Bug tracking

Version: $Id: bug_tracking.html,v 1.1 2000/12/29 15:32:06 frank Exp $

1. Collecting bugs
2. Checking bugs
3. Documenting bugs
4. Assigning bugs
5. Releasing a new blender
6. Possible improvement

1. Collecting bugs

There are several ways a bug can be reported:

in an e-mail to bugs@blender.nl. These mails are collected in Exchange: Public Folders / All Public Folders / NaN Support / Bugs

in an e-mail to support@blender.nl. Support moves these mails to the Bugs folder

in an personal e-mail. Bounce this e-mail to bugs@blender.nl or move it to the Bugs folder in Exchange

Whenever a bug was reported by e-mail CC: all replies to bugs@blender.nl. If the bug originally arrived at support@blender.nl add a CC: to support as well.

2. Checking bugs

Try to reproduce the bug. Important information here:

how to reproduce the bug or an example .blend file

which blender release

which OS (Windows, Linux, FreeBSD)

which version of the OS (Windows 98 / 2000, FreeBSD 3.4 / 4.0)

which graphics hardware

Use your creativity and blender knowledge here. Sometimes, whenever you can't reproduce the bug, start an e-mail conversation with the person who reported the bug (add CC;'s to bugs@blender.nl) or post a reply on the discussion server asking for more information.

3. Documenting bugs

If the bug has been reproduced, take a quick look on how to fix the bug. If this takes less then 15 minutes, fix the bug. If it is fixed, add an entry in ~/develop/source/blender/release_log.txt in the next release section describing the bug. Here's a typical entry:

  - (mikko.alfthan@zoo-gate.fi) intersect option is unstable and sometimes crashes blender

If the bug was reported on the discussion server, post a reply there saying that the bug has been confirmed and that it will be fixed in the next release. Add the line from release_log.txt in the reply. If the bug was reported through e-mail, send the same information in an e-mail reply.

If you can't fix the bug add the entry in ~/develop/source/blender/release_log.txt in the bugs section. Confirm to the person who reported the bug that the bug has been reproduced. Here's a typical confirmation message:

  Hi Tom,

  You're correct, this is a bug. I've added a bugreport:

  - (TomKojak@compuserve.de) wave effect gets undone by lattice (001228-04-wave-lattice.blend)

  Cheers,

  Frank.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: TomKojak@compuserve.de [mailto:TomKojak@compuserve.de]
  Sent: 19 December 2000 15:50
  To: support@blender.nl
  Subject: possible bug with lattices

Whenever you recieved a .blend file or had to create one to reproduce the bug, add a text window in the blender userinterface and describe step by step how to reproduce the bug. Here's an example:

  finklesk@op.net

  - press tab in 3d view
  - press 'b' in the left 3D window below and select all the
  vertices (8)
  - press 'b' in the right 3D window below and select all the
  vertices there (12: total selected vertices is 20)

  - press 'x' in one of the 3D views and select 'Edges & Faces'

  blender crashes

Rename the blender file to YYMMDD-NN-short-description.blend where YY = year, MM = month, DD = day and NN = number. Copy this file to server:/home/develop/bugs and add the file name to the line in release_log.txt (like in the wave effect example above).

If the bug was reported by e-mail move all discussion regarding this bug to the (misnamed) 'Closed Bugs' sub folder.

4. Assigning bugs

...

5. Releasing a new blender

At each new release, all fixed bugs and known bugs are reported in the release notes. This information is taken from release_log.txt . More information about this procedure can be found here . Everyone who reported a bug that is fixed in the latest release recieves an e-mail on where to get the new blender version.

6. Possible improvement

add subsections to bugs (game-engine, render-engine, user-interface, editor..)

indicate if the bug is easy or hard to fix