Unable to generate code for proto files that use import

Question

I have been using .proto files without any issue with C# and Java. I have more than hundred proto files spread across a folder hierarchy. I can compile in Visual Studio and in JetBrains IntelliJ Idea. Now I also want to compile in python. The files use a lot of import statements. There are no conflicts in this (no cyclic imports)...works fine in C# and Java. I'm not able to compile in python. My folder structure is simple:

c:\\tmp\\proto

Under this there are many folders containing proto files. I'm currently only using 'common' folder: c:\tmp\proto\common

Following cmd line works fine:

protoc --proto_path=c:/tmp/proto/common --python_out=c:/tmp/generated_python_files c:/tmp/proto/common\\app_codes.proto

This file has no imports. I get the py file in the output folder. Following fails:

protoc --proto_path=c:/tmp/proto/common --python_out=c:/tmp/generated_python_files c:/tmp/proto/common\\client_accounts.proto

This file uses imports, as shown:

import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto";
import "common/environment_params.proto"; 
import "common/status_main.proto";
import "common/aws_account.proto";
import "common/azure_account.proto";
import "common/google_account.proto";

Result in cmd:

C:\tmp\proto>protoc --proto_path=c:/tmp/proto/common/ --python_out=c:/tmp/generated_python_files client_accounts.proto

common/environment_params.proto: File not found.
common/status_main.proto: File not found.
common/aws_account.proto: File not found.
common/azure_account.proto: File not found.
common/google_account.proto: File not found.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:8:1: Import "common/environment_params.proto" was not found or had errors.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:9:1: Import "common/status_main.proto" was not found or had errors.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:10:1: Import "common/aws_account.proto" was not found or had errors.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:11:1: Import "common/azure_account.proto" was not found or had errors.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:12:1: Import "common/google_account.proto" was not found or had errors.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:43:3: "EnvironmentParams" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:51:3: "Status" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:61:3: "EnvironmentParams" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:75:3: "EnvironmentParams" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:94:3: "AzureAccount" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:98:3: "AwsAccount" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:102:3: "GoogleAccount" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:27:60: "Status" is not defined.
c:/tmp/proto/common//client_accounts.proto:30:64: "Status" is not defined.

I have tried running the protoc command from various folders: c:/tmp or c:/tmp/proto or c:/tmp/proto/common. Same error. I have tried setting --proto_path to c:/tmp/proto and c:/tmp.

I have also tried using the 'grpc compiler' extension in VS Code. It works for files without imports. Fails otherwise. Same error as above. I set the --proto_path in settings.json. Does not work.

I believe somewhere path is not being passed properly. Issue is not in proto file imports - it compiles with c# and java.

What could be the issue?

regards Vinay

Your question is not a minimal repro making it more difficult to help. I suspect the IDEs are helping you with package and import paths where protoc is notoriously gnarly, prickly and difficult to use. I created a minimal repro of your issue and am able to generate python sources. I think (!?) your issue is that you're not correctly representing protobuf packages. common should be a package name given your use of import common/foo.proto. — DazWilkin
– DazWilkin, Commented Sep 9 at 21:58
With protoc, you need to be very precise with import paths (root folder of your protos i.e. c:/tmp/proto) and proto files (some proto_path plus path down to proto). For example protoc --proto_path=c:/tmp/proto --python_out=${SOMEWHERE} --pyi_out=${SOMEWHERE} c:/tmp/proto/common/client_accounts.proto. The proto_path gets us to the root folder of the protos and then the remaining path includes the package name (path) and ends in the proto. — DazWilkin
– DazWilkin, Commented Sep 9 at 22:00

DazWilkin · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-09 22:09:16Z

2

A minimal-repro:

NOTE Linux not Windows user.

.
└── proto
    └── common
        ├── client_accounts.proto
        └── google_account.proto

client_accounts.proto:

syntax = "proto3";

package common;

import "google/protobuf/timestamp.proto";
import "common/google_account.proto";

message ClientAccount {
    google.protobuf.Timestamp last_login = 1;
    common.GoogleAccount google_account = 2;
}

google_account.proto:

syntax = "proto3";

package common;

message GoogleAccount {}

And:

PROTOS="${PWD}/proto"
PYTHON="${PWD}/gen"

protoc \
--proto_path=${PROTOS} \
--python_out=${PYTHON} \
--pyi_out=${PYTHON} \
${PROTOS}/common/client_accounts.proto

Yields:

.
├── gen
│   └── common
│       ├── client_accounts_pb2.py
│       └── client_accounts_pb2.pyi
└── proto
    └── common
        ├── client_accounts.proto
        └── google_account.proto

answered Sep 9 at 22:09

DazWilkin

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2 Comments

saka Sep 10 at 3:56

DazWilkin ...Please see my post below

DazWilkin Sep 10 at 14:45

I'm glad to see you resolved the issue!

saka · Accepted Answer · 2025-09-10 03:54:17Z

1

I am finally able to get this to work. Changed the --proto_path to point to the root of all proto folder hierarchy. I got it working in the morning. Just now saw your solution. I will accept it - you are right. I thought it would be some such silly mistake in paths. Yesterday I was lost in VS Code, Visual Studio and PyCharm.

C:\tmp\proto>python -m grpc_tools.protoc --proto_path=c:/tmp/proto/ --python_out=c:/tmp/generated_python_files --grpc_python_out=c:/tmp/generated_python_files c:/tmp/proto/common/*.proto

I also changed to grpc_tools.protoc to generate the client and server stubs. And now *.proto also works. Able to generate for all my files (one folder at a time).

Thanks

answered Sep 10 at 3:54

saka

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