# Can't access Py5Graphics screen from imported module

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220>\
**Category:** py5\
**Created:** [September 24, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220 "2025-09-24T19:31:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![larrycuba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@larrycuba](https://discourse.processing.org/u/larrycuba)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 7:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220/1 "2025-09-24T19:31:31Z")

</div>

i’ve declared the ‘pg’ variable as global in all the modules.

then in my main module, i’ve begun with:

```auto
pg=None
def setup():
   global pg
   pg = py5.create_graphics(400,400)
   pg.begin_draw()
...

```

then in another imported module:

> ```auto
> def translate(*args):
> global pg
> tx,ty,tz = args
> pg.translate(tx, ty, tz)
> ...
> 
> ```

but when the “translate” function is called, the error is “pg is not defined”

How do I get “pg” to be recognized in the other modules?

thanks.

larry.c

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220/2 "2025-09-24T20:11:57Z")

</div>

> [@larrycuba](#):
>
> How do I get “pg” to be recognized in the other modules?

The reason a “.py” file is called a module is b/c everything defined inside a module isn’t automatically exported to other modules!

In order for a module to access stuff from other modules the former has to use the keyword `import` to get other modules’ global variables.

In your case, global variable _pg_ is defined on your main module.  
Seems like your other module is imported by the main module.

For such case, it’s better not risk circular-import, where 2 modules import stuff from each other!

As a workaround, you can change your 2nd module’s function **translate()** to accept a new parameter _pg_:

```auto
def translate(pg, *args): pg.translate(*args)

```

So, when your main module invoke **translate()** from the other module, pass its global pg as the 1st argument:

```auto
translate(pg, 100, -50, 0) # example

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![larrycuba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@larrycuba](https://discourse.processing.org/u/larrycuba)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220/3 "2025-09-25T16:33:04Z")

</div>

Thank you so much for your help.

Unfortunately, the workaround you suggest isn’t practical for me. I simplified the problem for the post. The module with the ‘translate’ function is actually called from a method of a class in another module and it gets quite convoluted among various modules. The global variable was the obvious solution. I don’t think I have circular imports. I’ve used imports and globals before w/o this problem. This just happens with the Py5Graphics screen. I was wondering if anyone else has run into this problem and if there’s a known solution.

If anyone is successfully accessing the Py5Graphics screen from several modules via a global variable, please let me know. That would indicate something else might be going wrong with my code. Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GoToLoop](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/gotoloop/32/86_2.png) [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2025, 4:45pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220/4 "2025-09-25T16:45:40Z")

</div>

> [@larrycuba](#):
>
> … the **translate()** function is actually called from a method of a class in another module…

If a `class` requires an external-defined object, it should be passed to its constructor:

```py
class CanvasDraw:
    def __init__ (self, pg: Py5Graphics, *args):
        self.pg = pg

        # ...

    def translate(self, tx: float, ty: float, tz = 0.0):
        self.pg.translate(tx, ty, tz)

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![larrycuba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@larrycuba](https://discourse.processing.org/u/larrycuba)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/cant-access-py5graphics-screen-from-imported-module/47220/5 "2025-09-26T19:30:24Z")

</div>

i agree that this covers getting pg into the object so the method can reference it, however, there’s still a problem with the instances of this class. When all the instances are defined, pg needs to be sent to the constructor. So i still have the problem of getting a reference to pg into that module where all the instances are declared.

After a little research, i discovered that global variables work just within modules not between them. (duh.) I put the global variables in a separate module and imported that into all the rest and that worked. so problem solved. thanks again.