argparse module not working in Python

Question

I'm trying to get the argparse module working in Python. My problem is that on a fresh install, I get the following:

File "test.py", line 3, in <module>
import argparse
File "/home/jon/Pythons/realmine/argparse.py", line 3, in <module>
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Short sample app')
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'ArgumentParser'

test.py is:

import argparse

Clearly, I'm missing something. Can anyone help?

How can `test.py` contain a single line when the error references line 3? — Michael Mior, Jul 07 '11 at 04:53

score 77 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 07 '11 at 04:49

77

Usually this symptom is the result of shadowing a builtin module with one of your own. And from the error message:

File "/home/jon/Pythons/realmine/argparse.py", line 3, in <module>

it looks like you have your own module argparse.py, which is causing the problem, because it's the one which test.py is trying to import, and which lacks ArgumentParser. Rename your argparse.py to something else (and remove any .py[c/o] files).

answered Jul 07 '11 at 04:49

DSM

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Well I feel retarded. The file I was using was called argparse.py. Thank you much :) – Darakian Jul 07 '11 at 06:21
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interestingly, I made exactly the same bozo move and this SO thread solved my problem in seconds. – tadasajon Jan 16 '13 at 04:57
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Haha, who do you tell that? Nice to see I’m not the only moron around. :D – Profpatsch Mar 12 '13 at 09:43
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Again and again faced with my same stupid mistake >.< Thanks, @DSM – setevoy May 06 '14 at 14:58
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Its interesting how many people are doing the same sandbox naming – user1767754 May 21 '15 at 23:33
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add me to this list of morons ;) – jason adams Jun 13 '15 at 15:09
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he he i did the same and needed to come stackoverflow now the feeling is the same. lol – Moshiour Mar 03 '16 at 19:37
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did the same mistake, lmao by seeing the above comments :0 – Akash Kandpal Jan 13 '18 at 02:43
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA IM DONE – Royce Aug 22 '18 at 10:13
Given how common this mistake is maybe it's the implicit nature of import that's the issue? hmmmm. – shriek Dec 18 '18 at 15:40

argparse module not working in Python

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