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I'm trying to run a .py file through the command prompt using the command "python filename.py". I've already set the environment variables for python after I installed it, so I don't get any error when I type python. The file I'm running imports a few directories, all of which are preexistent in the same directory as the file I'm running, apart from the file web.py, which I can't seem to locate in the directory, so I'm assuming it's somewhere inside the python package, I have downloaded. But, I couldn't find it there either, so would I need to install an extension for python for the web.py file to be successfully imported or is there another way around this.

I've downloaded Python 3.4, I'm using windows 7 as my operating system and the exact error I receive when I try to compile the file is 

ImportError: No module named 'utils'

Can someone please explain or direct me to a page which shows in detail how to install extensions for python?

Eric Leschinski
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Andrew Brick
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4 Answers4

22

The specific error happens when the Python interpreter can't find a particular ".py" file. In your case, it is the file "utils.py".

First you need to find which file is trying to import "utils.py". Starting with your main file, look up all the files you are importing. (I am guessing this issue is coming from one of the non-library files, but I could be wrong.)

Once you have the "top level" import list, check each of those files to see what THEY are importing, and repeat the process for them. Eventually, you will find the .py file which is trying to import "utils". There might be a directory specification forcing Python to look in the wrong place.

Finally, using windows' file manager, perform a search for "utils.py". As a temporary fix, you can copy it from its current location into your working directory. That will at least allow you to get your project up and running until you sort out the real cause.

meetar
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Thorin Schmidt
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  • I was using python version 3.4, a friend had asked me to unistall version 3.4 and install the latest version 2.x. This apparently stopped the error from occurring and the file was working perfectly, but do you know why this is the case. Is utils a file included inside the package for the older version of python and if so, why is it removed in the newer version, is there an alias for the new utils file? – Andrew Brick Nov 23 '14 at 21:42
  • At this point, I still cannot answer in detail. 'utils' is a very generic name that could apply to any library. I can say this, however; the differences between 2.X and 3.X Python are very distinct - Much like the difference between a manual transmission car and an automatic. Trying to make a car both manual *and* automatic at the same time would be a nightmare, and so would trying to make Python 3 totally comaptible with older Python 2 code. So, Python 2 continues to be supported and developed along with Python 3. The idea is to give everyone time to 'upgrade' old code to Python 3. – Thorin Schmidt Nov 24 '14 at 15:04
5

I installed via apt (I use debian linux) and had this same error in one project. For me, the solution was to install via pip:

$ pip install utils

It should work for both python 2 and python 3.

albert
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3

This error occurs due to file(s)/folder(s) that are not in their respective locations.

I had a very similar error with a Python Flask Framework app, it turns out that my manage.py and config.py files were inside the app folder with the other folders(they were supposed to be outside the app directory), and that cause the error in my situation.

Once I placed the files in their proper location boom error was gone.

So Check you application framework and make sure things are located were they're supposed to be. Good luck

webWizard
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1

So in my case I ran tree command in my Pipenv environment and it should be look like as below: I hope this helps.

.
├── README.md
├── __init__.py
├── core.yaml
├── core_blueprints
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── ami_lookup.py
│   ├── chef_buckets.py
│   ├── custom_resources
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   └── cfn_custom_classes.py
│   ├── cw_alarm.py
│   ├── roles.py
│   ├── security_groups.py
│   ├── shared_iam
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   └── iam_policies.py
│   ├── sns_subscription.py
│   ├── sns_topic.py
│   ├── ssm_chefrun_documents.py
│   ├── tf_state.py
│   ├── utils .                 #### This is not correct location.
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   ├── standalone_output.py
│   │   ├── version.py
│   │   └── version_check.py
│   ├── vpc.py
│   ├── vpn_eip.py
│   └── vpn_server.py
├── core_hooks
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── cookbook_archive.py
│   ├── core_lambda.py
│   ├── keypair.py
│   ├── s3.py
│   ├── s3_cache.py
│   └── ssm.py
├── platform_version.py
├── prd1-ca-central-1.env
├── setup.py
└── utils                       ###### This is a correct location.
    ├── __init__.py
    ├── standalone_output.py
    ├── version.py
    └── version_check.py
Mukund Parmar
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