Python setuptools: packaging the root directory (no subdirectory per package wanted)

Question

I need to write a package into a repository, but it is a small quick package, so I don't see the need to put files into a subdirectory. I simply want:

import mypkg.module1

with directory structure

root_folder/ - setup.py - __init__.py # the init for package "mypkg" (empty) - module1.py

And I don't want to be constrained to increase the folder hierarchy like here:

root_folder/ - setup.py - mypkg/ # WHY would I do that for 1 module?? - __init__.py - module1.py

# Content of setup.py from setuptools import setup setup(name='MyPkg', packages=['mypkg'] package_dir={'mypkg': '.'})

but as a result, import mypkg fails, and import module1 works, instead of the desired import mypkg.module1.

I found this question, but the answer of "just move setup.py one folder up" does not suit me.

After finding setup argument documentation here, I tried to define a namespace package:

# Content of setup.py with a namespace package from setuptools import setup setup(name='MyPkg', packages=['thisdir'] package_dir={'thisdir': '.'}, namespace_packages=['mypkg'])

Maybe this will put you on the right track: stackoverflow.com/a/58429219 -- Namespace is most likely not what you want. -- You might be interested in looking into py_modules though. — sinoroc
– sinoroc, Commented Apr 12, 2021 at 19:11

sinoroc · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-12 19:47:57Z

Without testing, I think maybe something like that could work:

#!/usr/bin/env python3 import setuptools setuptools.setup( name='MyPkg', version='0.0.0.dev0', packages=['mypkg'], package_dir={ 'mypkg': '.', }, )

The biggest issue is that, as far as I remember, you will end up with setup.py in the package mypkg as well, so that import mypkg.setup will indeed import the setup module. I have not verified.

The other big issue is that, as with most of the package_dir modifications, the "develop/editable" installation will most likely not work at all.

but as a result, import mypkg fails, and import module1 works, instead of the desired import mypkg.module1

I could imagine this happening, if the project is not actually installed, and the current working directory is the project's root directory.

For import mypkg to succeed you have to make sure the project is correctly installed (python -m pip install .).

And for import module1 to fail, you might need to change to a different directory.

Related:

Oh, I forgot to go to another directory before testing... The command I use to install is python3 setup.py develop --user -N. I'll check what you propose. Good point about importing setup, thank you.
You really shoud use python -m pip install --editable . (instead of setup.py develop). -- And also this will not work with editable/develop installation anyway, you can forget about it. I expanded on this in one of the linked related questions.

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Python setuptools: packaging the root directory (no subdirectory per package wanted)

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