Python not importing files when not inside conda environment

Question

I am importing class from a file inside the folder source.

source --> file.py

from source.file import *

But the import does not work when I am outside conda environment. Why so?

Answer 1

Your Conda environment may use a different, newer, interpreter, which doesn't require __init__.py files for a directory to be a package. To have it work outside the Conda environment, add an empty __init__.py file inside the source folder.

That would be the case if Conda uses Python 3.3+, while outside of Conda your Python executable defaults to a lower version, eg, Python 2 (which is really out of date now, and should not be used anymore).