Can a Python script use a Django database while not being in the same folder?

Question

I have a python application (which we'll call app) I'd like to have a web front for. The application has many files and it's important the folder tree structure stays the way it is.

I've built a Django project and put it in a folder named "Web" in the app's folder, so now the folder tree looks like so:

[Data]
[Resources]
[Web]
- [WebFront]
  - normal django app files
- [Web]
  - __init__.py
  - settings.py
  - urls.py
  - wsgi.py
- __init__.py
- manage.py
main.py

Here's the code on the app's main.py:

import os
import django

os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "Web.Web.settings")
django.setup()

This code causes an exception on the django.setup() line as (I think) django does not find the project modules: ImportError: No module named WebFront (WebFront is the name of the django app)

I suspect this is caused because django runs in the directory of python app, and therefore cannot find the folder WebFront - Which should actually be Web/WebFront

Can this be done? Or should I reverse the order and put the python app in the django app?

This is not a duplicate of the following questions as the folder nesting causes a different problem (I think)

Alasdair · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-05 11:57:39Z

2

You can locate your main.py script where you like. However, if it is outside of the Web folder, then you will have to add Web to the Python path, otherwise imports like import Webfront are going to fail.

import sys
sys.path.append('/path/to/Web/')

Once you have done that, you can change the DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE to

os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "Web.settings")

edited Feb 5, 2016 at 11:57

answered Feb 5, 2016 at 11:38

Alasdair

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5 Comments

Nitay Over a year ago

That works! But with 2 issues. One - I still need to point Django to 'Web.Web.Settings` - Shouldn't the path edit fix that? and Two - When I try to import a model I get the error

Model class Web.WebFront.models.MyModel doesn't declare an explicit app_label and isn't in an application in INSTALLED_APPS.

Alasdair Over a year ago

How are you trying to import the model? What is you INSTALLED_APPS setting?

Nitay Over a year ago

from Web.WebFront.models import MyModel. My INSTALLED_APPS just has WebFront on the list

Alasdair Over a year ago

If you have 'Webfront' in INSTALLED_APPS, then you need to add Web to the python path using sys.path.append(). You should then import the model with from Webfront.models import MyModel, and change DJANGO_SETTINGS_DIR to Web.settings. If that's not working, then I'm not sure what the problem is. Updating your question with the exact code you are trying, the full traceback, and the full path of the folders on your disk might help.

Nitay Over a year ago

You're right - The import line was wrong. The correct way is from WebFront.models import MyModel

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