help with automake and python on distcheck

[Matthew R. MacIntyre]

Hello,

I've recently picked up work on a project written in python that has
been stagnant for a year or so.  A year or so ago, the python support
with automake and friends wasn't great, but from searching the list
archive, it seems to have improved some.

With this project, I've been generating a few of the python files
from corresponding '.py.in' files.  At the time, this was all I could
think of to get some of the project configuration information into the
program.  At install time, all of the python files were treated as
pkgdata_DATA files.  I had the sense that this was not right, but
didn't know anything better at the time.

My 'distcheck' target now fails, as most of the test cases fail when
the VPATH build is done.  All of the files that were generated from
the '.py.in' files aren't where everything else expects them.

So how do I get around this?  Does all the code need to be redone as a
module, and installed that way, with a simple front end wrapper to use
as the executable program?  Or is there another way to do it?

I'm not subscribed to the list anymore, so please respond to me and
the list.  Thanks.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions,

-matt