Python script for Django app to access models without using manage.py shell

Question

I'm writing a script to import some model objects into the database my django application uses. In the past I've solved this by running ./manage.py shell and then import myscript. I'm sure there's a better way. I'd like to be able to call a script from anywhere on my HD using python scriptname.py, and in the first few lines of that script it would do whatever imports / other operations necessary so that it can access model objects and behave as though it was run using manage.py shell.

What do I need to add to my script to achieve this?

EDIT:

Based on @Melug's answer, with addition of dynamically setting Python path to address the 'anywhere on my HD' part of the question:

import sys
sys.path.append('c:\\my_projec_src_folder')
from myproject import settings
from django.core.management import setup_environ
setup_environ(settings)

Answer 1

Since Django 1.4 you should avoid using setup_environ(settings) (post by Melug) because it is deprecated. Use the following instead and you will be able to access your model

import os  os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "your_project_name.settings")  # your imports, e.g. Django models from your_project_name.models import Location  # From now onwards start your script.. 

Here is an example to access and modify your model:

if __name__ == '__main__':         # e.g. add a new location     l = Location()     l.name = 'Berlin'     l.save()      # this is an example to access your model     locations = Location.objects.all()     print locations      # e.g. delete the location     berlin = Location.objects.filter(name='Berlin')     print berlin     berlin.delete() 

Example model:

class Location(models.Model):     name = models.CharField(max_length=100) 

Answer 2

To get models loaded too, I had to combine this with this answer, otherwise I get django.core.exceptions.AppRegistryNotReady: Models aren't loaded yet

import os
os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "my_project.settings")
import django
django.setup()

As an extra, I add this to the __init__.py of my django projects, it will automatically discover the app name so it is copy/paste-able:

import os


def setup():
    module = os.path.split(os.path.dirname(__file__))[-1]
    os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{}.settings".format(module))
    import django
    django.setup()

Then I can just do:

from <app> import setup
setup()

Answer 3

For Django version 1.9 or later you can use this:

import sys
import os
import django

sys.path.append('your_project_directory')
os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = 'your_project.settings'
django.setup()

from yourapp.models import your_model

so you can use object as same django object:

from myapp.models. import Locations
all_locations = Locations.object.all()
first_location = Locations.object.get(id=1)
print first_location.name()
first_location.save()