Django: Can't run custom commands

Question

I've written a simple custom command, hello.py:

from django.core.management.base import NoArgsCommand

class Command(NoArgsCommand):
    help = "prints hello world"

    def handle_noargs(self, **options):
        print "Hello, World!"

When I run python manage.py hello it returns

Unknown command: 'hello'

I've put it in the management/commands directory beneath my app.
I've added __init__.py files to the management and commands directory.
I've checked my app is in INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py
I've tried installing it in different apps and from the project root too

Running python manage.py syncdb etc is fine. And if I type python at the command line I can import django.core.management ok.

I know I'm missing something obvious, but can't figure out what.

How can I debug this to work out why my custom command won't run?

By 'checked my app is in settings.py', do you mean it is in INSTALLED_APPS? — knutin
– knutin, Commented Nov 28, 2010 at 10:37
Do you have multiple Python versions/installations on your system? 'which python' will tell you what python version you are using when running 'python manage.py', running 'env python' will start the python that './manage.py' would start. Is it the same version? — knutin
– knutin, Commented Nov 28, 2010 at 10:39
@knutin. Yes it's in INSTALLED_APPS. Yes multiple versions and which python returns alias python='python2.6'/usr/local/bin/python2.6. However, env python seems to start Python 2.4.3 and import django soesn't work when I run env python. However, when I run python manage.py I assume I am running the correct python and it still doesn't work. — FunLovinCoder
– FunLovinCoder, Commented Nov 28, 2010 at 10:44
Ok, so you have installed Django in your 2.6 site-packages, but not in 2.4.3. When running your own python, always make sure you are really using the right one, especially when deploying your site. — knutin
– knutin, Commented Nov 28, 2010 at 10:47
Yes when I run python it does run 2.6. Still not working though. — FunLovinCoder
– FunLovinCoder, Commented Nov 28, 2010 at 10:54

FunLovinCoder · Accepted Answer · 2010-11-28 12:48:00Z

8

The problem was that I had another project on my PYTHONPATH. D'oh! I think it was picking up the settings.py from there first so didn't see my app. What pointed me in this direction was I tried running python manage.py create_jobs myapp (from django command extensions) and it returned an error indicating the app couldn't be found. Also @knutin mentioned INSTALLED_APPS.

answered Nov 28, 2010 at 12:48

FunLovinCoder

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1 Comment

hobs Over a year ago

My custom command mysteriously began to work after doing pip install command_extensions in my virtualenv. I was trying to retrace your debugging steps for my "Unknown command" problem. Somehow the pip installer or the command extensions module itself must have cleaned up my PYTHONPATH or DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE problem.

Fravel · Accepted Answer · 2024-10-22 07:14:00Z

0

To solve the issue: I move the management folder one level up in my folder tree. In other words, in the same folder as settings.py

answered Oct 22, 2024 at 7:14

Fravel

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Comments

rschwieb · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-14 16:22:31Z

-2

It is because the __init__.pyc does not get created automatically within "management" and "commands" folder. Copy your_app/__init__.py and your_app/__init__.pyc and paste it within the management/ and commands/ folder.

edited Apr 14, 2016 at 16:22

rschwieb

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answered May 17, 2014 at 15:39

maQbex

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