1This file documents various "processes" that are used by Valgrind
2developers for development and release activities.
3This file contains one section for each process.
4A summary of each process is given here. Each process is described
5more in details afterwards.
6
7
8* Update of the NEWS file: NEWS describes fixed bugs and new features.
9  It is updated and committed together with the code fixing the bug/implementing
10  the feature.
11
12* Major release production: 
13  See docs/internals/release-HOWTO.txt (currently a bit out of date)
14
15* Minor/correction release production: TBD
16
17
18Processes detailed descriptions:
19
20Update of the NEWS file.
21========================
22  The NEWS file gives for each release:
23    - the list of fixed bugs,
24    - a short description of each functional change,
25    - a short description of each technical change impacting the users.
26  
27  The update of the NEWS file should be committed together with the
28  code change (or as part of the last committed change) that fixes the
29  bug or implements the new feature/technical change.
30  The documentation (e.g. user manual) should also be committed as part of
31  the code change.
32
33  Fixing a bug
34  ------------
35  When fixing a bug, add a line in the 'FIXED BUGS' section of
36  the NEWS file.  Keep the list of bugs sorted by bugzilla entry number.
37
38  Once you have commit the change, update the bug status in bugzilla,
39  adding in the comment the revision number of the commit fixing the bug.
40
41  If a bug is not entered in bugzilla (not encouraged), use "n-i-bz"
42  and add the bug line at the end of the bug list.
43
44  The file docs/internals/X_Y_BUGSTATUS.txt (where X_Y is the last
45  major release e.g. 3_9) contains information/statuses for some bugs.
46  If a bug is fixed, remove the (possible) bug info from this file.
47
48  Implementing a change
49  ---------------------
50  When implementing a functional or 'user impacting' technical change,
51  add a short description of the change in the relevant sub-section
52  (e.g. TOOL CHANGES, PLATFORM CHANGES, ...).
53
54
55  Some special cases:
56  -------------------
57  Some bugs or changes only touch the VEX SVN repository, so it is not
58  possible to commit the NEWS change together with the code changes.
59  In such a case, first commit the VEX change. Then just after, commit
60  the NEWS change. In the bugzilla status, reference (at least) the Valgrind
61  revision number.
62
63  Some changes or bug fixes are very big and might be implemented over
64  a significant period. In such a case, update the NEWS as part of the
65  final commit.
66  If relevant, you might already update the NEWS file as part of
67  earlier commits, using the word 'PARTIAL' to indicate that the change or
68  bug fix is not complete yet.
69
70  Some bugs are reported more than once in bugzilla.
71  Also document in NEWS that such duplicated bugs have been fixed, using a line
72  such as:
73     308333 == 307106
74  to indicate that the bug 308333 is a duplicate of 307106, and was thus
75  fixed in the commit that fixed 307106.
76  Change also the status of the duplicated bug  in bugzilla,
77  indicating in the comment the commit revision that fixed the 'master bug'.
78
79
80
81Minor/correction release:
82=========================
83Describe here how to do changes and bug fixed in a minor (correction) release
84and how/when to merge the branch to the trunk.
85
86Proposal to be discussed:
87When a bug is fixed on the branch, the NEWS file is updated on the branch
88(i.e. a 3.9.1 section is created if needed).
89
90When often to merge the branch to trunk ?
91  after each fix ?
92  just after the correction release is produced ?
93
94How is the branch merged to the trunk ?
95