Can't get VSCode/Python debugger to find my project modules

Question

I have a project and am trying to debug my main.py. I am really confused why I am getting the following error from the imports at the top of my file (only) when running the debugger:

Exception has occurred: ModuleNotFoundError
No module named 'bbb'
  File "/Users/maxepstein/myproject/bbb/train/__main__.py", line 8, in <module>
    from bbb.mysubfolder.myfile import myfunction

My project folder structure, as shown by these print statements (as shown by the debugger) confirms my 'bbb' module exists, and has an __init__.py:

import os
print(os.getcwd())
print(os.listdir())
print(os.listdir('bbb'))

/Users/maxepstein/myproject
['requirements.txt', 'bbb', 'resources', '__init__.py', 'readme.md', 'results', '.gitignore', '.git', '.vscode', 'bbenv']
['config', 'tests', '__init__.py', 'utils', 'predict', 'train']

I'm trying to debug as "debug current file - integrated terminal", below is the applicable debug settings from my debug settings.json. After searching online, I really thought adding "cwd": "/Users/maxepstein/myproject" below would be my solution but it hasn't helped.

"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
    {
        "name": "Python: Current File (Integrated Terminal)",
        "type": "python",
        "request": "launch",
        "program": "${file}",
        "console": "integratedTerminal",
        "cwd": "/Users/maxepstein/myproject"
    }

Solution 1

A simple workaround to the bug mentioned by @BrettCannon is to add the following env entry to the launch.json configuration:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
           "name": "Python: Current File",
           "type": "python",
           "request": "launch",
           "program": "${file}",
           "console": "integratedTerminal",
           "env": { "PYTHONPATH": "${workspaceRoot}"}
        }
    ]
}

Solution 2

Had the same problem when importing from a nested directory, and fixed it by appending to the env variable PYTHONPATH:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "env": {
                "PYTHONPATH":"${PYTHONPATH}:/home/maxepstein/myproject/"
            }
        }
    ]
}

Solution 3

When I am debugging a Python module in VS Code I use the Module debug configuration instead of the Current File one. For you it might look like this:

{
    "name" : "Python: Module",
    "type" : "python",
    "request": "launch",
    "module": "bbb",
    "args": []
}

See the documentation https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/python/debugging

Also, in VS Code, these steps will auto-populate these settings for you:

Debug -> Add Configuration -> Python: Module

Solution 4

In my case, I quickly fixed it selecting the right interpreter:

Solution 5

You can use the current file debug configuration. In the file you're debugging that's importing the modules add the full path to the modules you're trying to import to your system path.

sys.path.append('/Users/my_repos/hw/assignment')
import src.network as network

The module here is src, located in the assignment directory.

View more solutions

Comments

[Max Power]

hey thanks for this answer. I'm actually trying to debug a my bbb.train module (the file I was in before was bbb/train/__main__.py, but am still getting No module named bbb.train when I run the debugger in Python: Module mode. Any idea why? When I run python -m bbb.train from an external shell at the same path the debugger seems to be in, it runs fine, which is confusing me...

[Brett Cannon]

This is a known bug of not working with sub-packages.

[Max Power]

Hi Brett, I got the debugger to run two days ago by explicitly adding the pythonpath to current folder as suggested in your github issue. I was just going to confirm that works again yesterday, but now am running into this new issue with the VSCode debugger: github.com/DonJayamanne/pythonVSCode/issues/1441

[Brett Cannon]

FYI that's the wrong repo: you want github.com/microsoft/vscode-python .

[Abdeali Chandanwala]

path to my project folder - if I am testing a py file in a sub folder ... import sys before sys.path.append('path to project') then all Module import worked. Thanks gary

[asa]

Please note, if one is using WSL, all the PYTHONPATH's are assumed to start in the C:/ directory and not in the mnt/ directory. At least I couldn't make it work using mnt.

[R.Liu]

"env": { "PYTHONPATH": "${workspaceRoot}"} good workaround!

[rsmith54]

It pains me have to do this, but thank you for sharing it.

[abk]

I was using a virtual environment (.venv folder) and ran into a ModuleNotFound error with the debugger. This solved it.

[joaocarlospf]

Awesome!! Saved my day. Thanks

[Melih Dal]

how to find launch.jason: on the right panel, find Run&Debug. On the top you will find a drop down menu. Possibly writing "Python: Current File". Press and click on Add Configuration. It will open launch.jason. then follow the answer

[Dika Arta Karunia]

awesome, saved my day, thanks.

[Alex Sham]

this is the only helpfull answer. **** with init.py didn't help me. Thank you.

[Mote Zart]

I agree @AlexSham and what a nightmare I spent 3+ hours on SO with this problem, including putting my actual python path in that spot as many suggest. Only this exact above syntax solved the problem. To others with this issue:U should at least try this solution even if it seems unlikely to work.