Import python project modules from tests subdirectory

Question

├── ledger
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── ledger_data.py
│   └── ledger_model.py
├── main.py
├── sscommon
│   ├── __init__.py
│   └── logging.py
└── tests
    └── test_ledger_data.py

I need to import classes from ledger_data module when running test_ledger_data.py. I currently do sys.path.append("../") in test_ledger_data.py or I have to add symbolik links to all modules being used to tests directory. Both options seem incorrect. How to do it correctly?

If I just run the file either from project root or tests directories I get error:

    from ledger.ledger_data import LedgerData
ImportError: No module named 'ledger'

create a __init__.py file inside tests/ folder and put your inputs there — Chen A.
– Chen A., Commented Oct 2, 2017 at 11:59

Chen A. · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-03 08:57:21Z

1

You can create an __init__.py file in your folder, and import the parent dir using:

parent_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(__file__), os.pardir))
sys.append(parent_dir)

This uses os.path to find out the directory based on your file location.

Update: create the above __init__.py and reside it inside tests/ folder. Then, in your test_ledge_data.py put at the head of the file from __init__ import *; this will import everything in your init file to your module namespace.

edited Oct 3, 2017 at 8:57

answered Oct 2, 2017 at 12:07

Chen A.

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3 Comments

noname7619 Over a year ago

Please clarify how do you mean to use tests then? If I run directly (as in original question) python3 test_ledger_data.py your code is not imported/run. If I run from a new python file residing in root dir it works even without this code.

noname7619 Over a year ago

Is it anything better than sys.path.append("../") ? I've read here on SO that it isn't a good practice. Will not it have side effects when doing from tests.test_ledger_data import TestLedgerData, if eventually I decide to run from some other location?

Chen A. Over a year ago

@VladimirLenin The code above imports the parent folder; so as long as the structure is kept even if you move it to some other location - it would work. If you found my answer useful, please consider upvoting and accepting it, thanks

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