How to call functions in python files that are not in the working directory?

Question

Say now my working folder is . and my supporting python files are in ./supporting_files/, I want to call a function func in the a.py file under ./supporting_files/, what should I do? I tried calling from supporting_files.a import func and that does not work. How am I suppose to do that without changing the actual working directory?

Do you have the __init__.py in supporting_files directory? What's your python version? — Kasravnd
– Kasravnd, Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 20:44
works for me, cannot reproduce. edit: works in python3 but not in 2.7 — ritlew
– ritlew, Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 20:45
You need to put an empty __init__.py in your directory in order to be interpreted as a module, by python. — Kasravnd
– Kasravnd, Commented Jul 15, 2016 at 20:46

Wayne Werner · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-15 20:54:09Z

3

There are two ways you can do that I'm aware of.

Wrong way

import sys
sys.path.append('./supporting_files')    
from a import func
func()

Right way

$ touch supporting_files/__init__.py

Then

import supporting_files.a as a

a.func()

answered Jul 15, 2016 at 20:54

Wayne Werner

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2 Comments

Wayne Werner Over a year ago

I mean it works, but works in kind of the same way that a Rube Goldberg machine works. It's fine for entertainment/education but you wouldn't ever want to drive your space program that way.

xxx222 Over a year ago

Thanks I think I got it

nthall · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-15 20:47:37Z

1

Add an __init__.py file (it can be empty) to the supporting_files directory, and python will treat it as a package available for imports. More details are available in the Python documentation.

answered Jul 15, 2016 at 20:47

nthall

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