Add a README.md file outside of _internal

[Equalizer5118]

Hey there, i've just started using pyinstaller and I wanted to automatically add a readme and a version file into the same folder as the EXE file, so users can read how to use the program without having to go back to the repo my program is being stored in. Ive added the files using the datas= parameter in my .spec file, and they are being placed in the _internal folder. While I understand this is expected behaviour, is there a way or a different parameter that would put these files outside of the _internal folder, being placed along side my EXE?
Thanks for the help.

[rokm]

If you want to place a file next to the executable, you'll have to copy it yourself. datas= is strictly for the application contents, which goes into the application's top-level directory (i.e., the _internal directory).

[Equalizer5118]

Could you edit the docs to reflect that? The docs use a readme file as an example, hence why I got confused. https://pyinstaller.org/en/stable/spec-files.html#adding-data-files

[rokm]

That's a good point, thanks!

That readme file example was a poor choice as introductory example even before we moved top-level application directory of one-dir applications to the _internal sub-directory, since it was not applicable to onefile builds.

[bwoodsend]

If it's going outside the _internal directory then you can just shutil.copy() it at the end of your .spec file.

[Equalizer5118]

thanks, forgot that the spec file is a python script!