Imports for packaging

[benbrastmckie]

The model_checker project directory is flat, containing the following modules:

__main__.py (imports: __init__.py, model_structure.py)
__init__.py (imports: model_structure.py)
model_structure.py (imports: semantics.py, model_definitions.py, syntax.py)
semantics.py
model_definitions.py
syntax.py

Currently, module imports take the following form (viz __main__.py below):

from model_structure import (
    StateSpace,
    make_model_for,
    )

It is then possible to run the package with the following command:

python3 /path/to/.../model_checker /path/to/file/.../test_file.py

This all works nicely. However, to package and upload the software to PyPi, I have noticed that absolute imports are required as given below:

from model_checker.model_structure import (
    StateSpace,
    make_model_for,
    )

Now the package builds just fine, but the python3 command given above now longer works. I would like to find a way to leave the absolute imports while still making use of the python3 command that I am using to test the package. I know that it is common to build the package locally in editable mode with pip but I am using NixOS, and so using pip is a pain, requiring that I enter into a virtual environment. Here is something I've tried adding without success:

current_dir = os.path.dirname(__file__) # Get the directory path of the current file
project_root = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(current_dir, "..")) # Construct the full path to your project root
sys.path.append(project_root) # Add the project root to the Python path

The hope was that by adding the project root to the path, I could leave the absolute imports and run the python3 command without issue.