Solving the ModuleNotFoundError: How to Make Your Python Package Importable Everywhere

Discover the solution to the `ModuleNotFoundError` when trying to import your custom package created with setuptools in Python.
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Solving the ModuleNotFoundError: How to Make Your Python Package Importable Everywhere

Creating a custom Python package is a great way to enhance your workflow and reuse code across different projects. However, you may encounter issues when trying to import your newly created package, especially if you're using a specific directory structure. If you've run into the ModuleNotFoundError while attempting to import your package made with setuptools, you're not alone. Let’s break down the problem and discover how to fix it.

The Problem: Importing Your Custom Package

With a project named CN_Analysis, you've created a package called cn_tools that should ideally be accessible from anywhere in your project, including subfolders like Notebooks. When you attempt to import cn_tools from the Notebooks directory, you get the following error:

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Understanding why this error occurs requires a closer look at your directory structure and setup configuration.

Directory Structure

Your project's directory structure looks like this:

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Although this appears correct, using the find_packages(where='cn_tools') directive is likely causing the issue.

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This adjustment allows setuptools to automatically detect all packages in your project’s root directory, including the cn_tools package, making it discoverable from anywhere within the project.

Why This Works

Accessibility: Your package becomes accessible from any subdirectory of your project without additional directory references.

Simplicity: Reduces complexity in your setup configuration.

Flexibility: Allows for easier modifications to your package structure in the future.

Verifying the Installation

Once you make the change, make sure to reinstall your package using the commands:

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You should see messages indicating that the package was installed successfully without any errors.

You can additionally verify the Python path from within your Python environment to ensure that the cn_tools directory appears:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The output should include the path to your project, confirming that the import should now work properly.

Conclusion