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Python Build a Social Network with Flask Broadcasting Stream Templates

Getting ImportError: cannot import name when trying to separate models to different files. Help!

I tried to separate the contents of the models.py to separate files.

Originally we had models.py(database, User and Post). Now, I have the following:

.
+-- app.py
+-- forms.py
+-- templates
+-- static
+-- models
|   +-- user.py
|   +-- post.py
+-- common
|   +-- database.py

As a result of the separation, the two classes User which are in models.user.py and Post in models.post.py are now importing each other. (sort of cyclic dependency)

Moreover, I could not make the app work anymore now that the "stream" feature is now implemented. Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "app.py", line 5, in <module>
    import forms
  File "C:\social_network_app\forms.py", line 6, in <module>
    from models.user import User
  File "C:\social_network_app\models\user.py", line 8, in <module>
    from models.post import Post
  File "C:\social_network_app\models\post.py", line 4, in <module>
    from models.user import User
ImportError: cannot import name 'User'

How to resolve this?

Thanks in advance.

Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,441 Points

Do you have an __init__.py file in both the common and models directories? The file can be empty.

1 Answer

Patriot Rika
Patriot Rika
3,739 Points

I have the same problem, this is how my files are . app.py forms.py templates static models database.py init.py (empty) sc (the venv)

This is what i get

Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\Admin\Py_Projects\Social_Network_Python\app.py", line 7, in <module> import forms File "C:\Users\Admin\Py_Projects\Social_Network_Python\forms.py", line 6, in <module> from models import User File "C:\Users\Admin\Py_Projects\Social_Network_Python\models.py", line 62, in <module> class Post(Model): File "C:\Users\Admin\Py_Projects\Social_Network_Python\models.py", line 66, in Post related_name='posts' TypeError: init() missing 1 required positional argument: 'model'

Thank you in advance for your help