Import file from parent directory?

Question

I have the following directory structure:

application
    tests
        main.py
    main.py

application/main.py contains some functions.

Answer 1

You cannot import things from parent/sibling directories as such. You can only import things from directories on the system path, or the current directory, or subdirectories within a package. Since you have no __init__.py files, your files do not form a package, and you can only import them by placing them on the system path.

Answer 2

First of all you need to make your directories into packages, by adding __init__.py files:

application
    tests
        __init__.py
        main.py
    __init__.py
    main.py

Then you should make sure that the directory above application is on sys.path. There are many ways to do that, like making the application infto a package and installing it, or just executing things in the right folder etc.

Then your imports will work.

Answer 3

in python . exists for same directory, .. for parent directory to import a file from parent directory you can use ..

from .. import filename (without .py extension)

Answer 4

If you'd like your script to be more portable, consider finding the parent directory automatically:

import os, sys
sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
# import ../db.py
import db

Answer 5

To import a file in a different subdirectory of the parent directory, try something like this:

sys.path.append(os.path.abspath('../other_sub_dir'))
import filename_without_py_extension

Edit: Missing closing bracket.

Answer 6

You must add the application dir to your path:

import sys
sys.path.append("/path/to/dir")
from app import object

Or from shell:

setenv PATH $PATH:"path/to/dir"

In case you use windows: Adding variable to path in windows.

Or from the command line:

set PATH=%PATH%;C:\path\to\dir