py2exe "include" modules: when should they be managed manually?
py2exe, python
Solution
py2exe tries to create a graph of all the dependencies, starting with your entry point script. It can't always get it 100% correct, which is why you are provided the `includes` and `excludes` options to fine tune the package.
Refer to options here: http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/ListOfOptions
Sometimes modules you didn't want will get included and if this happens just add them to the exclude. I suppose the answer to your question would be: manage the setup.py manually when the out-of-the box options don't package it exactly how you want.
The help files for py2exe actually include a bunch of tips and tricks... one specifically addressing your issue with Tk being included: http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/TkInter
The index of the tips and tricks is here: http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/Py2Exe
I've built a ton of apps using the very similar `py2app` for osx. Over the course of different versions, sometimes they change the way it discovers dependencies. It also uses various "recipes" for how to handle certain packages like Qt. A newer version of p2app suddenly started including all of the PyQt modules instead of just the two I used. So, I had to add them to my excludes.
Problem
When is it necessary to specify modules to include? Doesn't py2exe search and include whatever is needed per: http://www.py2exe.org/index.cgi/FAQ? And why does it include modules that are not being used, such as ["Tkconstants", "Tkinter", "tcl", "wx"] (I'm using Qt, but have wx installed on my PC) that then need to be excluded?