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Python ImportError: cannot import name X

This was strange, I had a bunch of classes in a file and was trying to import one of them from a file in a child folder.

The package looked like this:

/main_classes.py <– “import child” was in here way on top
/child/__init__.py <– For every file in this folder, import it
/child/some_file.py <– Import a class in main_classes.py *Error*

The reason was that I was doing “import child” way on top before implementing the class I was importing in some_file.py.

I moved the “import child” line from the top of the main_class.py to the constructor of the class I was implementing and it fixed the issue.

I hope this made sense (and I know it will to the person with this problem )

Filed under: Python Posted by: Codehead

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12 Comments »

finferflu:

Thanks a lot! That was a very useful post
And yes, it made sense

Comment
l0om:

yes, kewl post, mr. snake-charmer — solved my problem too now i can continue choking the snake.

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luislope:

and what happen if you hace a bouch of classes on:

/ab/ab_classes.py

and now make a package like this:

/a/a_classes.py
/b/b_classes.py

???

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luislope:

ok ok ok I got, niceeeee. thanks.

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Daniel:

Thx for the info – it also solved my problem – but i had to reread your post quite often to understand it.

The problem is a **circular Reference** – as child gets imported in parent, which also wants to import parts of parent.

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pointer:

thanks a lot for the post. it does make sense to me.

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digitalpbk:

Thanks a lot, saved me a lot of searching

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ysa:

thanks so much for solving my problem.

***would take “years” to find it.heheheeh…
saved me a lot of searching [2]!

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AJ:

You are putting the imports in your constructor? That seems a little weird (and extremely against the standards lol). Alternatively you could separate the parent code, and re-order the imports.

For instance:
/parent1.py/ <–first import parent2, then children
/parent2.py/ <– part of parent code needed by children
/children/childa.py
/children/childb.py <– imports parent2
/children/__init__.py <– same as before

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Mary:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

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Brian:

I had this same issue using mod_python trying to import psycopg2. I had to move the

import psycopg2

under

def handler(req):
import psycopg2
…

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John Villar:

Can’t believe this was the error i was having. One million thanks to you pal!!!

Comment