Introduce a dedicated section about conftest.py

Also reorganize conftest-related content a bit.
Closes #1505, closes #1770.

changelog/1505.doc

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Introduce a dedicated section about conftest.py.

doc/en/assert.rst

@@ -209,8 +209,8 @@ the ``pytest_assertrepr_compare`` hook.
 .. autofunction:: _pytest.hookspec.pytest_assertrepr_compare
    :noindex:
 
-As an example consider adding the following hook in a conftest.py which
+As an example consider adding the following hook in a :ref:`conftest.py <conftest.py>` 
-provides an alternative explanation for ``Foo`` objects::
+file which provides an alternative explanation for ``Foo`` objects::
 
    # content of conftest.py
    from test_foocompare import Foo

doc/en/fixture.rst

@@ -127,10 +127,39 @@ It's a prime example of `dependency injection`_ where fixture
 functions take the role of the *injector* and test functions are the
 *consumers* of fixture objects.
 
+.. _`conftest.py`:
+.. _`conftest`:
+
+``conftest.py``: sharing fixture functions
+------------------------------------------
+
+If during implementing your tests you realize that you
+want to use a fixture function from multiple test files you can move it
+to a ``conftest.py`` file.
+You don't need to import the fixture you want to use in a test, it
+automatically gets discovered by pytest. The discovery of
+fixture functions starts at test classes, then test modules, then
+``conftest.py`` files and finally builtin and third party plugins.
+
+You can also use the ``conftest.py`` file to implement 
+:ref:`local per-directory plugins <conftest.py plugins>`.
+
+Sharing test data
+-----------------
+
+If you want to make test data from files available to your tests, a good way
+to do this is by loading these data in a fixture for use by your tests.
+This makes use of the automatic caching mechanisms of pytest.
+
+Another good approach is by adding the data files in the ``tests`` folder.
+There are also community plugins available to help managing this aspect of 
+testing, e.g. `pytest-datadir <https://github.com/gabrielcnr/pytest-datadir>`__ 
+and `pytest-datafiles <https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pytest-datafiles>`__. 
+
 .. _smtpshared:
 
-Scope: Sharing a fixture across tests in a class, module or session
+Scope: sharing a fixture instance across tests in a class, module or session
--------------------------------------------------------------------
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 .. regendoc:wipe
 
@@ -878,17 +907,6 @@ All test methods in this TestClass will use the transaction fixture while
 other test classes or functions in the module will not use it unless
 they also add a ``transact`` reference.
 
-
-Shifting (visibility of) fixture functions
-----------------------------------------------------
-
-If during implementing your tests you realize that you
-want to use a fixture function from multiple test files you can move it
-to a :ref:`conftest.py <conftest.py>` file or even separately installable
-:ref:`plugins <plugins>` without changing test code.  The discovery of
-fixtures functions starts at test classes, then test modules, then
-``conftest.py`` files and finally builtin and third party plugins.
-
 Overriding fixtures on various levels
 -------------------------------------
 

doc/en/plugins.rst

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ environment you can type::
 
 and will get an extended test header which shows activated plugins
 and their names. It will also print local plugins aka
-:ref:`conftest.py <conftest>` files when they are loaded.
+:ref:`conftest.py <conftest.py plugins>` files when they are loaded.
 
 .. _`cmdunregister`:
 
@@ -155,4 +155,3 @@ in the `pytest repository <https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest>`_.
     _pytest.terminal
     _pytest.tmpdir
     _pytest.unittest
-

doc/en/writing_plugins.rst

@@ -57,9 +57,7 @@ Plugin discovery order at tool startup
 
 .. _`pytest/plugin`: http://bitbucket.org/pytest-dev/pytest/src/tip/pytest/plugin/
 .. _`conftest.py plugins`:
-.. _`conftest.py`:
 .. _`localplugin`:
-.. _`conftest`:
 .. _`local conftest plugins`:
 
 conftest.py: local per-directory plugins