Python importing subdirectories

Question

I'm trying to import all files from a sub-directory, so I figured I could write __init__.py in that sub-directory to import the files. However, when I do this it does not seem to import anything.

File structure:

prog.py
module/
    __init__.py
    code.py

Code for prog.py: pass

Code for __init__.py: import code

Code for code.py: print('hello')

When I run prog.py nothing happens. Why does it not print hello, and is there a better way to easily import everything from a sub-directory?

Answer 1

Put this in prog.py:

import module

Python will only load packages or modules that are imported.

To make it work, you probably need jcollado's answer as well.

Answer 2

If you have the following structure:

package
  __init__.py
  module.py

In __init__.py you can either try this:

import package.module

or this:

from . import module

This way, if package is in your PYTHONPATH, you'll get the expected behaviour:

>>> import package
hello

Answer 3

Suppose you have a file structure like this:

prog.py
module/
    __init__.py
    code.py

Then import module would import the code in module/__init__.pyand import module.code or from module import code would import the code in module/code.py under the local name "module.code" or "code".