VS Code does not find own python module in Workspace

Question

I am working on a python package with VS Code with the following layout of the opened workspace folder in VS Code

workspace
| + tests
| | - test1.py
| | + other_tests
| | | - test2.py 
| + mymodule
| | ...

What I want is to call in test1.py and test2.py the package mymodule with

import mymodule

When I do this, I always get the error no module named 'mymodule'. I know i can load the path via inserting the following to all test files:

import sys
sys.path.append('<path_to>/workspace/')

Then mymodule is correctly loaded. (I know I can use pathlib.Path(__file__).parent[n] for some n to get <path_to>.

But this process is really cumbersome if you have many test files in different folders... and it is just ugly.

Is there any way, to tell VS Code to always include the workspace in the path?

I tried a .env file with

PYTHONPATH=<path_to>/workspace/

and I also tried to add the following to launch.json:

"env": { "PYTHONPATH": "${workspaceFolder}" }

Both did not do the trick. (I am also not sure if PYTHONPATH is at all the right solution to my problem, i just tried it ^^).

In short:

I would like to tell VS Code, that it should always include workspace to the search path whenever a python function tries to load a module, regarding the location of the function, so I do not have to call sys.path.append('<path_to>/workspace/') in every single main file.

Hydroxide

Answer 1

When the python interpreter is importing a package, it looks for the package in the following locations:

the directory containing the input script (or the current directory).

PYTHONPATH (a list of directory names, with the same syntax as the shell variable PATH).

the installation-dependent default.

So if your package and script file are in the same directory, it will be easily found. But obviously you chose a different directory. Then you have to use the methods mentioned in your article to specify the path to the interpreter, such as modifying the PYTHONPATH environment variable or using the sys.path.append() method.

Here's a suggestion for another approach. Put your package where python can find it, say under the lib folder. This way you don't need to use the sys.path.append() method at the beginning of each file.

I am using a virtual environment

UPDATE:

You can use virtual environments. it won't make a difference. If you are worried about some factors and do not want to use it, there is no problem. Just find the lib folder in your current environment and put your package in it.

for example ( As far as my machine is concerned ) :

The lib folder corresponding to the interpreter of this environment is in:

C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\Lib

---

The lib folder corresponding to the interpreter of this environment is in:

C:\Users\Admin\anaconda3\Lib

PS : It can also be placed in the site-packages folder one level below the lib folder.

Ayrshire

Oh okay, that is i nice solution. So you suggest to place the module within my virtual environment? I am not rely sure if i want to go this route, i am working with git and i think the virtual environment should be setup on each PC separately and not be part of the synchronized files. But it would definitely solve my problem as stated above! – Hydroxide

Answer 2

Option #1 (Recommended): Split into a separate package

Since what you are basically looking for is to have mypackage as a full-blown package accessible to all the code in this environment, why not do that?

Just separate mypackage into a separate pip package, and then "install" it using pip into a virtual environment that you are using within this project.

Option #2: Use PYTHONPATH

From Python's manual:

PYTHONPATH: Augment the default search path for module files. The format is the same as the shell’s PATH: one or more directory pathnames separated by os.pathsep (e.g. colons on Unix or semicolons on Windows). Non-existent directories are silently ignored.

Visual Studio Code definitely supports setting PYTHONPATH through .env:

The PYTHONPATH environment variable specifies additional locations where the Python interpreter should look for modules. In VS Code, PYTHONPATH can be set through the terminal settings (terminal.integrated.env.*) and/or within an .env file.

However, you have to be careful about the following note (same page, two paragraphs below):

When PYTHONPATH is set using an .env file, it will affect anything the extension does on your behalf and actions performed by the debugger, but it will not affect tools run in the terminal.

So, if you are trying to run your project from the terminal directly, this will not work.

Kyliekylila

Okey, i realized that both mentioned approaches, .env and launch.json worked, but only in debug mode and not when running the code in normal mode through VS Code. But that is kind of useless, if this only affects debug mode. So i guess i either have to make it a installable package, or keep working with the relative paths... – Hydroxide

For what it's worth, don't forget to reload VS Code after changing the PYTHONPATH variable. – Sociopath