1 ================================================================
4 * This file attempts to describe the rules to use when hacking
7 * Don't put this file into the distribution. Don't mention it in the
10 ================================================================
13 * If you incorporate a change from somebody on the net:
14 First, if it is a large change, you must make sure they have signed the
15 appropriate paperwork.
16 Second, be sure to add their name and email address to THANKS
18 * If a change fixes a test, mention the test in the ChangeLog entry.
20 * If somebody reports a new bug, mention his name in the ChangeLog entry
21 and in the test case you write. Put him into THANKS.
23 * When documenting a non-trivial idiom or example in the manual, be
24 sure to add a test case for it, and to reference such test case from
25 a proper Texinfo comment.
27 * The correct response to most actual bugs is to write a new test case
28 which demonstrates the bug. Then fix the bug, re-run the test suite,
29 and check everything in.
31 * Some files in the automake package are not owned by automake. These
32 files should never be edited here. These files are
34 INSTALL (autoconf-patches@gnu.org),
35 config.guess, config.sub (config-patches@gnu.org),
36 texinfo.tex (bug-texinfo@gnu.org),
37 Most of them are updated before release with `make fetch'.
39 * Changes other than bug fixes must be mentioned in NEWS. Important
40 bug fixes should be mentioned in NEWS, too.
42 ================================================================
45 * We've adopted the convention that internal AC_SUBSTs should be
46 named with a leading `am__', and internally generated targets
47 should be named with a leading `am--'. This convention, although
48 in place from at least February 2001, isn't yet universally used.
49 But all new code should use it.
51 We used to use `_am_' as the prefix for an internal AC_SUBST.
52 However, it turns out that NEWS-OS 4.2R complains if a Makefile
53 variable begins with `_'. Yay for them. I changed the target
54 naming convention just to be safe.
56 ================================================================
59 * Always use $(...) and not ${...}
61 * Use `:', not `true'. Use `exit 1', not `false'.
63 * Use `##' comments liberally. Comment anything even remotely
66 * Never use basename or dirname. Instead use sed.
68 * Do not use `cd' within back-quotes, use `$(am__cd)' instead.
69 Otherwise the directory name may be printed, depending on CDPATH.
70 More generally, do not ever use plain `cd' together with a relative
71 directory that does not start with a dot, or you might end up in one
74 * For install and uninstall rules, if a loop is required, it should be
75 silent. Then the body of the loop itself should print each
76 "important" command it runs. The printed commands should be preceded
79 ================================================================
80 = Editing automake.in and aclocal.in
82 * Indent using GNU style. For historical reasons, the perl code
83 contains portions indented using Larry Wall's style (perl-mode's
84 default), and other portions using the GNU style (cperl-mode's
85 default). Write new code using GNU style.
87 * Don't use & for function calls, unless required.
88 The use of & prevents prototypes from being checked.
89 Just as above, don't change massively all the code to strip the
90 &, just convert the old code as you work on it, and write new
93 ================================================================
96 * To regenerate dependent files created by aclocal and automake,
97 use the `bootstrap' script. It uses the code from the source
98 tree, so the resulting files (aclocal.m4 and Makefile.in) should
99 be the same as you would get if you install this version of
100 automake and use it to generate those files. Be sure to have the
101 latest stable version of Autoconf installed. If such version is
102 not installed as "autoconf", pass it explicitly (along with the
103 accompanying "autom4te") when calling `bootstrap' and `configure'.
105 $ AUTOCONF=autoconf2.68 AUTOM4TE=autom4te2.68 ./bootstrap
106 $ ./configure AUTOCONF=autoconf2.68 AUTOM4TE=autom4te2.68
108 * Dependent files aclocal.m4, configure and Makefile.in in all
109 directories should be up to date in the git repository, so that
110 the changes in them can be easily noticed and analyzed.
112 * The git tree currently carries a number of branches: master for the
113 current development, and release branches named branch-X.Y. The maint
114 branch serves as common ground for both master and the active release
115 branches. Changes intended for both should be applied to maint, which
116 should then be merged to release branches and master, of course after
117 suitable testing. It is advisable to merge only after a set of related
118 commits have been applied.
120 * Example work flow for patches to maint:
122 # 1. Checkout the "maint" branch:
125 # 2. Apply the patch(es) with "git am" (or create them with $EDITOR):
127 # 2a. Run required tests, if any ...
129 # 3. Merge maint into branch-1.11:
130 git checkout branch-1.11
132 # 3a. Run required tests, if any ...
134 # 4. Redo steps 3 and 3a for master:
139 # 5. Push the maint and master branches:
140 git push --dry-run origin maint branch-1.11 master
141 # if all seems ok, then actually push:
142 git push origin maint branch-1.11 master
144 * When fixing a bug (especially a long-standing one), it may be useful
145 to commit the fix to a new temporary branch based off the commit that
146 introduced the bug. Then this "bugfix branch" can be merged into all
147 the active branches descending from the buggy commit. This offers a
148 simple way to fix the bug consistently and effectively.
150 * When referring to older commits, use 'git describe' output as pointer.
152 * There may be a number of longer-lived feature branches for new developments.
153 They should be based off of a common ancestor of all active branches to
154 which the feature should be merged later. The next branch may serve as
155 common ground for feature merging and testing, should they not be ready
158 * For merges from branches other than maint, prefer 'git merge --log' over
159 plain 'git merge', so that a later 'git log' gives an indication of which
160 actual patches were merged even when they don't appear early in the list.
162 * master and release branches should not be rewound, i.e., should always
163 fast-forward, except maybe for privacy issues. The maint branch should not
164 be rewound except maybe after retiring a release branch or a new stable
165 release. For next, and for feature branches, the announcement for the
166 branch should document rewinding policy.
168 * In order for rebasing and merging of ChangeLog entries to work seamlessly,
169 install and configure git-merge-changelog, currently available as gnulib
172 ================================================================
175 * Use "make check" and "make maintainer-check" liberally.
177 * Make sure each test file is executable.
179 * Use `keep_testdirs=yes' to keep test directories for successful
182 * Use perl coverage information to ensure your new code is thoroughly
183 tested by your new tests.
185 * See file `tests/README' for more information.
187 ================================================================
190 * Fetch new versions of the files that are maintained by the FSF.
191 Commit. Unfortunately you need an FSF account to do this.
192 (You can also use `make fetch', but that is still woefully incomplete.)
194 * Update NEWS. For an alpha release, update README-alpha.
196 * Update the version number in configure.ac.
197 (The idea is that every other alpha number will be a net release.
198 The repository will always have its own "odd" number so we can easily
199 distinguish net and repo versions.)
203 * Run ./bootstrap, ./configure, make.
205 * Run `make release-stats' if release statistics in doc/automake.texi
206 have not been updated yet.
208 * Run `make git-release'.
209 This will run distcheck to create the tarballs, commit the last
210 NEWS/configure.ac/ChangeLog changes, tag the repository, sign
211 the tarballs, and upload them.
212 Use `make GNUPLOADFLAGS="--user key" git-release' to sign with
215 * Update version number in configure.ac to next alpha number.
216 Re-run ./bootstrap and commit.
218 * Don't forget to `git push' your changes so they appear in the public
221 * Update the web pages at sources.redhat.com:
222 - bump version in index.rst,
223 - add entry to news.rst,
224 - run `make' to update .html files,
228 make html MAKEINFOFLAGS=--no-split
229 - copy automake.html and automake.pdf to web cvs,
230 - add ChangeLog entry and commit.
232 * Update the manuals at www.gnu.org:
235 wget "http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/~checkout~/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs.sh"
236 wget "http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/~checkout~/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs_template"
237 sh ./gendocs.sh --email bug-automake@gnu.org automake "GNU Automake"
238 - copy manuals recursively to web cvs,
240 - Check for link errors, fix them, recheck until convergence:
241 <http://validator.w3.org/checklink>
243 * Send announcement at least to autotools-announce@gnu.org, and
244 automake@gnu.org. If not an alpha, announcement must also go to
245 info-gnu@gnu.org. Copy this announcement into the NEWS feed at
246 <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/automake>.
250 Copyright (C) 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 Free Software Foundation,
253 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
254 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
255 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
258 This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
259 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
260 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
261 GNU General Public License for more details.
263 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
264 along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.