How to reference to the top-level module in Python inside a package?

Question

In the below hierachy, is there a convenient and universal way to reference to the top_package using a generic term in all .py file below? I would like to have a consistent way

Answer 1

I believe #2 is impossible without using relative imports or the named package. You have to specify what module to import either by explicitly calling its name or using a relative import. otherwise how would the interpreter know what you want?

If you make your application launcher one level above top_level/ and have it import top_level you can then reference top_level.* from anywhere inside the top_level package.

(I can show you an example from software I'm working on: http://github.com/toddself/beerlog/)