Tensorflow Object Detection API on Windows - error “ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'utils'”

[MicrocontrollersAndMore]

System information

• What is the top-level directory of the model you are using:
  models/research/object_detection

• Have I written custom code (as opposed to using a stock example script provided in TensorFlow):
  No custom code, using stock example in models/research/object_detection

• OS Platform and Distribution (e.g., Linux Ubuntu 16.04):
  Windows 10

• TensorFlow installed from (source or binary):
  Binary via pip3, currently at Python 3.6

• TensorFlow version (use command below):
  1.4

• Bazel version (if compiling from source):
  N/A

• CUDA/cuDNN version:
  Using CPU for the moment

• GPU model and memory:
  Using CPU for the moment

• Exact command to reproduce:
  See Stack Overflow link below

Describe the problem

I'm not 100% sure at this point if this is a bug fix or a feature request. For any Python script I write that uses the libraries in /models/research/object_detection/utils, I can only run a script from models/research/object_detection. If I run from anywhere else I get the error:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'utils'

I have a detailed Stack Overflow post where I've listed out the steps I've followed and the remedies I've tried to no avail:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/48247921/tensorflow-object-detection-api-on-windows-error-modulenotfounderror-no-modu

For the sake of brevity I'd rather not repeat the entire post here, please see this link for the full details. To make a long story short, I've tried adding the following paths:

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models
C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research
C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\slim
C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection\utils

directly into a script via sys.path.append(), and also to PYTHONPATH (and then added PYTHONPATH to PATH)

I'm not sure if this is a bug or if there is some setting possible to make the /models/research/object_detection/utils content recognizable from a directory other than /models/research/object_detection, please advise.

--- Edit ---
Upon further consideration who knows what may happen to the Stack Overflow link above, so I'll repeat the error and full steps to reproduce here:

I'm attempting to get the TensorFlow Object Detection API:

https://github.com/tensorflow/models/tree/master/research/object_detection

working on Windows by following the install instructions:

https://github.com/tensorflow/models/tree/master/research/object_detection

Which seem to be for Linux/Mac. I can only get this to work if I put a script in the directory I cloned the above repo too. If I put the script in any other directory I get this error:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'utils'

I suspect that the cause is not properly doing the Windows equivalent of this command listed on the install instructions above:

export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:pwd:pwd/slim

I'm using Windows 10, Python 3.6, and TensorFlow 1.4.0 if that matters. Any suggestions on how to resolve this?

Here are the steps I've done so far specifically:

1. Installed TensorFlow and related tools via pip3

2. From an administrative command prompt, run the following:

pip3 install pillow
pip3 install lxml
pip3 install jupyter
pip3 install matplotlib

3. Clone the TensorFlow "models" repository to my documents folder, in my case

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models

4. Downloaded Google Protobuf https://github.com/google/protobuf Windows v3.4.0 release "protoc-3.4.0-win32.zip" (I tried the most current 3.5.1 and got errors on the subsequent steps, so I tried 3.4.0 per this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COlbP62-B-U&list=PLQVvvaa0QuDcNK5GeCQnxYnSSaar2tpku&index=1 and the protobuf compile worked)

5. Extracted the Protobuf download to Program Files, specifically:

C:\Program Files\protoc-3.4.0-win32

6. CD into the models\research directory, specifically:

cd C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research

7. Executed the protobuf compile, specifically:

“C:\Program Files\protoc-3.4.0-win32\bin\protoc.exe” object_detection/protos/*.proto --python_out=.

The compile was successful (no errors), and also I went to:

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection\protos

and verified the .py files were created successfully as a result of the compile

8. cd to the object_detection directory, ex:

cd C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection

then start the object_detection_tutorial.ipynb Jupyter Notebook:

jupyter notebook

9. In the Jupyter Notebook, choose "object_detection_tutorial.ipynb" -> Cell -> Run all, the example runs within the notebook

10. In the Jupyter Notebook, choose “File” -> “Download As” -> “Python”, and save the .py version of the notebook to the same directory, i.e.

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection\object_detection_tutorial.py

The script runs as expected.

11. Move the script to any other directory, then I get the error:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'utils'

Clearly, the lines where this error is occurring are the imports for utils:

from utils import label_map_util
from utils import visualization_utils as vis_util

Here are some things I've tried to resolve the concern, none of which have worked:

1. Add these lines to the script, just before the 2 above imports

sys.path.append("C:\\Users\\cdahms\\Documents\\models")
sys.path.append("C:\\Users\\cdahms\\Documents\\models\\research")
sys.path.append("C:\\Users\\cdahms\\Documents\\models\\research\\slim")
sys.path.append("C:\\Users\\cdahms\\Documents\\models\\research\\object_detection\\utils")

2. Go to System -> Advanced system settings -> Environment Variables . . . -> New, added a variable with the name PYTHONPATH and these values:

3. Also under Environment Variables, edited PATH and added PYTHONPATH

4. Pulled up a command prompt and ran the command "set", verified PYTHONPATH was there and PYTHONPATH and PATH contained the values from the previous steps:

5. Rebooted, then ran the script from any directory other than

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection

again, still get the

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'utils'

Suggestions as to how to get

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection\utils

to be recognized by Python when the script is run from any location ??

[CDahmsTemp]

Sorry for posting a dumb question, as somebody on Stack Overflow just pointed out, all I had to do was to add

C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection

To PYTHONPATH in addition to the above locations and now everything works. Whoever administrator sees this next feel free to close this now.

[monomon]

Please correct this to C:\Users\cdahms\Documents\models\research\object_detection as pointed out in the SO answer.

[CDahmsTemp]

On the Stack Overflow post I just accepted RecencyEffect's answer and updated my description applicably.

[monomon]

What I mean is that you once again put in the wrong path in your explanation :)

[CDahmsTemp]

I just changed my previous answer here, also, to completely resolve any confusion, here are screenshots of the PYTHONPATH and PATH settings that made it all work in the end:

[sooonwoo]

thanks! it was really helpful to me :)

[arun121cs]

Out of context question, but i am getting the same error in ubuntu. Any idea?