Bug triaging, debugging and patches

Bug triaging, debugging and patches

[Shakthi Kannan]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA256

Hi,

I am interested in helping with bug triaging, debugging and submitting
patches as required for the GNU Emacs project.

Is there a group or subsystem of bugs that do not yet require a large
understanding of the code base that I can get started with? I am happy
to explore source code, if required.

If you can also shed some light on specific configurations and
workflows to work with the Emacs bugs database, I can set it up
accordingly.

Look forward to hear your thoughts,

SK

- --
Shakthi Kannan
http://www.shakthimaan.com
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

iQEzBAEBCAAdFiEEuU+Bq+hOzmF71VuipFN93fvDLBQFAlmhuTkACgkQpFN93fvD
LBSLywgAtxzr6Hu9fSuH847osIXU3l4CaZtmVFvhQ9deHhTFngeNzixRdfgPOhfX
i4aAstIIusQKbSm87wXCu7qZko06PlZqcUlInkjoWZenMc6vSOM5C2/YEs9SmhJ1
UnPgwPZL5a/UyZp6MCciDqyZKO/dRb860vvCSsVcd6xt33w/L4qDUXvfG0Zrwg1j
J1DRDyiVSTsaRSX3FrK2OVLT76O2ZAjIGLL5NpFQotngbbgfp9Zm4Cjmpy/u7Ril
F2f48lfwwrax6TGoUoNhV1M4oqr5/FeMNNq65uFNzWOyALw5fJM04mXr/NqbeZpt
AI2kQ0kGantoPHA2QPMdx4E/D/k3bQ==
=bxCv
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

Re: Bug triaging, debugging and patches

[Paul Eggert]

On 08/26/2017 11:31 AM, Shakthi Kannan wrote:
> Is there a group or subsystem of bugs that do not yet require a large  > understanding of the code base that I can get started with? I am 
happy > to explore source code, if required.
Perhaps you can start with bugs labeled "wishlist" or "minor" in the 
main listing:

https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/pkgreport.cgi?package=emacs

Please use your best judgment as to how much code-base understanding is 
required, as we don't specifically classify bug reports that way. For an 
example of a bug *not* to look at, please see Bug#28213, a hairy one 
involving our conservative garbage collector mistakenly reclaiming some 
objects that are not actually garbage. (I'm looking at it now and 
tearing my hair out.)

> If you can also shed some light on specific configurations and  > workflows to work with the Emacs bugs database, I can set it up > 
accordingly.
I suggest using 'git format-patch' and/or 'git send-email' to propose a 
fix for a particular bug. For Bug#99999, you can send email to 
99999@debbugs.gnu.org.

Thanks for volunteering, by the way.

Re: Bug triaging, debugging and patches

[Noam Postavsky]

On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 12:57 PM, Paul Eggert <eggert@cs.ucla.edu> wrote:
> On 08/26/2017 11:31 AM, Shakthi Kannan wrote:
>>
>> Is there a group or subsystem of bugs that do not yet require a large  >
>> understanding of the code base that I can get started with? I am
>
> happy > to explore source code, if required.
> Perhaps you can start with bugs labeled "wishlist" or "minor" in the main
> listing:
>
> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/pkgreport.cgi?package=emacs
>
> Please use your best judgment as to how much code-base understanding is
> required, as we don't specifically classify bug reports that way.

Actually, I've tagged a handful of bugs as "easy", you can see a list
at https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/pkgreport.cgi?include=tags%3Aeasy;package=emacs

Alternatively, just reporting if you can reproduce any existing bug is
useful, and shouldn't require any specific knowledge of the code.

>> If you can also shed some light on specific configurations and
>> workflows to work with the Emacs bugs database, I can set it up
>> accordingly.
>
> I suggest using 'git format-patch' and/or 'git send-email' to propose a fix
> for a particular bug. For Bug#99999, you can send email to
> 99999@debbugs.gnu.org.

You might also want to checkout the debuggs.el ELPA package
http://elpa.gnu.org/packages/debbugs.html, you can use it to browse
the bug database from within Emacs. For example, to get the listing of
"easy" bugs I linked above, M-x debbugs-gnu-search RET RET package RET
emacs RET tag RET easy RET RET. And assuming you have email setup, you
can manipulate bugs as well. See admin/notes/bug-triage and
admin/notes/bugtracker.

> Thanks for volunteering, by the way.

Seconded.

Re: Bug triaging, debugging and patches

[Shakthi Kannan]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA256

Hi,

Thanks Paul Eggert and Noam Postavsky for your replies. I shall go through
the reference links and will get started.

Appreciate your help!

SK

- --
Shakthi Kannan
http://www.shakthimaan.com
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----

iQEzBAEBCAAdFiEEuU+Bq+hOzmF71VuipFN93fvDLBQFAlmuOJQACgkQpFN93fvD
LBRPLgf9H/nQdvjiDaoE3ScV+sGRwAOb61aBQ9zlyAnWPsvlYguDWVWVjQmNNdwT
WsvD3F2u/RsNJ3JyKAnpJmpT6U/n3fNRfyp1AfIgyXItPzNjZ/sKZBANeJFwLloh
VAyOuofrm+IUQNGAuMiA0xXiigRKB3SGyKa84XtkrhYucbavcUfJZc4njLVZ6TUL
do78fnk+Vbt8yND+KqAJ+jKO6CbKnFgsaVxNnRptXF/G2sXtaqICq8Ly0Gq3rxbx
KnFQuQmy5DeD5Eqx90t1b9Mzn6a4quhBJTN/iEm3VL8l4RbGGLIYNRjXZR8I7ET0
Y4B+/DnTpaiPRQwt14Q/Ab4Y/AI/QA==
=yTLG
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----