ImportError: cannot import name '_ColumnEntity' from 'sqlalchemy.orm.query'

Question

After installing apache-superset using pip in virtual environment, I run:

superset upgrade db   

I run into the following error:

ImportError: cannot import name '_ColumnEntity' from 'sqlalchemy.orm.query' (/Users/ahmedawny/supersetenv/lib/python3.7/site-packages/sqlalchemy/orm/query.py)

Any advice would be appreciated.

Fayfayal

im on the same boat, for some reason theres not a single question like this, or google cant identify characters ldk – Selfaddressed

github.com/kvesteri/sqlalchemy-utils/issues/474 – Marleah

@Marleah what file do I change that sqlalchemy import? – Fayfayal

How do I know? You haven't shown the full traceback. – Marleah

I filed a bug report github.com/sqlalchemy/sqlalchemy/issues/6226 – Systemic

see also github.com/kvesteri/sqlalchemy-utils/issues/505 – Systemic

Answer 1

The core reason for this is that sqlalchemy 1.4 shipped, so it is now the default that pip installs. There were many interface changes and a new query interface added.

So upgrading to 1.4 breaks stuff that depends on the sqlalchemy 1.3 API internals. In your requirements.txt file-- pin the project version to the 1.3.x series until the rest of your stuff catches up. For example, as of this date sqlalchemy-utils is still dependent on sqlalchemy 1.3x.

requirements.txt:

sqlalchemy < 1.4.0

Then use:

pip -r requirements.txt

to "downgrade" to the pinned version.

Expostulatory

Who does breaking changes from 1.3.x to 1.4.0? (sigh) – Monotony

latest Flask-Migrate requires sqlalchemy 1.4. – Standford

Answer 2

If you don't want to modify the requirements file, as recommended in @InsertSpywareTrackingHere's answer, you can manually pip install an older version instead:

pip install sqlalchemy==1.3.24

Reading

Isn't this just a less flexible version of the top-voted answer? Please read How to Answer. – Alagez

This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review – Cento

While this is equivalent to the top-voted answer, once you know what you're doing, I think this answer has value for the beginner, and I would encourage reviewers not to delete it. – Unrestraint

Answer 3

Go to sqlalchemy_utils.functions file and change :

• from sqlalchemy.orm.query import _ColumnEntity (comment this one, or delete it)
• from sqlalchemy.orm.context import _ColumnEntity (include)

in consequence of this, i belive it should change some stuff along the code...

Metabolism

Answer 4

you can temporarily fix this by changing the imports in sqlalchemy_utils\functions\orm.py:

from sqlalchemy.orm.query import _ColumnEntity

to

from sqlalchemy.orm.context import _ColumnEntity

Virgievirgil

how can i go to sqlalchemy_utils\functions\orm.py it is installed on online server, pythonanywhere.com – Prophetic

Answer 5

@InsertSpywareTrackingHere answer is correct, Just want to add that a new release for Flask-AppBuilder was made that pins SQLAlchemy bellow 1.4.0. So installing apache-superset using pip install apache-superset should work now.

Bharat

I just pip installed apache-superset fresh. it complained with "flask-appbuilder 3.2.2 requires SQLAlchemy<1.4.0, but you'll have sqlalchemy 1.4.7 which is incompatible." but finished. I still needed to manually pip install sqlalchemy==1.3.24 after. perhaps the dependency ordering in the setup.py is not right? I am not an expert. – Preston