Setting Python Path in VS Code in Windows

Question

I'm trying to import some local modules in Python while using VS Code as my editor. Something like this:

import folder1.subfolder2.program3

We'll say "folder1" is located at 'C:/folder1'

VS Code does not recognize this and I keep getting failed import statements. It instead thinks 'C:/folder6' (for example) is the path. How can I change the Python Path in VS Code?

I tried changing the PythonPath in Environment Variables and that didn't fix the problem. I know there is a launch.json file in VS Code I can create by debugging. Can I set the PythonPath there and how would I do it?

Edit: Some updates. I can manually add a PythonPath to a file like this:

os.environ['PYTHONPATH'] += os.pathsep + "C:\\folder1\\etc"

This is fine for running 1 file, but I often have dozens of interconnected files and don't want to add that line to every single one.

I also tried adding a launch.json:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal", 
            "env": {
                "PYTHONPATH": "C://folder1//etc"
            }
        }
    ]
}

That doesn't seem to be changing anything, though, when I run a.py file from the command line.

Answer 1

You need to tell the Python extension you want it to look for code outside of your current workspace. You can either add a "python.autoComplete.extraPaths" setting or create a .env file and set your PYTHONPATH there.

Answer 2

I could be wrong here, but on vs code there is a python button on the bottom left that allows me to change the python path. The button says python3.8.1... I only code python, so you may have to have a.py file open or something like that.

Answer 3

VS Code only search on python path that is in status bar (PYTHON_PATH/lib/*) and directory of file that you are working not anywhere else (I couldn't find any setting to change this path). VS Code Statusbar

(So I recommend to put your package in PYTHON_PATH/lib)

Also this thing that you're saying (folder1.folder2/mypackage) is only possible if you put __init__.py in each of directories

if you put your folder in directory of your file, tree of your working directory should be something like this:

cwd
|____ __init__.py
|____ folder1
      |____ __init__.py
      |____ subfolder2
            |____ __init__.py
            |____ program1.py

In this situation I think I would do this:

You can copy C:/folder1/folder2/mymodule.py to your file_path, then try to import it with import mymodule . See code below:

import rx7
rx7.files.copy('C:/folder1/folder2/mymodule.py', 'mymodule.py')
import mymodule