distutils (packaging) newbie questions please....

[Mark Hahn]

I just went through this with a python shareware app
(http://EzPicMailer.com) and after a bit of wandering around lost, I came up
with a packaging combination that worked great for me.  I can highly
recommend using:

1) McMillan utility instead of distutils
http://www.mcmillan-inc.com/install1.html

2) Inno setup for actual installer  http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

After setting up a few .bat files, I can now release in a matter of a minute
or so.  Oh, and I didn't have to set up any __init__.py files or anything
like that.

"Christian Seberino" <seberino at spawar.navy.mil> wrote in message
news:bf23f78f.0309301511.376225b0 at posting.google.com...
> I really want to learn distutils to professionally package some open
> source software.
>
> I had some distutils questions after reading python.org distutil docs
> on packaging code
> if you don't mind.  I would really appreciate some help.....
>
>
> 0. I'm confused about use of the word "package" in setup.py.
>     packages = ["<package1>", "<package2>", ...]
>     Does package here just mean "a new directory of source code to
> consider"???
>
> 1. What exactly goes into the __init__.py files? I know what to put in
> setup.py
>     and I know __init__.py is used for packages but I don't know what
> to put IN this file.
>
> 2. About the data_files option for setup.py....
>
>       data_files = [ "<installation directory>", [ "<file1>",
> "<file2>", ...] ]
>
>    Is there a way to AVOID having to type EVERY single data file?? Can
> I specify
>    just the directory or use wild cards??
>
> 3.  python setup.py sdist   will make a package of SOURCE code and
>     using "bdist" will put BINARIES in package.  What does this
> mean???
>     Will bdist packages unpack to pyc (bytecode) files and sdist will
> unpack
>     py (noncompiled) files????  What if I wanted py and pyc files
> installed
>     from the package?? (i.e. source and compiled versions)
>
> Thanks!
>
> Chris