Error loading plugin

[kilker12]

Environment

• Python version: 3.8.5
• NetBox version: 2.9.7

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install clean netbox instance using install instructions
2. Clone animal_sounds plugin and install using python3 setup.py install
3. Run python3 manage.py collectstatic

Expected Behavior

python3 manage.py collectstatic to not produce errors

Observed Behavior

(venv) root@netbox-test:/opt/netbox-animal-sounds# python3 /opt/netbox/netbox/manage.py collectstatic
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/opt/netbox/netbox/manage.py", line 10, in
execute_from_command_line(sys.argv)
File "/opt/netbox-2.9.7/venv/lib/python3.8/site-packages/django/core/management/init.py", line 401, in execute_from_command_line
utility.execute()
File "/opt/netbox-2.9.7/venv/lib/python3.8/site-packages/django/core/management/init.py", line 377, in execute
django.setup()
File "/opt/netbox-2.9.7/venv/lib/python3.8/site-packages/django/init.py", line 24, in setup
apps.populate(settings.INSTALLED_APPS)
File "/opt/netbox-2.9.7/venv/lib/python3.8/site-packages/django/apps/registry.py", line 122, in populate
app_config.ready()
File "/opt/netbox-2.9.7/netbox/extras/plugins/init.py", line 64, in ready
template_extensions = import_object(f"{self.module}.{self.template_extensions}")
File "/opt/netbox-2.9.7/netbox/extras/plugins/utils.py", line 31, in import_object
spec.loader.exec_module(module)
AttributeError: 'zipimporter' object has no attribute 'exec_module'

[DanSheps]

This looks like it is related to setuptools installing the plugin as an egg. There are two options, we require all modules to be deployed with zip_safe=False or we alter our loader to accommodate it. Here is some potentially relevant code:

https://github.com/python-mode/python-mode/blob/0.10.0/pymode/libs/pkg_resources/__init__.py#L2190-L2205

[DanSheps]

I have prodded python regarding this issue under https://bugs.python.org/issue19699 but I am going to label this a bug and see if I can find a workable workaround for it.

[kilker12]

@DanSheps is there any workaround in the mean time?