enable defining the model in the Resource meta via string

docs/changelog.rst

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Please refer to :doc:`release notes<release_notes>`.
 - Refactored test_admin_integration: split into smaller test modules (#1662)
 - Refactored test_resources: split into smaller test modules (#1672)
 - Fix deprecated ``log_action`` method (#1673)
+- Enable defining Resource model as a string (#1669)
 
 4.0.0-alpha.5 (2023-09-22)
 --------------------------

docs/getting_started.rst

@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ describe how this resource can be imported or exported::
     class BookResource(resources.ModelResource):
 
         class Meta:
-            model = Book
+            model = Book  # or 'core.Book'
 
 Importing data
 ==============

import_export/resources.py

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 import tablib
 from diff_match_patch import diff_match_patch
+from django.apps import apps
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.exceptions import (
     FieldDoesNotExist,
@@ -58,8 +59,8 @@ class ResourceOptions:
 
     model = None
     """
-    Django Model class. It is used to introspect available
-    fields.
+    Django Model class or full application label string. It is used to introspect
+    available fields.
 
     """
     fields = None
@@ -250,6 +251,20 @@ class ResourceOptions:
 
 class DeclarativeMetaclass(type):
     def __new__(cls, name, bases, attrs):
+        def _load_meta_options(base_, meta_):
+            options = getattr(base_, "Meta", None)
+
+            for option in [
+                option
+                for option in dir(options)
+                if not option.startswith("_") and hasattr(options, option)
+            ]:
+                option_value = getattr(options, option)
+                if option == "model" and isinstance(option_value, str):
+                    option_value = apps.get_model(option_value)
+
+                setattr(meta_, option, option_value)
+
         declared_fields = []
         meta = ResourceOptions()
 
@@ -260,13 +275,7 @@ def __new__(cls, name, bases, attrs):
             if hasattr(base, "fields"):
                 declared_fields = list(base.fields.items()) + declared_fields
                 # Collect the Meta options
-                options = getattr(base, "Meta", None)
-                for option in [
-                    option
-                    for option in dir(options)
-                    if not option.startswith("_") and hasattr(options, option)
-                ]:
-                    setattr(meta, option, getattr(options, option))
+                _load_meta_options(base, meta)
 
         # Add direct fields
         for field_name, obj in attrs.copy().items():
@@ -278,15 +287,8 @@ def __new__(cls, name, bases, attrs):
 
         attrs["fields"] = OrderedDict(declared_fields)
         new_class = super().__new__(cls, name, bases, attrs)
-
-        # Add direct options
-        options = getattr(new_class, "Meta", None)
-        for option in [
-            option
-            for option in dir(options)
-            if not option.startswith("_") and hasattr(options, option)
-        ]:
-            setattr(meta, option, getattr(options, option))
+        # add direct fields
+        _load_meta_options(new_class, meta)
         new_class._meta = meta
 
         return new_class

tests/core/tests/test_resources/test_resources.py

@@ -1715,3 +1715,15 @@ def test_sets_json_data_when_model_field_is_empty(self):
 
             self.book.refresh_from_db()
             self.assertEqual(self.book.data, self.data)
+
+
+class BookResourceWithStringModelTest(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        class BookResourceWithStringModel(resources.ModelResource):
+            class Meta:
+                model = "core.Book"
+
+        self.resource = BookResourceWithStringModel()
+
+    def test_resource_gets_correct_model_from_string(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self.resource._meta.model, Book)