build: more convenient cheats

.gitignore

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ coverage.json
 # Stuff in the root.
 build
 *.egg-info
+cheats.txt
 dist
 htmlcov
 MANIFEST

Makefile

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ clean: clean_platform			## Remove artifacts of test execution, installation, etc
 
 sterile: clean				## Remove all non-controlled content, even if expensive.
 	rm -rf .tox
+	rm -f cheats.txt
 
 help:					## Show this help.
 	@# Adapted from https://www.thapaliya.com/en/writings/well-documented-makefiles/
@@ -158,6 +159,9 @@ REPO_OWNER = nedbat/coveragepy
 edit_for_release:			## Edit sources to insert release facts.
 	python igor.py edit_for_release
 
+cheats:					## Create some useful snippets for releasing.
+	python igor.py cheats | tee cheats.txt
+
 relbranch:				## Create the branch for releasing.
 	echo git switch -c nedbat/release-$$(date +%Y%m%d)
 

howto.txt

@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@
 - Check that the current virtualenv matches the current coverage branch.
 - start branch for release work
     $ make relbranch
-- Version number in coverage/version.py
+- Edit version number in coverage/version.py
         version_info = (4, 0, 2, "alpha", 1)
         version_info = (4, 0, 2, "beta", 1)
         version_info = (4, 0, 2, "candidate", 1)
         version_info = (4, 0, 2, "final", 0)
     - make sure: _dev = 0
-- Supported Python version numbers. Search for "PYVERSIONS".
+- Edit supported Python version numbers. Search for "PYVERSIONS".
 - Update source files with release facts:
     $ make edit_for_release
-- run `python igor.py cheats` to get useful snippets for next steps.
+- Get useful snippets for next steps, and beyond, in cheats.txt
+    $ make cheats
 - Look over CHANGES.rst
 - Update README.rst
     - "New in x.y:"