The Simplest Possible Way To Make A Python File Into A Package That's Importable From Anywhere

MakingFilesImportableAnywhere.txt

The Simplest Possible Way To Make A Python File Into A Package That's Importable From Anywhere
~~~                      A Guide For (And By) the Incurably Befuddled                      ~~~
==============================================================================================

SCENARIO: while writing a one-shot project, you construct a module named LovelyCoconut.py. 

    #main.py
    import LovelyCoconut
    LovelyCoconut.bang_halves_together()

    #LovelyCoconut.py
    def bang_halves_together():
        print("Clip clop clip clop")

Obviously, LovelyCoconut is a very useful module and you would like to be able to import it no matter what directory you are in. You want it to be a full fledged PACKAGE. But how!?

========================================================================

HOW:

LovelyCoconut.py is useless to us as an ordinary module. This ugly caterpillar must become a beautiful butterfly.

1) Create a new directory with the following structure:

    LovelyCoconut\          <- The name of your project.
        setup.py            <- Empty for now. See step 2.
        LovelyCoconut\      <- The name that you want to be able to import.
            __init__.py     <- Empty for now. See step 3.


2) Populate your LovelyCoconut/setup.py. This file contains information about the structure and status of your project.

    from setuptools import setup
    setup(
        name='LovelyCoconut',               #name of the project
        version='1.0.0',                    #version
        packages=["LovelyCoconut"]          #name that you want to be able to import
    )

3) Populate LovelyCoconut/LovelyCoconut/__init__.py. Copy the contents of your original `LovelyCoconut.py` module into it.

    def bang_halves_together():
        print("Clip clop clip clop")

4) Open a command prompt in the directory containing `setup.py` and execute `python -m pip install -e .`.

    C:\Users\Kevin\CS101\homework\week2\originalContentDoNotSteal\LovelyCoconut>python -m pip install -e .
    Processing C:\Users\Kevin\CS101\homework\week2\originalContentDoNotSteal\lovelycoconut
    Installing collected packages: LovelyCoconut
      Running setup.py install for LovelyCoconut ... done
    Successfully installed LovelyCoconut-1.0.0

========================================================================

RESULT:

LovelyCoconut is now importable from any directory.

    c:\>python
    Python 3.7.3 (v3.7.3:ef4ec6ed12, Mar 25 2019, 21:26:53) [MSC v.1916 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
    Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
    >>> import LovelyCoconut
    >>> LovelyCoconut.bang_halves_together()
    Clip clop clip clop