Embedding Python in C++: Failing to import from the same directory

Question

Within a larger class I have a section of code for importing a python script and running it. The file (animate.py) is contained within the same directory as the executable.

void classname::show( void )
{
         stringstream run_cmd;
         run_cmd << "animate.run('" << name << "')";

         Py_Initialize();
         PyRun_SimpleString("import animate");
         PyRun_SimpleString(run_cmd.str().c_str());
         Py_Finalize();
}

The thing is, I'm working through two computers, when compiled on one of these, this works fine. On my personal laptop it fails to import the scipt with the error:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
ImportError: No module named animate
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
NameError: name 'animate' is not defined

They're both compiled through the exact same makefile, with the -lpython2.7 flag used. The file structure is also the same.

Is there some library I'm missing to do this?

Nigel Tufnel · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-03 14:30:16Z

1

You need to add the current working directory to Python path (it's not included by default):

     Py_Initialize();
     PyObject *sys_path = PySys_GetObject("path");
     PyList_Append(sys_path, PyString_FromString("."));
     PyRun_SimpleString("import animate");
     PyRun_SimpleString(run_cmd.str().c_str());
     Py_Finalize();

edited Feb 3, 2014 at 14:30

answered Feb 3, 2014 at 13:47

Nigel Tufnel

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2 Comments

James Jenkinson Over a year ago

That certainly works for being able to import the script, but now that script can't import numpy etc. Do I have to set a path for that as well?

James Jenkinson Over a year ago

Also I'm still curious why this works on the other machine fine without setting the path, but not on this one.

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