Django Auth Model Issue - AUTH_USER_MODEL Not Installed

Question

Trying to debug this error with getting a Django project running

ImproperlyConfigured: AUTH_USER_MODEL refers to model 'accounts.User' that has not been installed

Running

python manage.py migrate

Must iterate i am in no way a python or django expert - I have simply inherited someone elses project that I am trying to get running for the team here.

I have followed steps to

install postgres
required modules including south
creating database for postgres

Any help appreciated on how to debug this.

settings/base.py contains

INSTALLED_APPS = DJANGO_APPS + THIRD_PARTY_APPS + LOCAL_APPS

LOCAL_APPS = (
    'apps.core',
    'apps.accounts',
    'apps.project_tool',
    'apps.internal',
    'apps.external',
)

so apps.accounts exits - but it asks for AUTH_USER_MODEL = 'accounts.User' - should it be

AUTH_USER_MODEL = 'apps.accounts.User'?

Are you overwriting LOCAL_APPS after assigning it to INSTALLED_APP? Or did you switch the order when posting? — Mark
– Mark, Commented Oct 15, 2015 at 20:04
it's an import issue see stackoverflow.com/questions/48077112/… — yonatan
– yonatan, Commented Jan 29, 2019 at 21:32

Stefan Kögl · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-21 15:48:54Z

2

I'd assume that the accounts app hasn't been added to your INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py.

answered Oct 21, 2013 at 15:48

Stefan Kögl

4,8331 gold badge30 silver badges35 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

6 Comments

Ian Warner Over a year ago

There is no settings.py - but a settings folder with a file called base.py within :

Stefan Kögl Over a year ago

Then your project layout has been customized. Please check your manage.py for a line like the following: os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "myproject.settings"). The value instead of "myproject.settings" should give you a hint on where to look instead of settings.py

Ian Warner Over a year ago

yeah - os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "settings.production") = so settings folder - production.py - which probably includes the other files such as base.py - so I think I am looking in the right place

Stefan Kögl Over a year ago

Then you should find a production.py in a settings directory. This file should then contain the INSTALLED_APPS setting that I mentioned.

Ian Warner Over a year ago

Hiya I edited my question above earlier with more details on that - I found all the info you mentioned :)

|

Joshua · Accepted Answer · 2021-09-16 20:08:19Z

I'm aware this is an old question but I struggled with this issue for two days before finding my mistake, which was failing to follow the models organization in the Django Models docs.

If you have the AUTH_USER_MODEL = <app_name>.<user_model> correctly written, and you have your '<app_name>', in your INSTALLED_APPS list, but you're still getting this error, it's possible that your <custom_user> model (e.g. User) is in the wrong place.

It needs to be defined in either:

<app_name>.models.py

OR

<app_name>/models/<arbitrary_name>.py AND there is an <app_name>/models/__init__.py that contains the line from .<arbitrary_name> import <custom_user>

Re-exporting the <app_name>/models/<arbitrary_name>.py worked for me on Django 4.2.

RedRory · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-21 21:19:35Z

0

Are you running South 0.8.3?

Ensure that you running South at least 0.8.4

GitHub issue South Release Notes

answered Jan 21, 2014 at 21:19

RedRory

6421 gold badge6 silver badges18 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Django Auth Model Issue - AUTH_USER_MODEL Not Installed

3 Answers 3

6 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

6 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Linked

Related