Fix RTD build #540
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Fix RTD build #540
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The RTD build fails because pybtex imports pkg_resources, which requires setuptools. Modern Python virtualenvs no longer include setuptools by default. Add it as an explicit dependency. Also guard the assets directory copy in conf.py with an existence check to prevent the "cp: cannot stat 'assets'" error. https://claude.ai/code/session_01T2FE3KjNU3yk8fjoc1WZvt
mmore500
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setuptools 72+ removed pkg_resources as a bundled module. RTD upgrades setuptools to 82.0.0 before installing our requirements, so the >=69.0.0 constraint was already satisfied. Pinning <72 forces a downgrade to a version that still includes pkg_resources, which pybtex requires. https://claude.ai/code/session_01T2FE3KjNU3yk8fjoc1WZvt
mmore500
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Feb 9, 2026
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Adds a safety check for copying assets (is folder), and pins setuptools to fix version incompatibility on RTD; RTD builds now; lgtm
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Summary
This PR fixes potential build failures on Read the Docs by adding a safety check for the assets directory and ensuring setuptools is explicitly listed as a documentation dependency.
Key Changes
os.path.isdir('assets')check before attempting to copy assets during RTD builds to prevent errors when the assets directory doesn't existsetuptoolsas an explicit dependency for documentation buildsImplementation Details
The assets copy operation on Read the Docs was failing unconditionally. By wrapping it in a directory existence check, the build will now gracefully skip the copy operation if assets are not present, preventing build failures in certain environments or configurations.
The setuptools dependency was added because it's required by pybtex (used by Sphinx) for pkg_resources functionality, and explicitly declaring it ensures consistent builds across different environments.
https://claude.ai/code/session_01T2FE3KjNU3yk8fjoc1WZvt