build_py does not handle package_data properly

[ghost]

Originally reported by: sa2ajj (Bitbucket: sa2ajj, GitHub: sa2ajj)

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In my project I use a pattern that would match directories as well:

#!python

package_data={
    '': ['path/*']
}

As a result, setuptools fails as it can't copy directories.

After a bit of investigation, I found that the problematic code is in build_py. While checking the content of distutils (which is part of CPython), the corresponding code looks different and it does not fail.

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• Bitbucket: https://bitbucket.org/pypa/setuptools/issue/261

[ghost]

Original comment by sa2ajj (Bitbucket: sa2ajj, GitHub: sa2ajj):

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Any updates?

[ghost]

Original comment by jaraco (Bitbucket: jaraco, GitHub: jaraco):

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I haven't had a chance to look into this. Looking at it briefly, it looks as if all that needs to happen is to ensure that directories are excluded from the files list. Would you be able to put together a pull request?

[jaraco]

As you can see above, efecaf8 tests fail, capturing the error that presumably would have been observed in the OP's case, and demonstrating the fix in 8f0ac47.