How do I import other Python files? - Stack Overflow

23 Answers Sorted by: 1389 There are many ways to import a python file, all with their pros and cons. Don’t just hastily pick the first import strategy that works for you or else you’ll have to rewrite the codebase later on when you find it doesn’t meet your needs. I’ll start out explaining the easiest example #1, then I’ll move toward the most professional and robust example #7 Example 1, Import a python module with python interpreter: Put this in /home/el/foo/fox.py: def what_does_the_fox_say(): print("vixens cry") Get into the python interpreter: el@apollo:/home/el/foo$ python Python 2.7.3 (default, Sep 26 2013, 20:03:06) >>> import fox >>> fox.what_does_the_fox_say() vixens cry >>> You imported fox through the python interpreter, invoked the python function what_does_the_fox_say() from within fox.py. Example 2, Use execfile or (exec in Python 3) in a script to execute the other python file in place: Put this in /home/el/foo2/mylib.py: def moobar(): print("hi") Put this in /home/el/foo2/main.py: execfile("/home/el/foo2/mylib.py") moobar() run the file: el@apollo:/home/el/foo$ python main.py hi The function moobar was imported from mylib.py and made available in main.py Example 3, Use from … import … functionality: Put this in /home/el/foo3/chekov.py: def question(): print "where are the nuclear wessels?" Put this in /home/el/foo3/main.py: from chekov import question question() Run it like this: el@apollo:/home/el/foo3$ python main.py where are the nuclear wessels? If you defined other functions in chekov.py, they would not be available unless you import * Example 4, Import riaa.py if it’s in a different file location from where it is imported Put this in /home/el/foo4/stuff/riaa.py: def watchout(): print "computers are transforming into a noose and a yoke for humans" Put this in /home/el/foo4/main.py: import sys import os sys.path.append(os.path.abspath("/home/el/foo4/stuff")) from riaa import * watchout() Run it: el@apollo:/home/el/foo4$ python main.py computers are transforming into a noose and a yoke for humans That imports everything in the foreign file from a different directory. Example 5, use os.system("python yourfile.py") import os os.system("python yourfile.py") Example 6, import your file via piggybacking the python startuphook: Update: This example used to work for both python2 and 3, but now only works for python2. python3 got rid of this user startuphook feature set because it was abused by low-skill python library writers, using it to impolitely inject their code into the global namespace, before all user-defined programs. If you want this to work for python3, you’ll have to get more creative. If I tell you how to do it, python developers will disable that feature set as well, so you’re on your own. See: https://docs.python.org/2/library/user.html Put this code into your home directory in ~/.pythonrc.py class secretclass: def secretmessage(cls, myarg): return myarg + " is if.. up in the sky, the sky" secretmessage = classmethod( secretmessage ) def skycake(cls): return "cookie and sky pie people can't go up and " skycake = classmethod( skycake ) Put this code into your main.py (can be anywhere): import user msg = "The only way skycake tates good" msg = user.secretclass.secretmessage(msg) msg += user.secretclass.skycake() print(msg + " have the sky pie! SKYCAKE!") Run it, you should get this: $ python main.py The only way skycake tates good is if.. up in the sky, the skycookie and sky pie people can't go up and have the sky pie! SKYCAKE! If you get an error here: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'user' then it means you’re using python3, startuphooks are disabled there by default. Credit for this jist goes to: https://github.com/docwhat/homedir-examples/blob/master/python-commandline/.pythonrc.py Send along your up-boats. Example 7, Most Robust: Import files in python with the bare import command: Make a new directory /home/el/foo5/ Make a new directory /home/el/foo5/herp Make an empty file named __init__.py under herp: el@apollo:/home/el/foo5/herp$ touch __init__.py el@apollo:/home/el/foo5/herp$ ls __init__.py Make a new directory /home/el/foo5/herp/derp Under derp, make another `__init__.py` file: el@apollo:/home/el/foo5/herp/derp$ touch __init__.py el@apollo:/home/el/foo5/herp/derp$ ls __init__.py Under /home/el/foo5/herp/derp make a new file called `yolo.py` Put this in there: def skycake(): print "SkyCake evolves to stay just beyond the cognitive reach of " + "the bulk of men. SKYCAKE!!" The moment of truth, Make the new file `/home/el/foo5/main.py`, put this in there; from herp.derp.yolo import skycake skycake() Run it: el@apollo:/home/el/foo5$ python main.py SkyCake evolves to stay just beyond the cognitive reach of the bulk of men. SKYCAKE!! The empty __init__.py file communicates to the python interpreter that the developer intends this directory to be an importable package. If you want to see my post on how to include ALL .py files under a directory see here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/20753073/445131 Share edited Jun 20, 2019 at 0:28 answered Dec 23, 2013 at 18:46 Eric Leschinski 144k9595 gold badges411411 silver badges332332 bronze badges 10 You should also add Example 6: using `__import__(py_file_name)`. Amazing guide anyway – [oriadam](https://stackoverflow.com/users/3356679/oriadam) [Dec 22, 2015 at 2:59](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment56557283_20749411) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_2.1.svg]] 8 Every time I have an import issue I end up at this question and am always able to solve my problem. If I could upvote this for each time you've helped me, I would. – [dgBP](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1382287/dgbp) [Feb 23, 2016 at 7:23](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment58829777_20749411) 9 What's the big difference between all of these, and why is one better than any other? For example 5, you write "Import files in python with the bare import command," but you also use the (bare?) import command in examples 1, 3 and 4, don't you? – [HelloGoodbye](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1070480/hellogoodbye) [Aug 10, 2016 at 8:58](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment65099717_20749411) 90 Good answer but the fact that you use a different import file as example all the times makes it cumbersome to read. – [gented](https://stackoverflow.com/users/5017267/gented) [Mar 21, 2017 at 21:59](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment72974838_20749411) 6 I would like to emphasize that even if you work on Windows, the import is case sensitive. So you cannot have **Module.py** and have in your code **import module** – [radato](https://stackoverflow.com/users/797396/radato) [Mar 5, 2018 at 11:15](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment85223235_20749411) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_3.svg]] Show 10 more comments 538 ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_4.svg]] importlib was added to Python 3 to programmatically import a module. import importlib moduleName = input('Enter module name:') importlib.import_module(moduleName) The .py extension should be removed from moduleName. The function also defines a package argument for relative imports. In python 2.x: Just import file without the .py extension A folder can be marked as a package, by adding an empty __init__.py file You can use the __import__ function, which takes the module name (without extension) as a string extension pmName = input(‘Enter module name:’) pm = import(pmName) print(dir(pm)) Type help(__import__) for more details. Share edited Dec 27, 2020 at 12:12 apaderno 28.1k1616 gold badges7676 silver badges8888 bronze badges answered Feb 28, 2010 at 3:42 tabdulradi 7,39611 gold badge2222 silver badges3232 bronze badges 9 If you add an `import filename` to the **init**.py then you can import the module directly as the folder name. – [CornSmith](https://stackoverflow.com/users/665400/cornsmith) [Jul 22, 2013 at 17:00](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment25957055_2349998) 13 from `help(__import__)`: `Because this function is meant for use by the Python interpreter and not for general use it is better to use importlib.import_module() to programmatically import a module.` – [Tadhg McDonald-Jensen](https://stackoverflow.com/users/5827215/tadhg-mcdonald-jensen) [Feb 23, 2016 at 15:04](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment58848515_2349998) 12 What if it's not a package but just a script file? – [Jonathan](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1689770/jonathan) [Jul 29, 2018 at 2:19](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment90118888_2349998) 10 Is it still accurate in 2019? Is it python3 or 2? – [Sandburg](https://stackoverflow.com/users/4824854/sandburg) [Jan 24, 2019 at 11:34](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment95506830_2349998) 26 Importing in Python is a bizarre mess. It should be possible to import any function from any file, with a simple line of code providing the path (absolute or relative, hard-coded or stored in a variable) to the file. Python, just do it! – [Georg](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1832712/georg) [Aug 14, 2019 at 22:19](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment101474427_2349998) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_6.svg]] Show 3 more comments 134 _First case_You want to import file A.py in file B.py, these two files are in the same folder, like this: . ├── A.py └── B.py You can do this in file B.py: import A or from A import * or from A import THINGS_YOU_WANT_TO_IMPORT_IN_A Then you will be able to use all the functions of file A.py in file B.py _Second case_You want to import file folder/A.py in file B.py, these two files are not in the same folder, like this: . ├── B.py └── folder └── A.py You can do this in file B.py: import folder.A or from folder.A import * or from folder.A import THINGS_YOU_WANT_TO_IMPORT_IN_A Then you will be able to use all the functions of file A.py in file B.py Summary In the first case, file A.py is a module that you imports in file B.py, you used the syntax import module_name. In the second case, folder is the package that contains the module A.py, you used the syntax import package_name.module_name. For more info on packages and modules, consult this link. Share edited Dec 9, 2021 at 9:41 answered May 15, 2019 at 13:57 Bohao LI 1,90322 gold badges1818 silver badges2424 bronze badges 6 +1 This is what I was looking for. Couldn't understand other answers but you explained it using the directories. – [Nouman](https://stackoverflow.com/users/8321664/nouman) [Oct 7, 2019 at 9:18](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment102900632_56151144) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_8.svg]] 1 What if I want to import a py file that is in the parent directory? – [bytedev](https://stackoverflow.com/users/323158/bytedev) [Oct 16, 2019 at 9:35](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment103163900_56151144) 2 @bytedev Add `import sys` and `sys.path.append("..")` to the beginning of the file. According to this: [stackoverflow.com/a/48341902/6057480](https://stackoverflow.com/a/48341902/6057480) . Tested, working perfectly, after doing this, you will be able to import a py file in the parent directory and still able to import py files in the same directory and sub-directories. – [Bohao LI](https://stackoverflow.com/users/6057480/bohao-li) [Oct 16, 2019 at 9:46](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment103164254_56151144) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_9.svg]] 4 that's then cool for you bro, I am in 3.8.x and it didn't work for me tho. – [Shivam Jha](https://stackoverflow.com/users/11667949/shivam-jha) [Jul 2, 2020 at 19:46](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment110886431_56151144) 2 I am in windows 8.1; I am using python-3.8.5-embed-amd64. but it is not working. – [Falaque](https://stackoverflow.com/users/489729/falaque) [Aug 27, 2020 at 7:10](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment112483911_56151144) Show 12 more comments 94 To import a specific Python file at ‘runtime’ with a known name: import os import sys … scriptpath = "../Test/" # Add the directory containing your module to the Python path (wants absolute paths) sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(scriptpath)) # Do the import import MyModule Share edited Nov 28, 2019 at 11:29 answered Apr 30, 2013 at 12:30 James 30.1k1919 gold badges8585 silver badges113113 bronze badges 2 My friend checked this today with no luck - looks like filename should not be there. He used local file in parent directory and "./" worked at the end as if parent directory (..). Fixing problem in post was rejected - probably misunderstanding(?) Print sys.path and compare records if you are not sure... – [Tom](https://stackoverflow.com/users/5480147/tom) [Nov 26, 2019 at 13:58](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment104345041_16299963) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_11.svg]] Add a comment 41 You do not have many complex methods to import a python file from one folder to another. Just create a __init__.py file to declare this folder is a python package and then go to your host file where you want to import just type from root.parent.folder.file import variable, class, whatever Share edited Feb 24, 2016 at 23:02 iwasrobbed 46.3k2121 gold badges149149 silver badges195195 bronze badges answered Jan 24, 2013 at 14:08 fth 2,43822 gold badges3131 silver badges4444 bronze badges 32 What if I want a relative path? – [domih](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1037303/domih) [Jun 2, 2017 at 9:22](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment75655105_14503276) Add a comment 27 Import doc .. – Link for reference The __init__.py files are required to make Python treat the directories as containing packages, this is done to prevent directories with a common name, such as string, from unintentionally hiding valid modules that occur later on the module search path. __init__.py can just be an empty file, but it can also execute initialization code for the package or set the __all__ variable. mydir/spam/__init__.py mydir/spam/module.py import spam.module or from spam import module Share edited Nov 29, 2018 at 5:04 answered Oct 2, 2015 at 8:27 Sanyal 8641010 silver badges2222 bronze badges Add a comment 24 from file import function_name ######## Importing specific function function_name() ######## Calling function and import file ######## Importing whole package file.function1_name() ######## Calling function file.function2_name() ######## Calling function Here are the two simple ways I have understood by now and make sure your “file.py” file which you want to import as a library is present in your current directory only. Share edited Feb 16, 2018 at 19:49 answered Feb 9, 2018 at 18:49 Devendra Bhat 1,13922 gold badges1414 silver badges1919 bronze badges Add a comment 19 If the function defined is in a file x.py: def greet(): print('Hello! How are you?') In the file where you are importing the function, write this: from x import greet This is useful if you do not wish to import all the functions in a file. Share answered Aug 17, 2019 at 12:11 Sid 2,18511 gold badge1313 silver badges2828 bronze badges Add a comment 9 I’d like to add this note I don’t very clearly elsewhere; inside a module/package, when loading from files, the module/package name must be prefixed with the mymodule. Imagine mymodule being layout like this: /main.py /mymodule /__init__.py /somefile.py /otherstuff.py When loading somefile.py/otherstuff.py from __init__.py the contents should look like: from mymodule.somefile import somefunc from mymodule.otherstuff import otherfunc Share edited Apr 28, 2018 at 17:19 answered Apr 18, 2018 at 9:51 Svend 7,82533 gold badges2929 silver badges4545 bronze badges Add a comment 8 Using Python 3.5 or later, you can use importlib.util to directly import a .py file in an arbitrary location as a module without needing to modify sys.path. import importlib.util import sys def load_module(file_name, module_name) spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(module_name, file_name) module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec) sys.modules[module_name] = module spec.loader.exec_module(module) return module The file_name parameter must be a string or a path-like object. The module_name parameter is required because all loaded Python modules must have a (dotted) module name (like sys, importlib, or importlib.util), but you can choose any available name you want for this new module. You can use this function like this: my_module = load_module("file.py", "mymod") After it has been imported once into the Python process using the load_module() function, the module will be importable using the module name given to it. file.py: print(f"file.py was imported as {__name__}") one.py: print(f"one.py was imported as {__name__}") load_module("file.py", "mymod") import two two.py: print(f"two.py was imported as {__name__})") import mymod Given the files above, you can run the following command to see how file.py became importable. $ python3 -m one one.py was imported as __main__ two.py was imported as two file.py was imported as mymod This answer is based on the official Python documentation: importlib: Importing a source file directly. Share edited Dec 7, 2022 at 12:08 answered Apr 22, 2021 at 6:51 palotasb 3,90822 gold badges2323 silver badges3232 bronze badges Add a comment 7 the best way to import .py files is by way of __init__.py. the simplest thing to do, is to create an empty file named __init__.py in the same directory that your.py file is located. this post by Mike Grouchy is a great explanation of __init__.py and its use for making, importing, and setting up python packages. Share edited Jun 27, 2017 at 16:14 answered Jun 27, 2017 at 15:43 supreme 35333 silver badges1313 bronze badges 2 @GhostCat I have updated my response. thanks for the link "it would be preferable". – [supreme](https://stackoverflow.com/users/7038819/supreme) [Jun 27, 2017 at 16:19](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment76551238_44784562) And understand that not everyone is living in your timezone. – [GhostCat](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1531124/ghostcat) [Jun 28, 2017 at 4:07](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment76567421_44784562) 5 You should've posted the contents of Mike Grouchy's post, especially since the link now 404s. [web.archive.org/web/20190309045451/https://mikegrouchy.com/blog/…](https://web.archive.org/web/20190309045451/https://mikegrouchy.com/blog/2012/05/be-pythonic-__init__py.html) – [qwr](https://stackoverflow.com/users/3163618/qwr) [Jun 16, 2019 at 3:51](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment99805980_44784562) Add a comment 7 import sys #print(sys.path) sys.path.append('../input/tokenization') import tokenization To import any .py file, you can use above code. First append the path and then import Note:’../input/tokenization’ directory contains tokenization.py file Share edited Mar 24, 2022 at 17:25 Peter Mortensen 31k2121 gold badges105105 silver badges126126 bronze badges answered Jul 1, 2021 at 18:13 Suguru Naresh 14122 silver badges44 bronze badges Add a comment 5 How I import is import the file and use shorthand of it’s name. import DoStuff.py as DS DS.main() Don’t forget that your importing file MUST BE named with .py extension Share answered May 9, 2016 at 9:01 Luke359 43766 silver badges1414 bronze badges 5 Wouldn't `import DoStuff.py as DS` attempt to import `py` from `DoStuff`? – [Benj](https://stackoverflow.com/users/10050580/benj) [Apr 16, 2019 at 18:00](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment98108736_37111623) That's a deal breaker. In the extreme I will be embedding PHP to import now, I don't really need to just import def's. I may want to import "dev only" tracts or common app.cfg files. I just want to be able to substitute code. Preprocessing it in is a rotten way to do it. – [mckenzm](https://stackoverflow.com/users/1734032/mckenzm) [Dec 15, 2021 at 1:57](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment124371306_37111623) ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_21.svg]] Add a comment 4 There are couple of ways of including your python script with name abc.py e.g. if your file is called abc.py (import abc) Limitation is that your file should be present in the same location where your calling python script is. import abc e.g. if your python file is inside the Windows folder. Windows folder is present at the same location where your calling python script is. from folder import abc Incase abc.py script is available insider internal_folder which is present inside folder from folder.internal_folder import abc As answered by James above, in case your file is at some fixed location import osimport sysscriptpath = “../Test/MyModule.py"sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(scriptpath))import MyModule In case your python script gets updated and you don’t want to upload - use these statements for auto refresh. Bonus :) %load_ext autoreload %autoreload 2 Share edited Jul 29, 2019 at 14:29 answered Jul 29, 2019 at 14:13 rishi jain 1,44411 gold badge1919 silver badges2525 bronze badges Add a comment 3 In case the module you want to import is not in a sub-directory, then try the following and run app.py from the deepest common parent directory: Directory Structure: /path/to/common_dir/module/file.py /path/to/common_dir/application/app.py /path/to/common_dir/application/subpath/config.json In app.py, append path of client to sys.path: import os, sys, inspect sys.path.append(os.getcwd()) from module.file import MyClass instance = MyClass() Optional (If you load e.g. configs) (Inspect seems to be the most robust one for my use cases) # Get dirname from inspect module filename = inspect.getframeinfo(inspect.currentframe()).filename dirname = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(filename)) MY_CONFIG = os.path.join(dirname, "subpath/config.json") Run user@host:/path/to/common_dir$ python3 application/app.py This solution works for me in cli, as well as PyCharm. Share answered Dec 4, 2018 at 14:10 Christoph Schranz 74277 silver badges66 bronze badges Add a comment 3 This is how I did to call a function from a python file, that is flexible for me to call any functions. import os, importlib, sys def callfunc(myfile, myfunc, *args): pathname, filename = os.path.split(myfile) sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(pathname)) modname = os.path.splitext(filename)[0] mymod = importlib.import_module(modname) result = getattr(mymod, myfunc)(*args) return result result = callfunc("pathto/myfile.py", "myfunc", arg1, arg2) Share answered Apr 28, 2019 at 16:34 Xiao-Feng Li 66077 silver badges1212 bronze badges How is making a new function better than using the function directly? – [qwr](https://stackoverflow.com/users/3163618/qwr) [Jun 16, 2019 at 3:43](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment99805927_55892361) @qwr The new function callfunc() is simply a wrapper of the code to call the target function in the python file dynamically. The example given is the target "myfunc" in the python file "pathto/myfile.py". What do you mean by "using the function directly"? – [Xiao-Feng Li](https://stackoverflow.com/users/5452170/xiao-feng-li) [Jun 18, 2019 at 1:37](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment99852201_55892361) Worked perfectly for me. In my example, I replaced: `from mypath import Path` with `Path = callfunc("/folder/to/mypath.py", "Path")`. Thanks @Xiao-FengLi – [user319436](https://stackoverflow.com/users/3894543/user319436) [Nov 24, 2019 at 0:36](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment104274722_55892361) Add a comment 2 Just to import python file in another python file lets say I have helper.py python file which has a display function like, def display(): print("I'm working sundar gsv") Now in app.py, you can use the display function, import helper helper.display() The output, I'm working sundar gsv NOTE: No need to specify the .py extension. Share answered Mar 25, 2018 at 13:27 Sundar Gsv 61777 silver badges77 bronze badges Add a comment 2 One very unknown feature of Python is the ability to import zip files: library.zip |-library |--__init__.py The file __init__.py of the package contains the following: def dummy(): print 'Testing things out...' We can write another script which can import a package from the zip archive. It is only necessary to add the zip file to the sys.path. import sys sys.path.append(r'library.zip') import library def run(): library.dummy() run() Share answered May 9, 2019 at 8:04 Farshid Ashouri 15.5k66 gold badges5151 silver badges6464 bronze badges Add a comment 2 This helped me to structure my Python project with Visual Studio Code. The problem could be caused when you don’t declare __init__.py inside the directory. And the directory becomes implicit namespace package. Here is a nice summary about Python imports and project structure. Also if you want to use the Visual Studio Code run button in the top bar with a script which is not inside the main package, you may try to run console from the actual directory. For example, you want to execute an opened test_game_item.py from the tests package and you have Visual Studio Code opened in omission (main package) directory: ├── omission │ ├── app.py │ ├── common │ │ ├── classproperty.py │ │ ├── constants.py │ │ ├── game_enums.py │ │ └── __init__.py │ ├── game │ │ ├── content_loader.py │ │ ├── game_item.py │ │ ├── game_round.py │ │ ├── __init__.py │ │ └── timer.py │ ├── __init__.py │ ├── __main__.py │ ├── resources │ └── tests │ ├── __init__.py │ ├── test_game_item.py │ ├── test_game_round_settings.py │ ├── test_scoreboard.py │ ├── test_settings.py │ ├── test_test.py │ └── test_timer.py ├── pylintrc ├── README.md └── .gitignore The directory structure is from [2]. You can try set this: (Windows) Ctrl + Shift + P → Preferences: Open Settings (JSON). Add this line to your user settings: "python.terminal.executeInFileDir": true A more comprehensive answer also for other systems is in this question. Share edited Mar 24, 2022 at 17:20 Peter Mortensen 31k2121 gold badges105105 silver badges126126 bronze badges answered Feb 26, 2022 at 16:52 Marek Vajda 6166 bronze badges Add a comment 1 This may sound crazy but you can just create a symbolic link to the file you want to import if you’re just creating a wrapper script to it. Share answered Jul 29, 2018 at 2:20 Jonathan 6,56777 gold badges4949 silver badges6969 bronze badges Add a comment 1 You can also do this: from filename import something example: from client import Client Note that you do not need the .py .pyw .pyui extension. Share edited Aug 22, 2018 at 10:01 Benj 72677 silver badges2121 bronze badges answered Jun 30, 2018 at 13:22 Lucas Soares 1922 bronze badges Add a comment 0 There are many ways, as listed above, but I find that I just want to import he contents of a file, and don’t want to have to write lines and lines and have to import other modules. So, I came up with a way to get the contents of a file, even with the dot syntax (file.property) as opposed to merging the imported file with yours.First of all, here is my file which I’ll import, data.py testString= "A string literal to import and test with" Note: You could use the .txt extension instead.In mainfile.py, start by opening and getting the contents. #!usr/bin/env python3 Data=open('data.txt','r+').read() Now you have the contents as a string, but trying to access data.testString will cause an error, as data is an instance of the str class, and even if it does have a property testString it will not do what you expected.Next, create a class. For instance (pun intended), ImportedFile class ImportedFile: And put this into it (with the appropriate indentation): exec(data) And finally, re-assign data like so: data=ImportedFile() And that’s it! Just access like you would for any-other module, typing print(data.testString) will print to the console A string literal to import and test with.If, however, you want the equivalent of from mod import * just drop the class, instance assignment, and de-dent the exec. Hope this helps:)-Benji Share edited Aug 22, 2018 at 8:30 answered Aug 21, 2018 at 18:57 Benj 72677 silver badges2121 bronze badges You seriously think reading the contents of the file as a string and then executing it is a good solution when we have all the other solutions people have posted? – [qwr](https://stackoverflow.com/users/3163618/qwr) [Jun 16, 2019 at 3:48](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment99805956_51955067) @qwr Erm yes, I do. Many of the other answers don't work in some situations. Which is why I needed an easy way that was guaranteed to work. If you are incapable of seeing things from anothers point of view, you need to try using the official IDLE. – [Benj](https://stackoverflow.com/users/10050580/benj) [Jun 16, 2019 at 9:41](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2349991/how-do-i-import-other-python-files#comment99809002_51955067) Add a comment 0 from y import * Say you have a file x and y. You want to import y file to x. then go to your x file and place the above command. To test this just put a print function in your y file and when your import was successful then in x file it should print it. Share answered Jan 31, 2021 at 11:28 KSp 1,15911 gold badge1010 silver badges2727 bronze badges Add a comment ![[./resources/how-do-i-import-other-python-files-stack-overflow.resources/svg_32.svg]] Highly active question. Earn 10 reputation (not counting the association bonus) in order to answer this question. The reputation requirement helps protect this question from spam and non-answer activity. Not the answer you’re looking for? 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