Django py.test does not find settings module

Question

I do have the following project structure

base
    __init.py
    settings
        __init__.py
        settings.py
    tests
        pytest.ini
        test_module.py

My pytest.ini looks like this:

[pytest]
#DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE =base.settings.settings

My test_module.py looks like this:

def test_django():
    from base.settings import settings as base_settings
    from django.conf import settings as django_settings
    assert 3==5

When I now run:

py.test

it will run the imports without issue and will raise an error at assert 3==5 (as expected). This tells me that base is on sys.path and that base.settings.settings can be imported.

Now I change test_module.py to:

def test_django():
    from base.settings import settings as base_settings
    from django.conf import settings as django_settings
    print django_settings.xxx
    assert 3==5

When I now run:

py.test --ds=base.settings.settings

I get the error:

ERROR: Could not import settings 'base.settings.settings' (Is it on sys.path?): No module named base.settings.settings.

The same effect when I do not set the settings via command line, but via the pytest.ini file (by uncommenting the line).

It looks like I miss something here???

Answer 1

Because django.conf.settings is lazy it will attempt to import settings module only when you try to access it. That's why your test doesn't fail when you simply import settings object.

Your problem is already discussed here: https://github.com/pelme/pytest_django/issues/23

This is an issue with pytest and not with pytest-django itself. Pytest for some reason removes current directory from sys.path. It should be easy to work around it.

Solution 1:

PYTHONPATH=`pwd` py.test

Solution 2:

add this to your conftest.py (I assumed that conftest.py is in the same directory your apps are):

import os
import sys

sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(__file__))

Solution 3 (if you're using virtualenv wrapper):

When you start a new project just add project's root directory to virtualenv's PYTHONPATH by executing this line in your project's directory:

add2virtualenv .

Answer 2

From the docs, it seems that base is already in your path - so maybe you want to be using

py.test --ds=settings.settings

Answer 3

Why are there 3 "t" 's in your settings? it should be settings as opposed to setttings