A circular import makes PyInstaller think a file is empty

[Thoufak]

When I start my script packed with PyInstaller I get the following traceback:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<frozen utils.localization>", line 40, in _reinit_translation
AttributeError: module 'config.app_config' has no attribute 'misc'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<dist\obf\safe_main.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen safe_main>", line 9, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<config\app_config.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen config.app_config>", line 6, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<utils\__init__.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen utils>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<utils\telelogging\__init__.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen utils.telelogging>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<utils\telelogging\setup.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen utils.telelogging.setup>", line 127, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<lic\__init__.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen lic>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<lic\client\authorizer.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen lic.client.authorizer>", line 13, in <module>
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 983, in _find_and_load
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 967, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 677, in _load_unlocked
  File "PyInstaller\loader\pyimod03_importers.py", line 495, in exec_module
  File "<utils\localization.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen utils.localization>", line 51, in <module>
  File "<frozen utils.localization>", line 25, in change_language
  File "<frozen utils.localization>", line 44, in _reinit_translation
  File "<frozen utils.localization>", line 40, in _reinit_translation
AttributeError: module 'config.app_config' has no attribute 'misc'
[3036] Failed to execute script 'safe_main' due to unhandled exception!

If I list the attributes of config.app_config right before the app crashes, I see that it has none (in reality, it should have a lot of them). I believe this is because of a circular import - we can see config.app_config both at the top and at the bottom. But the interesting part is that it doesn't crash if I run the plain unpacked script. Also if I tweak the imports so that there's no circular dependency, it will work.

PyInstaller 5.0.1
Python (on the machine with PyInstaller) 3.7.0
Python (on the machine where I run the plain script) 3.7.4

[rokm]

Does this also happen if you build with --debug noarchive (which prevents modules from being collected into embedded PYZ archive, and therefore bypasses PyInstaller's FrozenImporter at runtime)?

Can you provide a minimal example with circular imports that causes this issue?

[Thoufak]

How do I specify that option when using a .spec file? Coudln't find it in the docs.

option(s) not allowed:
  --debug
makespec options not valid when a .spec file is given

Also, I will provide the minimal example, but a little later.

[Thoufak]

By passing noarchive=True to the Analysis oject. Correct?

[Thoufak]

Now the traceback is more compact, but the issue persists.

AttributeError: module 'config.app_config' has no attribute 'misc'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<dist\obf\safe_main.py>", line 2, in <module>
  File "<frozen safe_main>", line 9, in <module>
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\config\app_config.py", line 5, in <module>
    from utils.teleproxy import ProxyType
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\utils\__init__.py", line 1, in <module>
    from .telelogging import *
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\utils\telelogging\__init__.py", line 1, in <module>
    from .setup import setup_logging
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\utils\telelogging\setup.py", line 126, in <module>
    from lic.cryptor import Cryptor, Base64CryptorDecorator, make_strong_cryptor
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\lic\__init__.py", line 1, in <module>
    from .client.authorizer import ObscuredAuthorizerAuthError
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\lic\client\authorizer.py", line 12, in <module>
    from utils.localization import _
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\utils\localization.py", line 48, in <module>
    change_language(_fallback_language_code)
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\utils\localization.py", line 25, in change_language
    fallback=fallback
  File "C:\Users\ss\Desktop\Build Soft\src\utils\localization.py", line 38, in _reinit_translation
    localedir=app_config.misc.localizations_folder,
AttributeError: module 'config.app_config' has no attribute 'misc'
[2856] Failed to execute script 'safe_main' due to unhandled exception!

[bwoodsend]

Honestly, this doesn't give us any hints really.

[Thoufak]

The problem was indeed a circular dependency in my code. And python 3.10 actually gives a sligthly more informative error message. Anyway, thank you very much guys for trying to help ❤️