Django 'DIRS': [] in settings.py TEMPLATES causes “TemplateDoesNotExist” Error

Question

I'm using django version 2.1.2 with python 3.6.

I created two django projects (test01 & test02) by CMD. Both of the projects are under the same folder. Test01 executes normally, while test02 raises TemplateDoesNotExist error.

I've found a solution for the latter that is hard coding the address of templates in settings.py:

'DIRS': [r'C:\\django\\test02\\accounts\\templates']

However, another project can run normally even leaving this list as blank [].

The structures of both projects are the same:

Can anyone give a suggestion that can fix the problem in test02 without hard coding the address of templates in test02?

Answer 1

You may notice a built-in Django variable named BASE_DIR , it represents your root project, so you don't need to hard code the absolute path.

Add this in settings

TEMPLATES = [
    {
        'BACKEND': 'django.template.backends.django.DjangoTemplates',
        
        'APP_DIRS': True,
        'OPTIONS': {
            'context_processors': [
                # codes...
            ],
        },
    },
]

Register all your apps, and Django will look for any files inside a folder named templates as you mentioned in os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'templates')

Answer 2

Let create a folder called "test01App" in template and create base.html on it. then you can call 'test01App/base.html' in response.
BACKEND is default of django and you have to create folder "templates". you can custom where store template in other place in DIRS.

TEMPLATES = [
{
    'BACKEND': 'django.template.backends.django.DjangoTemplates',
    'DIRS': [os.path.join(BASE_DIR, './cuong')],
    'APP_DIRS': True,
    'OPTIONS': {
        'context_processors': [
            'django.template.context_processors.debug',
            'django.template.context_processors.request',
            'django.contrib.auth.context_processors.auth',
            'django.contrib.messages.context_processors.messages',
        ],
    },
},

]