Running a standalone script doing a model query in Django with `settings/dev.py` instead of `settings.py`

Question

Note the `settings/dev.py` instead of one `settings.py` file and the `script.py` in `my_app` in the following Django(1.4.3) project: ``` . ├── my_project │ ├── my_app │ │ ├── __init__.py │ │ ├── models.py │ │ ├── tests.py │ │ ├── views.py │ │ └── script.py │ ├── __init__.py │ ├── settings │ │ ├── dev.py │ │ ├── __init__.py │ │ └── prod.py │ ├── urls.py │ └── wsgi.py ├── manage.py └── requirements.txt ``` When I only had one `settings.py` file in place of the settings folder I was able to run the following script without any errors: script.py: ``` ################################################################### # set up for making it possible to run a model query from my script. ################################################################### import os import sys sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.path.pardir))) from django.core.management import setup_environ import settings setup_environ(settings) #########################################…

Accepted Answer

If you're looking to just run a script in the django environment, then the simplest way to accomplish this is to create a `./manage.py` subcommand, like this

```
from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
from my_app.models import MyModel

class Command(BaseCommand):
    help = 'runs your code in the django environment'

def handle(self, *args, **options):
        all_entries = MyModel.objects.all()
        for entry in all_entries:
            self.stdout.write('entry "%s"' % entry)
```

The docs are quite helpful with explaining this.

However, you can specify a settings file to run with using

```
$ django-admin.py runserver --settings=settings.dev
```

which will run the test server using the settings in `dev` however, I fear your problems are more deep seated than simply that. I wouldn't recommend ever changing the `manage.py` file as this can lead to inconsistencies and future headaches.

Note also that `dev.py` should be a complete settings file if you are to do this. I would personally recommend a structure like this:

and keep all the general settings in your `base.py` and change the first line of your `dev.py` etc to something like

```
# settings/dev.py
from .base import *

DEBUG = True
...
```

EDIT

If you're just looking to test things out, why not try

```
$ ./manage.py shell
```

or with your dev settings

```
$ django-admin.py shell --settings=settings.dev
```

as this will set all the OS environment variables, `settings.py` for you, and then you can test / debug with

```
>>> from my_app.models import MyModel
>>> all_entries = MyModel.objects.all()
>>> for entry in all_entries:
...   print entry    
```

Running a standalone script doing a model query in Django with `settings/dev.py` instead of `settings.py`

Solution

Problem

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