title: Weird error with - python manage.py runserver (Exception in thread django-main-thread)
body: <p>I am new to Python (to programming, generally), and I hit a brick wall:
  I am learning from <strong>Python Crash Course</strong> and I am cloning lessons. The third project in the book deals with Django.
  It says how you can create a website for keeping logs. I am creating, in parallel, another site, following the same exact instructions.
  I got through alright until I got to the point where, trying to run my own project, I cannot run the server with <code>python manage.py runserver</code>.</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>when I run this for the original project, it works perfectly. When I
  stop the server (Ctrl+c) and run the command for my project, I get
  an error. </li>
  <li>before I edited certain files, <em>.py files</em>, that is, the
  command worked for my project, also. I didn't install or uninstall
  anything. I traced back and reversed every change I've made since
  the last time the command worked, but I couldn't get rid of the
  error.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>I am working with Python 3.8.3</p>
  
  <p>IDE: PyCharm</p>
  
  <p>I have Django 3.0.7</p>
  
  <p>I work in totally separated folders, I run everything in virtual environment (which I start using the command <code>venv\Scripts\activate</code></p>
  
  <p>OS: Windows 10</p>
  
  <p>Now, for the project where the <code>runserver</code> command works I get this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>(venv) E:\python_projects\learning_log&gt;python manage.py runserver
  
  Watching for file changes with StatReloader
  Performing system checks...
  
  System check identified some issues:
  
  WARNINGS:
  ?: (2_0.W001) Your URL pattern 'topics/$' [name='topics'] has a route that contains '(?P&lt;', begins with a '^', or ends w
  ith a '$'. This was likely an oversight when migrating to django.urls.path().
  
  System check identified 1 issue (0 silenced).
  June 08, 2020 - 19:24:20
  Django version 3.0.7, using settings 'learning_log.settings'
  Starting development server at http://127.0.0.1:8000/
  Quit the server with CTRL-BREAK.
  
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>For the project that the <code>runserver</code> command doesn't work:</p>
  
  <pre><code>(wj_env) E:\python_projects\webjournal&gt;python manage.py runserver
  
  Watching for file changes with StatReloader
  Exception in thread django-main-thread:
  Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.8_3.8.1008.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\lib\threading.py", line 932, in _bootstrap_inner
      self.run()
    File "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.8_3.8.1008.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\lib\threading.py", line 870, in run
      self._target(*self._args, **self._kwargs)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 53, in wrapper
      fn(*args, **kwargs)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\commands\runserver.py", line 109, in inner_run
      autoreload.raise_last_exception()
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 76, in raise_last_exception
      raise _exception[1]
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 357, in execute
      autoreload.check_errors(django.setup)()
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 53, in wrapper
      fn(*args, **kwargs)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\__init__.py", line 24, in setup
      apps.populate(settings.INSTALLED_APPS)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\apps\registry.py", line 91, in populate
      app_config = AppConfig.create(entry)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\apps\config.py", line 90, in create
      module = import_module(entry)
    File "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.8_3.8.1008.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\lib\importlib\__init__.py", line 127, in import_module
      return _bootstrap._gcd_import(name[level:], package, level)
    File "&lt;frozen importlib._bootstrap&gt;", line 1014, in _gcd_import
    File "&lt;frozen importlib._bootstrap&gt;", line 991, in _find_and_load
    File "&lt;frozen importlib._bootstrap&gt;", line 973, in _find_and_load_unlocked
  ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'webjournalsusers'
  Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "manage.py", line 21, in &lt;module&gt;
      main()
    File "manage.py", line 17, in main
      execute_from_command_line(sys.argv)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 401, in execute_from_command_line
      utility.execute()
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\__init__.py", line 395, in execute
      self.fetch_command(subcommand).run_from_argv(self.argv)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\base.py", line 328, in run_from_argv
      self.execute(*args, **cmd_options)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\commands\runserver.py", line 60, in execute
      super().execute(*args, **options)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\base.py", line 369, in execute
      output = self.handle(*args, **options)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\commands\runserver.py", line 95, in handle
      self.run(**options)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\core\management\commands\runserver.py", line 102, in run
      autoreload.run_with_reloader(self.inner_run, **options)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 599, in run_with_reloader
      start_django(reloader, main_func, *args, **kwargs)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 584, in start_django
      reloader.run(django_main_thread)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 299, in run
      self.run_loop()
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 305, in run_loop
      next(ticker)
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 345, in tick
      for filepath, mtime in self.snapshot_files():
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 361, in snapshot_files
      for file in self.watched_files():
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 260, in watched_files
      yield from iter_all_python_module_files()
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 105, in iter_all_python_module_files
      return iter_modules_and_files(modules, frozenset(_error_files))
    File "E:\python_projects\webjournal\wj_env\lib\site-packages\django\utils\autoreload.py", line 141, in iter_modules_and_files
      resolved_path = path.resolve(strict=True).absolute()
    File "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.8_3.8.1008.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\lib\pathlib.py", line 1177, in resolve
      s = self._flavour.resolve(self, strict=strict)
    File "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.8_3.8.1008.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0\lib\pathlib.py", line 200, in resolve
      return self._ext_to_normal(_getfinalpathname(s))
  OSError: [WinError 123] The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect: '&lt;frozen importlib._bootstrap&gt;'
  
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I've found something where there were errors with the <code>runserver</code> command, but none were satisfying. If this is a duplicate, I do apologise, but I'm pretty sure it isn't.
  If there's a need for other files and snippets of code, I'll put here everything.
  Thank you so much.</p>