From http://jamie.curle.io/blog/my-first-experience-adding-package-pypi/ :

    python setup.py upload
    running upload
    error: no dist file created in earlier command

  I thought I was going mad because I could see the dist file, it was right there in all of [its] tar and gzipped glory.

“earlier command” is misleading, as the dist file must be created by the same command line that calls upload (for now at least; see #12944).  The error message should be clearer, and if the doc doesn’t explain how this works, it should be improved too.

Attaching a patch with a (hopefully) more useful error message.

I didn't find a good place to add this information in the "Distributing Python Modules" section of the docs, but let me know if you had a place in mind.

For improving the message, I am hesitating between adding to the existing message (hoping to help search engines find their way to improved docs):

«No dist file created in earlier command (e.g. setup.py sdist upload)» 

and rewriting it entirely:

«Must create and upload dist files in one command (e.g. setup.py sdist upload)»

I think the error message you suggested is better than the one in the current patch.  I've added a new patch with your improved message.

I haven't submitted or updated a patch since the migration to GitHub.  I can open a PR over on GitHub if that would make it easier for you.

Thanks for the feedback, I went with the cleaner phrasing.

New changeset eeb33651bfadcceea68bd27bb4c4d8de2e690656 by Mariatta (Éric Araujo) in branch '2.7':
[2.7] bpo-21060 Improve error message for "setup.py upload" without dist files (GH-5726).
https://github.com/python/cpython/commit/eeb33651bfadcceea68bd27bb4c4d8de2e690656

Fixed in all branches.  I messed up the ticket reference so some links are missing here.