Let's say I want to create a directory but not put
anything in it. Logically, I would add:

data_files = [ ('directory', [] ) ],

to my setup.py file.

However, it doesn't work.
The following small patch allows special behavior for
empty file lists.  It is quite useful for normal
installs, as well as for bdist and friends.


--- install_data.py.orig        Wed Jul 25 15:27:19
2001
+++ install_data.py     Wed Jul 25 15:26:54 2001
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@
                 elif self.root:
                     dir = change_root(self.root, dir)
                 self.mkpath(dir)
+               if f[1] == []:
+                       self.outfiles.append(dir)
                 for data in f[1]:
                     data = convert_path(data)
                     (out, _) = self.copy_file(data,
dir)