# the following fails works in python 3.6 and fails in python 3.5.2
parent=importlib.import_module(".."+ptclassname,package=".gatelfpytorchjson.modules."+ptclassname)
# this works fine:
parent = importlib.import_module("gatelfpytorchjson.modules."+ptclassname)
OK, on one computer, parent = importlib.import_module("gatelfpytorchjson.modules."+ptclassname)
works for both python 3.5 and 3.6, lets go with this for now.
in both cases we need to then use