autoconf/HACKING

-*- outline -*-or

This file attempts to describe the rules to use when hacking Autoconf.
Don't put this file into the distribution.  Don't mention it in the
ChangeLog.

* Administrivia

** If you incorporate a change from somebody on the net:
First, if it is a large change, you must make sure they have signed
the appropriate paperwork.  Second, be sure to add their name and
email address to THANKS.

** Test fixes
If a change fixes a test, mention the test in the ChangeLog entry.
To this end, the Autotest-mode is handy.

** Bug reports
If somebody reports a new bug, mention his name in the ChangeLog entry
and in the test case you write.  Put him into THANKS.

The correct response to most actual bugs is to write a new test case
which demonstrates the bug.  Then fix the bug, re-run the test suite,
and check everything in.

** Visible changes
Which include serious bug fixes, must be mentioned in NEWS.

** Portability issues
Discoveries in portability matters should be written down in the
documentation (what fails, why it fails, *where* it fails, and what's
to be written instead?).

* Test suite

** make check
Use liberally.

** Release checks
Try to run the test suite with more severe conditions before a
release:

- Run `make maintainer-check'
  This is quite long.  It basically runs the test suite using a C++
  compiler instead of a C compiler, and within a severe environment
  (POSIXLY_CORRECT).

- Try some real world packages
  Good example is the coreutils package.

* Release Procedure

** Tests
See above.

** Update the foreign files
Running `make update' in the top level should make it all for you.

** Update configure
As much as possible, to try an Autoconf that uses itself.  That's
easy: just be in the top level, and run tests/autoconf.  Or install
this autoconf and autoreconf -f.

** Update NEWS
The version number, *and* the date of the release (including for
betas).

** Update ChangeLog
Should have an entry similar to `Version 2.53b.'.
Check all this in once `make distcheck' passes.

** make alpha
Running `make alpha' is absolutely perfect for beta releases: it makes
the tarballs, the xdeltas, and prepares (in /tmp/) a proto
announcement.  It is so neat, that that's what I use anyway for
genuine releases, but adjusting things by hand (e.g., the urls in the
announcement file, the ChangeLog which is not needed etc.).

If it fails, you're on your own...

It requires GNU Make.

** Upload
Put the tarballs/xdeltas where they should be.  Or put it somewhere,
and send the URL to ftp-upload@gnu.org.

** Bump the version number
In configure.ac.  Run `make', check this in.

** Announce
Complete/fix the announcement file, and send it at least to
info@gnu.org (if a real release, or a ``serious beta''),
autotools-announce@gnu.org (even for ``non serious beta''),
autoconf@gnu.org, automake@gnu.org, libtool@gnu.org, and
bug-gnu-utils@gnu.org.


-----

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