Cannot import cv2 in PyCharm

Question

I am working on a project that requires OpenCV and I am doing it in PyCharm on a Mac. I have managed to successfully install OpenCV using Homebrew, and I am able to import cv2 when I run Python (version 2.7.6) in Terminal and I get no errors. The issue arises when I try importing it in PyCharm. I get a red underline with:

no module named cv2

I assume that PyCharm is unable to locate my cv2.so file but I have the latest PyCharm version (4.0.6) and none of the forums I've looked at are helpful for this version. How do I get PyCharm to recognise my cv2 file? I went in Project Interpreter but there is no option for importing OpenCV from my own machine. Furthermore in Edit Configurations I defined an environment variable

PYTHONPATH

and set it to

/usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages:$PYTHONPATH

but this didn't help either.

Any ideas?

EDIT: I set up a virtualenv to no avail and figured out how to add a path to the current framework on the new PyCharm version and it turns out the path to cv2.so has already been given yet it is still complaining.

Answer 1

I got the same situation under win7x64 with pycharm version 2016.1.1, after a quick glimpse into the stack frame, I think it is a bug!
Pycharm ipython patches import action for loading QT, matplotlib, ..., and finally sys.path lost its way!
anyway, there is a workaround, copy Lib/site-packages/cv2.pyd or cv2.so to $PYTHONROOT, problem solved!

Answer 2

Have you selected the right version of python ? or rather, when you have installed opencv with brew, this last probably has installed a new version of python that you can find in Cellar's Directory. You can see this immediately; from the main window of PyCharm select:

---

Configure -> Preferences -> Project Interpreter

---

click on Project Interpreter Combobox and be careful if there is a instance of python in Cellar's Directory, if yes, select it and you can see the cv2 in the list below.

Answer 3

Do the following steps:

1. Download and install the OpenCV executable.

2. Add OpenCV in the system path(%OPENCV_DIR% = /path/of/opencv/directory)

3. Go to C:\opencv\build\python\2.7\x86 folder and copy cv2.pyd file.

4. Go to C:\Python27\DLLs directory and paste the cv2.pyd file.

5. Go to C:\Python27\Lib\site-packages directory and paste the cv2.pyd file.

6. Go to PyCharm IDE and go to DefaultSettings > PythonInterpreter.

7. Select the Python which you have installed.

8. Install the packages numpy, matplotlib and pip in pycharm.

9. Restart your PyCharm.

Answer 4

In a file you are importing opencv copy the following code paste it and run:

from pip._internal import main
try:
    import cv2
except Exception as e:
    main(["install", "opencv-python" ]) 
finally:
    pass

**Let me know if it works, Good luck!! **