted Answer · answered May 10 '18 at 19:02

16

Don't use os.chdir, because it changes a global state, that can lead to unexpected behaviour somewhere else.

Expand sys.path:

import sys
sys.path.append('/absolute/path/to/module')

answered May 10 '18 at 19:02

Daniel

42,087
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2

it's better to do `sys.path.append(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),'path/to/module')` – Jean-François Fabre May 10 '18 at 19:06
1

@Jean-FrançoisFabre: I did have this version, but not sure, if the OP uses paths relative to the script file. – Daniel May 10 '18 at 19:15

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered May 10 '18 at 19:06

-1

You can use from path.to.class import className

answered May 10 '18 at 19:06

Xayden Rosario

179
10

cannot import a module after os.chdir()

2 Answers2

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