Better error message when a package has no setup.py

[alex]

Right now you get a message like: IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/Users/alex_gaynor/.virtualenvs/821336f702aceb1f/build/wxPython/setup.py'

It'd be nice to not get a traceback and instead get a clear message like "Package wxPtyhon has no setup.py so it cannot be installed"

[jezdez]

Agreed.

[untitaker]

This is already done for the case of installing from local directories with pip install /path/to/whatever, in https://github.com/pypa/pip/blob/develop/pip/req.py#L1574-1576

[pradyunsg]

This will change a bit later -- when PEP 518 and PEP 517 are out in the wild.

Now: pip should print a nicer message for a missing setup.py.
Post PEP 517: setuptools's build backend should be the one printing "missing setup.py" warning. pip might choose to print a message about a missing pyproject.toml though.

[cjerdonek]

FYI, I just noticed this and so filed the following issue on setuptools’s tracker in support of this: pypa/setuptools#1710

[DiddiLeija]

As I understand, this issue has been resolved. I will close it.