Don't consider failure to build a text/plain part to be an error.

[nmh] / docs / README.developers

diff --git a/docs/README.developers b/docs/README.developers
index b2c2efa03cf64fa565f3a3660a03080792cf6226..eb770fc99653a6914987f62e651a128edb33b335 100644 (file)
--- a/docs/README.developers
+++ b/docs/README.developers
@@ -1,52 +1,68 @@
 #
 # README.developers
 #
 #
 # README.developers
 #

-# $Id$
-#

 
 This file is intended to provide a few tips for anyone doing development on nmh.
 Developers who learn things "the hard way" about the nmh codebase (as opposed to
 local info best encoded in a comment) are encouraged to share their wisdom here.
 
 
 This file is intended to provide a few tips for anyone doing development on nmh.
 Developers who learn things "the hard way" about the nmh codebase (as opposed to
 local info best encoded in a comment) are encouraged to share their wisdom here.
 

-The topics are organized alphabetically.
+Following a commit checklist, the topics are organized alphabetically.

 
 

+----------------
+commit checklist
+----------------
+
+1. code updated?
+2. test added?
+3. make distcheck passed?
+4. man page and other documentation updated?
+5. docs/pending-release-notes updated?
+6. should commit message reference bug report?
+7. update/close bug report (with commit id)?
+8. notify nmh-users?
+
+
+---------------------------------
+C library/system call usage notes
+---------------------------------
+* Use m_mktemp2() or m_mktemp() instead of mkstemp(3) (see section on
+  nmh temporary files below).
+* Use m_unlink() instead of unlink(3).
+* Use done() instead of _exit(3) except after a fork(3).

 
 

---------------
-autoconf files
---------------

 
 

-If you wish to change the `configure' script or its related files, you'll need
-to first install GNU m4, available from <ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/m4/> and then
-GNU autoconf (<ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/autoconf/>).
+-------------------------
+autoconf & automake files
+-------------------------

 
 

-Most of the configure-related files are automatically generated.  The only files
-you should need to manually edit are acconfig.h and configure.in.  Don't, for
-instance, edit config.h.in.  Though it is an input file from the point of view
-of the users (and the configure script) it is an output file from the point of
-view of the developers (and the autoconf script).
+If you wish to change the `configure' script, the generated Makefile
+or other related files, you'll need to first install GNU m4, available
+from <ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/m4/>, then GNU autoconf
+(<ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/autoconf/>) and GNU automake
+(<ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/automake/>).  Nmh is currently using a
+minimum of autoconf 2.68 and automake 1.12.

 
 

-If you do change acconfig.h or configure.in and want to `cvs commit' them, be
-sure to regenerate the output files and commit them as well.  The easiest way to
-regenerate the files is to simply run `make' -- it'll do the necessary calls of
-autoconf and autoheader and will do a `./config.status --recheck', which will
-exercise your new configure script.
+Most of the configure-related files are automatically generated.
+The only files you should need to manually edit are configure.ac
+and any autoconf macros in the m4 directory.  Don't, for instance,
+edit config.h.in.  Though it is an input file from the point of
+view of the users (and the configure script) it is an output file
+from the point of view of the developers (and the autoconf script).

 
 

-When you commit the configure-related files, it's very important to commit them
-in the right order.  The timestamps on the files in the CVS archive are based on
-the current time at the moment they were committed -- the timestamps from the
-local files you commit are not copied over.  If you commit the files in the
-wrong order, you'll cause unnecessary calls of `autoconf' to occur when people
-try to `make' their copies of the latest CVS source.  These people may be
-end-users who don't have any interest in changing the configure-related files
-and don't have autoconf installed.  They'll be unable to make without playing
-around with `touch'.
+If you wish to add a new autoconf macro, it should be placed in it's
+own file and put in the m4 directory; aclocal will automatically pick
+it up and automake will add it to the distribution target automatically.

 
 

-The correct order to commit the configure-related files is:
+If you wish to make changes to the Makefile, you will need to edit
+Makefile.am.  See the automake documentation if you need further help.
+You should always check changes to Makefile.am by using "make distcheck".

 
 

-% cvs commit acconfig.h aclocal.m4 config.h.in configure.in configure stamp-h.in
+Note that the automatically generated autotools files (such as config.h.in,
+Makefile.in, and configure), are NOT kept in git.  Thus, when you check out
+a git tree, you need to run the autogen.sh script before you can build
+anything:

 
 

-If you haven't changed all of those files, just commit the rest in the
-stated order (e.g. cvs commit acconfig.h config.h.in stamp-h.in).
+        % ./autogen.sh

 
 
 -------------------
 
 
 -------------------


@@ -56,7 +72,7 @@ directory structure
 Following is a list of nmh's directories along with a brief description of the
 purpose of each one.  Meanings are given for the abbreviations, but note that
 these meanings are just informed guesses as to what the MH developers were
 Following is a list of nmh's directories along with a brief description of the
 purpose of each one.  Meanings are given for the abbreviations, but note that
 these meanings are just informed guesses as to what the MH developers were

-thinking. 
+thinking.

 
 ./
     The top-level directory.  Contains files like README and INSTALL.
 
 ./
     The top-level directory.  Contains files like README and INSTALL.


@@ -65,6 +81,10 @@ config/
     Contains utility files for the `configure' process.  Ordinarily nothing in
     here needs to be messed with.
 
     Contains utility files for the `configure' process.  Ordinarily nothing in
     here needs to be messed with.
 

+docs/
+    Contains more specialized documentation, such as this file and
+    the FAQ.
+

 etc/
     Contains files, file templates, and scripts to generate files that will be
     installed in the ${prefix}/etc directory.  Stuff like replcomps.
 etc/
     Contains files, file templates, and scripts to generate files that will be
     installed in the ${prefix}/etc directory.  Stuff like replcomps.


@@ -81,14 +101,6 @@ mts/
     "mts" stands for "Message Transfer Service".  Source files specific to the
     different MTSs go in the subdirectories.
 
     "mts" stands for "Message Transfer Service".  Source files specific to the
     different MTSs go in the subdirectories.
 

-mts/mmdf/
-    "mmdf" stands for "Multichannel Memorandum Distribution Facility".  It is an
-    alternative to sendmail used primarily on SCO UNIX.
-
-mts/sendmail/
-    When nmh is configured --with-mts=sendmail, the files in this directory are
-    used. 
-

 mts/smtp/
     When nmh is configured to just talk to an SMTP server over TCP/IP, the
     source in this directory is compiled.
 mts/smtp/
     When nmh is configured to just talk to an SMTP server over TCP/IP, the
     source in this directory is compiled.


@@ -97,7 +109,17 @@ sbr/
     "sbr" stands for "subroutine(s)".  For the most part, each source file in
     this directory contains a single function with the same name as the source
     file.  These functions are of general use and are called from throughout
     "sbr" stands for "subroutine(s)".  For the most part, each source file in
     this directory contains a single function with the same name as the source
     file.  These functions are of general use and are called from throughout

-    nmh.  
+    nmh.
+
+SPECS/
+    Contains files such as RPM specs.
+
+test/
+    The num unit test suite.
+
+tools/
+    "tools" contains tools, scripts, and supporting files used by the
+    developers while writing, debugging, and testing the code.

 
 uip/
     "uip" stands for "User Interface Programs".  Most nmh commands have a file
 
 uip/
     "uip" stands for "User Interface Programs".  Most nmh commands have a file


@@ -106,91 +128,179 @@ uip/
     <command>sbr.c which contains additional subroutines called from <command>.c
     (which would contain not much else besides main()).
 
     <command>sbr.c which contains additional subroutines called from <command>.c
     (which would contain not much else besides main()).
 

-zotnet/
-    Files in this hierarchy were either written by or moved here by UCI
-    (University of California, Irvine) after they took over MH from the Rand
-    Corporation.  "Zot!" is the sound effect made by the anteater in the "B.C."
-    comic strip when its tongue lashes out at ants.  The anteater is UCI's
-    official mascot.  Not sure whether UCInet was once called ZotNet...

 
 

-zotnet/bboards/
-    UCI added Bulletin Board functionality to MH with the `bbc' command.  This
-    functionality has been removed from nmh but apparently files in this
-    directory are still needed for other purposes.
+---
+git
+---
+
+As of December 2010, nmh has switched to using git for revision control
+instead of CVS.  While the topic of git is beyond the scope of this FAQ,
+to get started with git & nmh, you can run the following command to checkout
+the nmh repository (with read-only access to it):
+
+    % git clone git://git.savannah.nongnu.org/nmh.git
+
+That will create a workspace called nmh.  To update that workspace
+with changes to the master, cd to it and run:
+
+    % git pull
+
+If you are a project member and want write access to the repository,
+you'll have to checkout with the following command instead of the one
+above:
+
+    % git clone <username>@git.sv.nongnu.org:/srv/git/nmh.git
+
+We suggest using git pull --rebase instead of the default merge for
+git pull.  If you don't want to add the --rebase option every time,
+you can tell git pull to always rebase in your nmh workspace by
+cd'ing to it and running the following command:
+
+    % git config --bool branch.master.rebase true
+
+And you'll probably want the following, also, so that --rebase applies
+to any new branches that you create:

 
 

-zotnet/mf/
-    "mf" stands for "Mail Filter".  The filtering in this case apparently refers
-    to translation between different address and mailbox formats.
+    % git config branch.autosetuprebase always

 
 

-zotnet/mts/
-    MTS code not specific to any single MTS apparently goes here.

 
 

-zotnet/tws/
-    No idea what "tws" stands for, other than 't' almost certainly standing for
-    "time".  Date and time manipulation routines go here.
+-------------------------------------------------------
+nmh-local functions to use in preference to OS versions
+-------------------------------------------------------
+
+For some system functions whose availability or behavior varies from OS to OS,
+nmh conditionally uses a local definition with the same name as the OS function
+(e.g. snprintf()).  For other functions, developers need to avoid the OS
+versions and always use the nmh-supplied function.  Here is a list of such
+functions:
+
+OS function  nmh-local version to use instead
+===========  ================================
+getpass()    nmh_getpass()
+
+
+-------------------
+nmh temporary files
+-------------------
+
+To create a temporary file, use m_mktemp2() or m_mktemp().  They use
+mkstemp(3), but they also register the temporary file for removal on
+program termination.  So, do not use mkstemp() directly.
+
+To further support this, nmh_init() must be called at the beginning of
+main().  And, if a child process is not going to immediately call one
+of the exec(3) functions or _exit(3) after a fork(3), it should call
+unregister_for_removal(0).  Finally, nmh_init() sets up signal handlers
+for several signals:  these signal handlers should not be disabled.
+
+
+--------------
+nmh test suite
+--------------
+
+The nmh test suite is run through the Makefile, with "make check"
+or "make distcheck".
+
+In the nmh test suite, nmh programs to be tested should be invoked
+through the run_test or run_prog shell functions defined in
+test/common.sh.
+
+To enable the use of valgrind, where available, set the environment
+variable NMH_VALGRIND to a non-null value.  However, a separate
+environment variable, VALGRIND_ME, triggers the use of valgrind in
+test/inc/test-eom-align because it greatly extends the duration of
+that test.
+
+If valgrind complains about "serious error when reading debuginfo"
+from a library, either update or remove the debuginfo package for
+the offending library.

 
 
 -------------
 releasing nmh
 -------------
 
 
 
 -------------
 releasing nmh
 -------------
 

-To make a public release of nmh (we'll use version 1.0.4 and my mhost.com
-account, danh, as examples here):
+To make a public release of nmh (we'll use version 1.5 as the example
+here; the convention for release candidates is to use something like
+"1.5-RC1"):
+
+ 1. Create a release branch.  The convention is to name release branches
+    with the name "<version>-release".
+
+    % git branch 1.5-release
+
+    Note you are still on the master branch at this point.  Mark the
+    current revision as the branchpoint for the new release branch:
+    
+    % git tag -a -m "This tag marks the point where we started the branch for 1.5" 1.5-branchpoint
+
+    Now mark the master branch with a post-release version number (the
+    convention here is to use VERSION+dev as the version number).
+
+    % echo 1.5+dev > VERSION
+    % git commit VERSION
+    % git push
+    % git push --tags

 
 

- 1. % echo 1.0.4 > VERSION
+    Then do:

 
 

- 2. Put a comment like "Released nmh-1.0.4." in the ChangeLog.
+    % git checkout 1.5-release

 
 

- 3. % cvs commit ChangeLog VERSION
+    You are now on the 1.5 release branch.

 
 

- 4. % cvs tag nmh-1_0_4
-    (cvs treats dots specially, so underscores are substituted here.)
+ 2. % echo 1.5 > VERSION
+    % date +"%e %B %Y" > DATE
+    (DATE should contain something like "30 December 2000")

 
 

- 5. % make nmhdist
+ 3. % git commit VERSION DATE; git push

 
 

- 6. Untar nmh-1.0.4.tar.gz and `diff -r' it vs. your CVS tree.  Make sure no
-    files got left out of the distribution that should be in it (due to someone
-    forgetting to update the DIST variables in the Makefiles).
+ 4. % git tag -a 1.5 -m 'Releasing nmh-1.5.'
+    % git push --tags

 
 

- 7. If you have root access on your machine, it's good at this point to do:
+    Note that the new convention for tagging is to simply tag with the
+    version number (tag formats in the past have varied).

 
 

-    % chown -R 0:0 nmh-1.0.4
-    % tar cvf nmh-1.0.4.tar nmh-1.0.4
-    % gzip nmh-1.0.4.tar
+ 5. % make distcheck

 
 

-    If you leave the files in the archive as being owned by yourself, your UID
-    may coincide with one of a user on a machine where nmh is being installed,
-    making it possible for that user to Trojan the nmh code before the system
-    administrator finishes installing it.
+    If you want to check the distribution build with some particular
+    configure options, set the DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS variable.
+    E.g.:

 
 

- 8. Make sure your new tarball uncompresses and untars with no problem.  Make
-    sure you can configure, make, and install nmh from it.
+    % make distcheck DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS=--with-cyrus-sasl

 
 

- 9. If all is well and your tarball is final, go back to your CVS tree and do:
+ 6. Upload the distribution file to savannah.  You can automate this process
+    by doing:

 
 

-    % echo 1.0.4+dev > VERSION
+    % make upload SAVANNAH_USERNAME=username

 
 

-10. Put a comment like "Upped the version number to 1.0.4+dev until the next nmh
-    release." in the ChangeLog.
+    This will automatically call gpg to sign the release.  You can bypass
+    this step by setting the SKIP_GPG_SIG variable.

 
 

-11. % cvs commit ChangeLog VERSION
+ 7. Update the http://www.nongnu.org/nmh/ homepage. (It lives in the CVS
+    'webpages repository'; see https://savannah.nongnu.org/cvs/?group=nmh)

 
 

-12. If possible, make an MD5 hash and/or a PGP signature of nmh-1.0.4.tar.gz.
+ 8. Add a news item to the savannah nmh page. You'll have to submit it first
+    and then separately approve it (under News->Manage).

 
 

-13. % scp -p nmh-1.0.4.tar.gz* danh@mhost.com:/var/ftp/pub/nmh
+ 9. Send the release announcement email to the following places:
+     nmh-workers@nongnu.org
+     nmh-announce@nongnu.org
+     exmh-users@redhat.com
+     exmh-workers@redhat.com
+     mh-e-users@lists.sourceforge.net

 
 

-14. Send an announcement to exmh-users@redhat.com, exmh-workers@redhat.com,
-    mh-users@ics.uci.edu, and nmh-announce@mhost.com.  If the release fixes
-    significant security holes, also send an announcement to
-    bugtraq@securityfocus.com.  The exmh lists require you to be subscribed in
-    order to post.  Note that you don't need to post separately to comp.mail.mh,
-    as the mh-users mailing list is apparently bidirectionally gatewayed to it.
+    If the release fixes significant security holes, also send an announcement
+    to bugtraq@securityfocus.com.  The exmh lists require you to be subscribed
+    in order to post.  Note that you don't need to post separately to
+    comp.mail.mh, as the mh-users mailing list is apparently bidirectionally
+    gatewayed to it.

 
     Preferably, the announcement should contain the MD5 hash generated above,
 
     Preferably, the announcement should contain the MD5 hash generated above,

-    and should be PGP-signed.  It should include the FTP URL for the tarball as
+    and should be PGP-signed.  It should include the URL for the tarball as

     well as the URL of the website.  It should contain a brief summary of
     well as the URL of the website.  It should contain a brief summary of

-    visible changes, as well as the URL of the cvsweb diff page that would show
-    a detailed list of changes.  The changes between 1.0.3 and 1.0.4 would be
-    shown by:
+    visible changes, as well as the URL of the git diff page that would show
+    a detailed list of changes.  The changes between 1.5 and 1.4 would be
+    shown by [this is just a guess, I don't know anything about cgit, and
+    it assumes that we tag with nmh-x_x-release from now on]:

 
 

-        http://www.mhost.com/cgi-bin/cvsweb/nmh/ChangeLog?r1=1.40&r2=1.71
+        http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/nmh.git/diff/?h=nmh-1_5-release?h=nmh-1_4-release