Django syncdb error

Question

I have django.contrib.auth in my installed apps and everything was was working about 10 minutes ago. I deleted the existed database because I had problems with south migrations. When I try to rebuild it I get an error.

Error: django.db.utils.DatabaseError: no such table: auth_user

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "manage.py", line 11, in <module>
    execute_manager(settings)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/management/__init__.py", line 438, in execute_manager
    utility.execute()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/management/__init__.py", line 379, in execute
    self.fetch_command(subcommand).run_from_argv(self.argv)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/management/base.py", line 191, in run_from_argv
    self.execute(*args, **options.__dict__)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/management/base.py", line 219, in execute
    self.validate()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/management/base.py", line 249, in validate
    num_errors = get_validation_errors(s, app)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/management/validation.py", line 35, in get_validation_errors
    for (app_name, error) in get_app_errors().items():
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/loading.py", line 146, in get_app_errors
    self._populate()
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/loading.py", line 61, in _populate
    self.load_app(app_name, True)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/loading.py", line 78, in load_app
    models = import_module('.models', app_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/utils/importlib.py", line 35, in import_module
    __import__(name)
  File "/home/bruk/workspace/hungryDroid/src/hungryDroid/Ingredient/models.py", line 22, in <module>
    class Ingredient(models.Model):
  File "/home/bruk/workspace/hungryDroid/src/hungryDroid/Ingredient/models.py", line 26, in Ingredient
    FKowner = models.ForeignKey(User, default=User.objects.get(pk=1).id)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/manager.py", line 132, in get
    return self.get_query_set().get(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py", line 342, in get
    num = len(clone)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py", line 80, in __len__
    self._result_cache = list(self.iterator())
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/query.py", line 271, in iterator
    for row in compiler.results_iter():
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/sql/compiler.py", line 677, in results_iter
    for rows in self.execute_sql(MULTI):
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/models/sql/compiler.py", line 732, in execute_sql
    cursor.execute(sql, params)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/backends/util.py", line 15, in execute
    return self.cursor.execute(sql, params)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/db/backends/sqlite3/base.py", line 200, in execute
    return Database.Cursor.execute(self, query, params)
**django.db.utils.DatabaseError: no such table: auth_user**

I saw the same error because I was grabbing a dummy user in the __init__ function of my TestCase, which happens before the DB is ready (as Henry points out below). In my case, moving the User action to the test function solved the issue. — dbn, Oct 17 '12 at 18:08

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 29 '11 at 02:21

The problem is that you are running a query against the User model

  File "/home/bruk/workspace/hungryDroid/src/hungryDroid/Ingredient/models.py", line 26, in Ingredient
FKowner = models.ForeignKey(User, default=User.objects.get(pk=1).id)

In the syncdb process (during field declaration actually, so any time your module is imported, like during this validation process).

This will make sure that the auth_user query is executed before the auth_user table is created.

A safer way to get the functionality with the default user is to do

def get_default_user():
    return User.objects.get(pk=1)

And then in your field declaration, do

FKowner = models.ForeignKey(User, default=get_default_user)

As per the model field reference default can be a callable. Note that you would have the same problem if you used get_default_user() in there - then it executes immediately, not on-demand.

Thank you for the quick and detailed reply. I was able to get around it by removing the application and building the database. Then adding it back to my installed apps after i had the user_auth table. But now I understand what was going on and will make changes accordingly. Thanks again. — Bruk Habtu, Apr 29 '11 at 03:05

Django syncdb error

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