The problem of the calculation of inclusive breakup cross sections in nuclear reactions is reexamined. For that purpose, the post-form theory proposed by Ichimura, Austern, and Vincent [Phys. Rev. C 32, 431 (1985)] is revisited, and an alternative derivation of the nonelastic breakup part of the inclusive breakup is presented, making use of the coupled-channels optical theorem. Using the distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) version of this model, several applications to deuteron and 6 Li reactions are presented and compared with available data. The validity of the zero-range approximation of the DWBA formula is also investigated by comparing zero-range with full finite-range calculations.