In prerelease recommend the user to add a MANIFEST.in file.

See http://docs.python.org/distutils/sourcedist.html for
more info.

CHANGES.txt

@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ Changelog for zest.releaser
 3.32 (unreleased)
 -----------------
 
-- Nothing changed yet.
+- In prerelease recommend the user to add a MANIFEST.in file.
+  See http://docs.python.org/distutils/sourcedist.html for
+  more info.
+  [maurits]
 
 
 3.31 (2012-02-23)

zest/releaser/prerelease.py

@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ def prepare(self):
         if not utils.sanity_check(self.vcs):
             logger.critical("Sanity check failed.")
             sys.exit(1)
+        if not utils.check_recommended_files(self.data):
+            logger.debug("Recommended files check failed.")
+            sys.exit(1)
         self._grab_version()
         self._grab_history()
 

zest/releaser/utils.py

@@ -337,3 +337,29 @@ def sanity_check(vcs):
         if not ask(q, default=False):
             return False
     return True
+
+
+def check_recommended_files(data):
+    """Do check for recommended files.
+
+    Returns True when all is fine.
+    """
+    main_files = os.listdir(data['workingdir'])
+    if not 'setup.py' in main_files and not 'setup.cfg' in main_files:
+        # Not a python package.  We have no recommendations.
+        return True
+    if not 'MANIFEST.in'in main_files:
+        q = """This package is missing a MANIFEST.in file. This file is
+recommended. See http://docs.python.org/distutils/sourcedist.html for
+more info. Sample contents:
+
+recursive-include main_directory *
+recursive-include docs *
+include *
+global-exclude *.pyc
+
+Are you sure you want to continue without this file?"""
+
+        if not ask(q, default=True):
+            return False
+    return True