RE: FAQ - Submitting Patches

["Dave Korn" <dave dot korn at artimi dot com>]

On 01 September 2006 16:19, Christopher Faylor wrote:

> On Fri, Sep 01, 2006 at 04:14:15PM +0100, Phil Lello wrote:
>> I've made some changes to bfd code in line with the Microsoft PE/COFF
>> (v8.0) docs. 
>> 
>> Should I submit CVS diff output to this list to get my changes
>> approved/committed, or is there another procedure?
>> 
>> My changes are:
>> - Adding EFI_ROM and XBOX to the known types of Windows subsystems
>> - Adding defines for PE Directory Entry types
>> - Updating code to use defines as index into Directory Entry array.
>>  (e.g. DataDirectory[0] is now DataDirectory[PE_EXPORT_TABLE]
>> - Updating ChangeLogs with brief descriptions
>> 
>> Thanks,
> 
> Just as a fish-teaching exercise, I have to ask:

  Teaching a fish to man?  It'll never catch on.

> Have you perused the archives for this mailing list?  I think they should
> show how patches are submitted.
> 
> http://sourceware.org/ml/binutils/
> 
> The only thing that may not be obvious is that non-trivial patches will
> require an assignment with the FSF.  You can send email to
> copyright-clerk AT fsf PERIOD org to request one of those.

  Well, there are plenty of /examples/ of how to submit patches, but it can be
tricky to try and extrapolate the procedure from examples of its output, and
to know what is required and what is just tradition/habit/accident.  So I'd
also suggest mentioning: 

 -Use the -puN options to "cvs diff".  In fact, some people prefer context
diffs to unidiffs, and as long as the diff applies cleanly to cvs it's no
biggie, but the -p option is definitely helpful for reviewers.

 -For preference send the diff as an attachment to avoid any danger of getting
it word-wrapped by your mailer.

 -Add ChangeLog entries in the format as described in the gnu coding
standards, with separate ChangeLog entries for the changes in each
subdirectory off the top-level.  Don't include these as part of the diff, just
put them in plaintext in the body of the email.

  And, like cgf said, take a look over a bunch of recently submitted patches
to get a feel for it.

    cheers,
      DaveK
-- 
Can't think of a witty .sigline today....