Change metadata handling in check command

[jambonrose]

BPO	31073
Nosy	@merwok, @dstufft, @jambonrose

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2020-10-22.20:37:07.309>
created_at = <Date 2017-07-28.20:51:47.777>
labels = ['3.7', 'library']
title = 'Change metadata handling in check command'
updated_at = <Date 2020-10-22.20:37:07.308>
user = 'https://github.com/jambonrose'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-10-22.20:37:07.308>
actor = 'eric.araujo'
assignee = 'none'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2020-10-22.20:37:07.309>
closer = 'eric.araujo'
components = ['Distutils']
creation = <Date 2017-07-28.20:51:47.777>
creator = 'jambonrose'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 31073
keywords = []
message_count = 3.0
messages = ['299436', '299637', '379341']
nosy_count = 3.0
nosy_names = ['eric.araujo', 'dstufft', 'jambonrose']
pr_nums = []
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'wont fix'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = None
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue31073'
versions = ['Python 3.7']

[jambonrose]

The new warehouse uses the author_email field to create a mailto link. Donald Stufft recommended leaving out the author_email field while still specifying the author field should a maintainer wish to have their name associated without their email.

Conversation with Donald:
pypi/warehouse#2155

Unfortunately, specifying author but not author_email causes the setup.py check command to throw an error. "check: missing meta-data: if 'author' supplied, 'author_email' must be supplied too"

I would like to remove that check from being performed given the recommended fix for warehouse. The logic that performs this check is currently in the distutils check command.

https://github.com/python/cpython/blob/master/Lib/distutils/command/check.py

Additionally, AFAICT, it is impossible to disable the metadata check in distutils. I would also like to add a negative option to allow the metadata check to be skipped.

[jambonrose]

Judging from Éric's reaction on Github, I suspect there may be some reticence to changing this code.

I've sub-classed the check command in the project I'm working on to demonstrate what I would like the new behavior to be.

https://github.com/jambonsw/django-improved-user/blob/4b699814f68cefe6cf7a63f43f619ee21376cb01/setup.py#L34

If that looks interesting and people are open to changes along those lines, I'm happy to discuss, take feedback, and open a PR. Alternatively, I'm happy to see about overriding the check command in pypa/setuptools instead of modifying distutils. If neither of these are of interest, feel free to close this issue.

[merwok]

Not sure how you read that from my comment — I merely wanted to be sure about what the spec said! :)

Most people use setuptools than distutils these days, and it’s mostly unmaintained, so your idea to report this issue to setuptols is the right one. Thanks for the report nonetheless!