ImportError: cannot import name 'abs'

Question

I got problem while doing object detection using tensorflow-gpu

I was follwing the youtube tutorials :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgpfk6eYxJA

I'm trying to detect object using tensorflow-gpu with virtual environment.

I added python, cuda, tensorflow to system environment variables, and also did make training models with labels.

I converted xml labels to csv using xml_to_csv.py.

The problem is when I try to generate tfrecord using generate_tfrecord.py, that error appear. Please help

Here's the code

(tensorflow) C:\Users\ice305\tensorflow\models\research\object_detection>python generate_tfrecord.py --csv_input=images\train_labels.csv --image_dir=images\train --output_path=train.record
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "generate_tfrecord.py", line 17, in <module>
    import tensorflow as tf
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\__init__.py", line 22, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python import pywrap_tensorflow  # pylint: disable=unused-import
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\__init__.py", line 81, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python import keras
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\__init__.py", line 24, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras import activations
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\activations\__init__.py", line 22, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras._impl.keras.activations import elu
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\_impl\keras\__init__.py", line 21, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras._impl.keras import activations
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\_impl\keras\activations.py", line 23, in <module>
from tensorflow.python.keras._impl.keras import backend as K
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\_impl\keras\backend.py", line 38, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.layers import base as tf_base_layers
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\layers\base.py", line 25, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras.engine import base_layer
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\engine\__init__.py", line 21, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras.engine.base_layer import InputSpec
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\engine\base_layer.py", line 33, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras import backend
  File "C:\Anaconda3\envs\tensorflow\lib\site-packages\tensorflow\python\keras\backend\__init__.py", line 22, in <module>
    from tensorflow.python.keras._impl.keras.backend import abs
ImportError: cannot import name 'abs'
(tensorflow) C:\Users\ice305\tensorflow\models\research\object_detection>

I don't understand what 'abs' is. Please help

Answer 1

This worked for me in ubuntu 18.0.4

pip uninstall tensorflow protobuf --yes
find $CONDA_PREFIX -name "tensorflow" | xargs -Ipkg rm -rfv pkg
pip install --ignore-installed --upgrade https://storage.googleapis.com/tensorflow/linux/cpu/tensorflow-1.9.0-cp36-cp36m-linux_x86_64.whl --no-cache-dir

Solution found from GitHub: ImportError: cannot import name 'abs' #20778.

Answer 2

• Edit:

Create a virtual env and install TF-GPU, Its faster and safer.

• Original Answer:

OS : Ubuntu 18.04.1

Python Version 3.6

Solution :

Uninstalled tensorflow 1.10

python3 -m pip uninstall tensorflow

Re-installed it again

python3 -m pip install tensorflow==1.8.0

This issue is created cause of older versions of tensorflow dependencies like protobuff and others which gets installed during tensorflow installation, So if you wanna use tensorflow 1.10 you have to uninstall rest of the dependencies or upgrade them.

In case you want to install 1.10.1 then you have to remove these packages

absl-py
astor
gast 
grpcio 
markdown 
numpy 
protobuf 
setuptools 
six 
tensorboard 
tensorflow 
termcolor 
werkzeug 
wheel
protobuf

then do sudo python3 -m pip uninstall tensorflow In case a tensorflow is installed in root user then install it using python3 -m pip install tensorflow --user --no-cache

IF you still face this problem then repeat all the steps above and do find ~/ -name tensorflow and delete every folder that pops up and retry installation.

Answer 3

It seems to be a problem if there is a previous installation of tensorflow available. These steps seems to solve the problem.

1) uninstalling tensorflow 2) uninstalling protobuf 3) reinstalling tensorflow (which should come along with the correct protobuf version.

Also need to go to

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Shared\Anaconda3_64\Lib\site-packages

and delete all tensorflow related folders

Source : https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/issues/20778

Answer 4

Suggested solution on the following link worked for me

https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/issues/20778#issuecomment-410962482

The full solution to this issue is to clean up all TF installation files from your system. Here is how to do that. Run the following first:

$ pyhthon
> import tensorflow as tf
> tf.__file__
'path/to/your/python/installation/site-packages/tensorflow/__init__.pyc'

From the above command, you need to go and remove the folder

path/to/your/python/installation/site-packages/tensorflow

Finally, you need to run

$ pip uninstall tensorflow # Also add -gpu if you installed the GPU version
$ pip install tensorflow # Also add -gpu if you installed the GPU version

Then it should work.

Answer 5

If you use Win10+cuda_10.0+cuDNNv7.4.2.24, follow this will help you！

1. uninstall all tensorflow and keras related.
2. uninstall all protobuf related.
3. delete tensorflow, keras, protobuf related folds in your 'Anaconda3_install_path'\Lib\site-packages, e.g.E:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\Lib\site-packages.
4. install tensorflow and keras showed below in picture.