Python multi-processing cannot imported module-CodePudding

I am testing toy code to parallelize a process using python's multiprocess. The code works on my home computer but when I migrated it to a remote server I am working on it returns an error.

I first define functions in defs.py

import numpy as np

def g(n):
    A = np.random.rand(n, n)
    B = np.random.rand(n, n)
    
    return A * B

def run_complex_operations(operation, input, pool):
    result = pool.map(operation, input)
    
    return result

Python seems to find defs.py because when I run the two lines below it returns the expected result

import defs
print(defs.g(1))

However, when I run the following code to use my function in a multiprocess, Python returns an error.

import defs
import numpy as np
import time
import multiprocessing as mp


x = 10
n = 10000
l = [n] * x


start = time.time()

if __name__ ==  '__main__':
    processes_pool = mp.Pool(3)
    l[:] = defs.run_complex_operations(defs.g, range(x), processes_pool)

The error is:

Process SpawnPoolWorker-1:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\multiprocessing\process.py", line 315, in _bootstrap
    self.run()
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\multiprocessing\process.py", line 108, in run
    self._target(*self._args, **self._kwargs)
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\multiprocessing\pool.py", line 114, in worker
    task = get()
  File "C:\ProgramData\Anaconda3\lib\multiprocessing\queues.py", line 358, in get
    return _ForkingPickler.loads(res)
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'defs'

What could be the reasons for the problem? It must be related to multiprocessing because python has no problem finding the other function in the defs module.

FWIW, The server version of python is 3.8.5, my local python is 3.9.7.

CodePudding user response：

Usually this error happens depending on your execution path. When you run python interpreter in the terminal you call it in your current dir, and it might find the sources you call. But when you execute something like python -m mysrcipt.py the interpreter might be pointing on another folder (it highly depends on your system settings). an easy way to check is to start your python script by

from os import getcwd
print(getcwd())

and make sure that the interpreter is pointing to the right directory.

If it does not, you can either change the execution path with os.chdir(yourPathHere) or you can add an __init__.py file in your subfolders (if any) and do a pip install . to install your module at your local system level. then you should be able to call the module anywhere

doc os https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html
doc make module with pip https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/tutorials/packaging-projects/

good luck

CodePudding user response：

When I saved defs.py in the current working directory (see import os; os.getcwd()), the main file would find the module but the child process in MP would not.

When I saved defs.py in the environment path (see import sys, print(sys.path)), both the main file and child process would find the module.