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 * The correct response to most actual bugs is to write a new test case
14 which demonstrates the bug. Then fix the bug, re-run the test suite,
15 and check everything in.
17 * If you incorporate a change from somebody on the net:
18 First, if it is a large change, you must make sure they have signed the
19 appropriate paperwork.
20 Second, be sure to add their name and email address to THANKS
22 * If a change fixes a test, mention the test in the ChangeLog entry.
23 If a change fixes a bug registered in the Automake debbugs tracker,
24 mention the bug number in the ChangeLog entry.
26 * If somebody reports a new bug, mention his name in the ChangeLog entry
27 and in the test case you write. Put him into THANKS.
29 * When documenting a non-trivial idiom or example in the manual, be
30 sure to add a test case for it, and to reference such test case from
31 a proper Texinfo comment.
33 * Some files in the automake package are not owned by automake. These
34 files should never be edited here. These files are
36 INSTALL (autoconf-patches@gnu.org),
37 config.guess, config.sub (config-patches@gnu.org),
38 texinfo.tex (bug-texinfo@gnu.org),
39 Most of them are updated before release with `make fetch'.
41 * Changes other than bug fixes must be mentioned in NEWS. Important
42 bug fixes should be mentioned in NEWS, too.
44 ================================================================
47 * We've adopted the convention that internal AC_SUBSTs should be
48 named with a leading `am__', and internally generated targets
49 should be named with a leading `am--'. This convention, although
50 in place from at least February 2001, isn't yet universally used.
51 But all new code should use it.
53 We used to use `_am_' as the prefix for an internal AC_SUBST.
54 However, it turns out that NEWS-OS 4.2R complains if a Makefile
55 variable begins with `_'. Yay for them. I changed the target
56 naming convention just to be safe.
58 ================================================================
61 * Always use $(...) and not ${...}
63 * Use `:', not `true'. Use `exit 1', not `false'.
65 * Use `##' comments liberally. Comment anything even remotely
68 * Never use basename or dirname. Instead use sed.
70 * Do not use `cd' within back-quotes, use `$(am__cd)' instead.
71 Otherwise the directory name may be printed, depending on CDPATH.
72 More generally, do not ever use plain `cd' together with a relative
73 directory that does not start with a dot, or you might end up in one
76 * For install and uninstall rules, if a loop is required, it should be
77 silent. Then the body of the loop itself should print each
78 "important" command it runs. The printed commands should be preceded
81 ================================================================
82 = Editing automake.in and aclocal.in
84 * Indent using GNU style. For historical reasons, the perl code
85 contains portions indented using Larry Wall's style (perl-mode's
86 default), and other portions using the GNU style (cperl-mode's
87 default). Write new code using GNU style.
89 * Don't use & for function calls, unless required.
90 The use of & prevents prototypes from being checked.
91 Just as above, don't change massively all the code to strip the
92 &, just convert the old code as you work on it, and write new
95 ================================================================
98 * To regenerate dependent files created by aclocal and automake,
99 use the `bootstrap' script. It uses the code from the source
100 tree, so the resulting files (aclocal.m4 and Makefile.in) should
101 be the same as you would get if you install this version of
102 automake and use it to generate those files. Be sure to have the
103 latest stable version of Autoconf installed. If such version is
104 not installed as "autoconf", pass it explicitly (along with the
105 accompanying "autom4te") when calling `bootstrap' and `configure'.
107 $ AUTOCONF=autoconf2.68 AUTOM4TE=autom4te2.68 ./bootstrap
108 $ ./configure AUTOCONF=autoconf2.68 AUTOM4TE=autom4te2.68
110 * Dependent files aclocal.m4, configure and Makefile.in in all
111 directories should be up to date in the git repository, so that
112 the changes in them can be easily noticed and analyzed.
114 * The git tree currently carries a number of branches: master for the
115 current development, and release branches named branch-X.Y. The maint
116 branch serves as common ground for both master and the active release
117 branches. Changes intended for both should be applied to maint, which
118 should then be merged to release branches and master, of course after
119 suitable testing. It is advisable to merge only after a set of related
120 commits have been applied.
122 * Example work flow for patches to maint:
124 # 1. Checkout the "maint" branch:
127 # 2. Apply the patch(es) with "git am" (or create them with $EDITOR):
129 # 2a. Run required tests, if any ...
131 # 3. Merge maint into branch-1.11:
132 git checkout branch-1.11
134 # 3a. Run required tests, if any ...
136 # 4. Redo steps 3 and 3a for master:
141 # 5. Push the maint and master branches:
142 git push --dry-run origin maint branch-1.11 master
143 # if all seems ok, then actually push:
144 git push origin maint branch-1.11 master
146 * When fixing a bug (especially a long-standing one), it may be useful
147 to commit the fix to a new temporary branch based off the commit that
148 introduced the bug. Then this "bugfix branch" can be merged into all
149 the active branches descending from the buggy commit. This offers a
150 simple way to fix the bug consistently and effectively.
152 * When referring to older commits, use 'git describe' output as pointer.
154 * There may be a number of longer-lived feature branches for new developments.
155 They should be based off of a common ancestor of all active branches to
156 which the feature should or might be merged later. The next branch may
157 serve as common ground for feature merging and testing, should they not
158 be ready for master yet.
160 * For merges from branches other than maint, prefer 'git merge --log' over
161 plain 'git merge', so that a later 'git log' gives an indication of which
162 actual patches were merged even when they don't appear early in the list.
164 * master and release branches should not be rewound, i.e., should always
165 fast-forward, except maybe for privacy issues. The maint branch should not
166 be rewound except maybe after retiring a release branch or a new stable
167 release. For next, and for feature branches, the announcement for the
168 branch should document rewinding policy.
170 * In order for rebasing and merging of ChangeLog entries to work seamlessly,
171 install and configure git-merge-changelog, currently available as gnulib
174 ================================================================
177 * Use "make check" and "make maintainer-check" liberally.
179 * Make sure each test file is executable.
181 * Use `keep_testdirs=yes' to keep test directories for successful
184 * See file `tests/README' for more information.
186 ================================================================
189 * The steps outlined here are meant to be followed for alpha and stable
190 releases as well. Where differences are expected, they will be
191 explicitly described.
193 * Fetch new versions of the files that are maintained by the FSF.
194 Commit. Unfortunately you need an FSF account to do this.
195 (You can also use `make fetch', but that is still woefully incomplete.)
197 * Update NEWS. For an alpha release, update README-alpha.
199 * Update the version number in configure.ac.
200 (The idea is that every other alpha number will be a net release.
201 The repository will always have its own "odd" number so we can easily
202 distinguish net and repo versions.)
206 * Run ./bootstrap, ./configure, make.
208 * Run `make release-stats' if release statistics in doc/automake.texi
209 have not been updated yet.
211 * Run `make git-release'.
212 This will run distcheck to create the tarballs, commit the last
213 NEWS/configure.ac/ChangeLog changes, tag the repository, sign
214 the tarballs, and upload them.
215 Use `make GNUPLOADFLAGS="--user key" git-release' to sign with
218 * Update version number in configure.ac to next alpha number.
219 Re-run ./bootstrap and commit.
221 * Don't forget to `git push' your changes so they appear in the public
224 * For stable releases, update the manuals at www.gnu.org:
227 wget "http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/~checkout~/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs.sh"
228 wget "http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/~checkout~/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs_template"
229 sh ./gendocs.sh --email bug-automake@gnu.org automake "GNU Automake"
230 - copy manuals recursively to web cvs,
232 - Check for link errors, fix them, recheck until convergence:
233 <http://validator.w3.org/checklink>
235 * Send the announcement at least to <autotools-announce@gnu.org> and
236 <automake@gnu.org>. If the release is a stable one, the announcement
237 must also go to <info-gnu@gnu.org>; if it is an alpha or beta release,
238 announcement should be sent also to <platform-testers@gnu.org>, to
239 maximize the possibility of early testing on exotic or proprietary
240 systems. Finally, copy the announcement into the NEWS feed at
241 <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/automake>.
245 Copyright (C) 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 Free Software Foundation,
248 This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
249 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
250 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
253 This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
254 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
255 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
256 GNU General Public License for more details.
258 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
259 along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.