title: setuptools: package data folder location
body: <p>I use setuptools to distribute my python package. Now I need to distribute additional datafiles.</p>
  
  <p>From what I've gathered fromt the setuptools documentation, I need to have my data files inside the package directory. However, I would rather have my datafiles inside a subdirectory in the root directory.</p>
  
  <p>What I would like to avoid:</p>
  
  <pre><code>/ #root
  |- src/
  |  |- mypackage/
  |  |  |- data/
  |  |  |  |- resource1
  |  |  |  |- [...]
  |  |  |- __init__.py
  |  |  |- [...]
  |- setup.py
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What I would like to have instead:</p>
  
  <pre><code>/ #root
  |- data/
  |  |- resource1
  |  |- [...]
  |- src/
  |  |- mypackage/
  |  |  |- __init__.py
  |  |  |- [...]
  |- setup.py
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I just don't feel comfortable with having so many subdirectories, if it's not essential. I fail to find a reason, why I /have/ to put the files inside the package directory. It is also cumbersome to work with so many nested subdirectories IMHO. Or is there any good reason that would justify this restriction?</p>