python module_error ai_generated true

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'mypkg' # after pip install -e . succeeded

ID: python/pip-editable-install-missing-pth

Also available as: JSON · Markdown · 中文
80%Fix Rate
85%Confidence
0Evidence
2024-04-30First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
3.x active — — —

Root Cause

Editable install created a __editable__*.pth file pointing at a path that no longer exists (moved project, renamed package dir), or the .pth was not picked up because site-packages is not on sys.path.

generic

中文

可编辑安装创建了一个 __editable__*.pth 文件，指向不再存在的路径（项目被移动、包目录被重命名），或因为 site-packages 不在 sys.path 上而未加载该 .pth。

Workarounds

  1. 95% success 
    python -m pip uninstall -y mypkg
cd /current/path/to/project
python -m pip install -e .
  2. 88% success 
    python - <<'PY'
import site, pathlib
for sp in site.getsitepackages():
    for pth in pathlib.Path(sp).glob('__editable__*mypkg*.pth'):
        print(pth, '->', pth.read_text().strip())
PY
# then remove stale entries and reinstall

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. 70% fail

    If the project was moved, pip regenerates the same stale path or a duplicate .pth.

  2. 75% fail

    Hardcodes a machine-specific path and does not fix the broken editable metadata.