[bug#58648] [PATCH v3] doc: contributing: Expand "Sending a Patch Series".

[Liliana Marie Prikler]

Am Dienstag, dem 25.10.2022 um 19:42 +0100 schrieb (:
> * doc/contributing.texi: Expand on sending patches and using
>   git send-email.
> ---
>  doc/contributing.texi | 173 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------
> --
>  1 file changed, 136 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/doc/contributing.texi b/doc/contributing.texi
> index 4b1eed1cb1..9770018521 100644
> --- a/doc/contributing.texi
> +++ b/doc/contributing.texi
> @@ -1138,8 +1138,8 @@ This mailing list is backed by a Debbugs
> instance, which allows us to
>  keep track of submissions (@pxref{Tracking Bugs and Patches}).  Each
>  message sent to that mailing list gets a new tracking number
> assigned;
>  people can then follow up on the submission by sending email to
> -@code{@var{NNN}@@debbugs.gnu.org}, where @var{NNN} is the tracking
> -number (@pxref{Sending a Patch Series}).
> +@code{@var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org}, where @var{ISSUE_NUMBER}
> is
> +the tracking number (@pxref{Sending a Patch Series}).
>  
>  Please write commit logs in the ChangeLog format (@pxref{Change
> Logs,,,
>  standards, GNU Coding Standards}); you can check the commit history
> for
> @@ -1149,15 +1149,6 @@ Before submitting a patch that adds or
> modifies a package definition,
>  please run through this check list:
>  
>  @enumerate
> -@cindex @code{git format-patch}
> -@cindex @code{git-format-patch}
> -@item
> -When generating your patches with @code{git format-patch} or
> @code{git
> -send-email}, we recommend using the option @code{--base=}, perhaps
> with
> -the value @code{auto}.  This option adds a note to the patch stating
> -which commit the patch is based on.  This helps reviewers understand
> how
> -to apply and review your patches.
> -
>  @item
>  If the authors of the packaged software provide a cryptographic
>  signature for the release tarball, make an effort to verify the
> @@ -1343,18 +1334,6 @@ a subject, if your patch is to be applied on a
> branch other than
>  @code{master}, say @code{core-updates}, specify it in the subject
> like
>  @samp{[PATCH core-updates] @dots{}}.
>  
> -@quotation Tip
> -To add a prefix to the subject of your patch, you may use the
> -@option{--subject-prefix} option of the @command{git format-patch}
> or
> -@command{git send-email} commands, for example:
> -@example
> -git send-email --subject-prefix='PATCH core-updates' \
> -  --to=guix-patches@@gnu.org -1
> -@end example
> -For more information, run @samp{man git-format-patch} and @samp{man
> -git-send-email}.
> -@end quotation
> -
>  You may use your email client or the @command{git send-email}
> command
>  (@pxref{Sending a Patch Series}).  We prefer to get patches in plain
>  text messages, either inline or as MIME attachments.  You are
> advised to
> @@ -1367,7 +1346,7 @@ acknowledgement with the assigned tracking
> number. Future acknowledgements
>  should not be delayed.
>  
>  When a bug is resolved, please close the thread by sending an email
> to
> -@email{@var{NNN}-done@@debbugs.gnu.org}.
> +@email{@var{ISSUE_NUMBER}-done@@debbugs.gnu.org}.
>  
>  @node Configuring Git
>  @subsection Configuring Git
> @@ -1409,19 +1388,139 @@ git config --local sendemail.thread no
>  @anchor{Sending a Patch Series}
>  @cindex patch series
>  @cindex @code{git send-email}
> +@cindex @code{git format-patch}
> +
> +@unnumberedsubsubsec Single Patches
> +@anchor{Single Patches}
> +The @command{git send-email} command is the best way to send both
> single
> +patches and patch series (@pxref{Multiple Patches}) to the Guix
> mailing
> +list.  Sending patches as email attachments may make them difficult
> to
> +review in some mail clients, and @command{git diff} does not store
> commit
> +metadata.
> +
> +@quotation Note
> +The @command{git send-email} command is provided by the @code{send-
> email}
> +output of the @code{git} package, i.e. @code{git:send-email}.
> +@end quotation
> +
> +The following command will create a patch email from the latest
> commit,
> +open it in your @var{EDITOR} or @var{VISUAL} for editing, and send
> it to
> +the Guix mailing list to be reviewed and merged:
> +
> +@example
> +$ git send-email -1 -a --base=auto --to=guix-patches@@gnu.org
> +@end example
> +
> +@quotation Tip
> +To add a prefix to the subject of your patch, you may use the
> +@option{--subject-prefix} option.  The Guix project uses this to
> +specify that the patch is intended for a branch or repository
> +other than the @code{master} branch of
> +@url{https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/guix.git}.
> +
> +@example
> +git send-email -1 -a --base=auto \
> +    --subject-prefix='PATCH core-updates' \
> +    --to=guix-patches@@gnu.org
> +@end example
> +@end quotation
>  
> -When sending a patch series (e.g., using @code{git send-email}),
> please
> -first send one message to @email{guix-patches@@gnu.org}, and then
> send
> -subsequent patches to @email{@var{NNN}@@debbugs.gnu.org} to make
> sure
> -they are kept together.  See
> -@uref{https://debbugs.gnu.org/Advanced.html, the Debbugs
> documentation}
> -for more information.  You can install @command{git send-email} with
> -@command{guix install git:send-email}.
> -@c Debbugs bug: https://debbugs.gnu.org/db/15/15361.html
> +The patch email contains a three-dash separator line after the
> commit
> +message.  You may ``annotate'' the patch with explanatory text by
> adding
> +it under this line.  If you do not wish to annotate the email, you
> may
> +drop the @option{-a} flag (which is short for @option{--annotate}).
> +
> +The @option{--base=auto} flag automatically adds a note at the
> bottom
> +of the patch of the commit it was based on, making it easier for
> +maintainers to rebase and merge your patch.
> +
> +If you need to send a revised patch, don't resend it like this or
> send
> +a ``fix'' patch to be applied on top of the last one; instead, use
> +@command{git commit -a} or @url{https://git-rebase.io, @command{git
> rebase}}
> +to modify the commit, and use the
> @email{@var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org}
> +address and the @option{-v} flag with @command{git send-email}.
> +
> +@example
> +$ git commit -a
> +$ git send-email -1 -a --base=auto -v @var{REVISION} \
> +      --to=@var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org
> +@end example
> +
> +You can find out @var{ISSUE_NUMBER} either by searching on the mumi
> +interface at @url{issues.guix.gnu.org} for the name of your patch or
> +reading the acknowledgement email sent automatically by Debbugs in
> +reply to incoming bugs and patches, which contains the bug number.
> +
> +@unnumberedsubsubsec Notifying Teams
> +@anchor{Notifying Teams}
> +@cindex teams
> +The @file{etc/teams.scm} script may be used to notify all those who
> +may be interested in your patch of its existence (@pxref{Teams}).
> +Use @command{etc/teams.scm list-teams} to display all the teams,
> +decide which team(s) your patch relates to, and use
> +@command{etc/teams.scm cc} to output various @command{git send-
> email}
> +flags which will notify the appropriate team members, or use
> +@command{etc/teams.scm cc-members} to detect the appropriate teams
> +automatically.
> +
> +@unnumberedsubsubsec Multiple Patches
> +@anchor{Multiple Patches}
> +@cindex cover letter
> +While @command{git send-email} alone will suffice for a single
> +patch, an unfortunate flaw in Debbugs means you need to be more
> +careful when sending multiple patches: if you send them all to the
> +@email{guix-patches@@gnu.org} address, a new issue will be created
> +for each patch!
> +
> +When sending a series of patches, it's best to send a Git ``cover
> +letter'' first, to give reviewers an overview of the patch series.
> +We can create a directory called @file{outgoing} containing both
> +our patch series and a cover letter called @file{0000-cover-
> letter.patch}
> +with @command{git format-patch}.
> +
> +@example
> +$ git format-patch -@var{NUMBER_COMMITS} -o outgoing \
> +      --cover-letter --base=auto
> +@end example
> +
> +We can now send @emph{just} the cover letter to the
> +@email{guix-patches@@gnu.org} address, which will create an issue
> +that we can send the rest of the patches to.
> +
> +@example
> +$ git send-email outgoing/0000-cover-letter.patch -a \
> +      --to=guix-patches@@debbugs.gnu.org \
> +      $(etc/teams.scm cc-members ...)
> +$ rm outgoing/0000-cover-letter.patch # we don't want to resend it!
> +@end example
> +
> +Ensure you edit the email to add an appropriate subject line and
> +blurb before sending it.  Note the automatically generated shortlog
> +and diffstat below the blurb.
> +
> +Once the Debbugs mailer has replied to your cover letter email, you
> +can send the actual patches to the newly-created issue address.
> +
> +@example
> +$ git send-email outgoing/*.patch \
> +      --to=@var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org \
> +      $(etc/teams.scm cc-members ...)
> +$ rm -rf outgoing # we don't need these anymore
> +@end example
> +
> +Thankfully, this @command{git format-patch} dance is not necessary
> +to send an amended patch series, since an issue already exists for
> +the patchset.
> +
> +@example
> +$ git send-email -@var{NUMBER_COMMITS} \
> +      -v@var{REVISION} --base=auto \
> +      --to @var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org
> +@end example
>  
> -To maximize the chances that you patch series is reviewed, the
> preferred
> -submission way is to use the @code{etc/teams.scm} script to notify
> the
> -appropriate team members (@pxref{Teams}).
> +If need be, you may use @option{--cover-letter -a} to send another
> cover
> +letter, e.g. for explaining what's changed since the last revision,
> and
> +these changes are necessary.
>  
>  @unnumberedsubsec Teams
>  @anchor{Teams}
> @@ -1448,7 +1547,7 @@ You can run the following command to have the
> @code{Mentors} team put in
>  CC of a patch series:
>  
>  @example
> -$ git send-email --to XXX@@debbugs.gnu.org $(./etc/teams.scm cc
> mentors) *.patch
> +$ git send-email --to @var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org
> $(./etc/teams.scm cc mentors) *.patch
>  @end example
>  
>  The appropriate team or teams can also be inferred from the modified
> @@ -1457,7 +1556,7 @@ current Git repository to review, you can run:
>  
>  @example
>  $ guix shell -D guix
> -[env]$ git send-email --to XXX@@debbugs.gnu.org $(./etc/teams.scm
> cc-members HEAD~2 HEAD) *.patch
> +[env]$ git send-email --to @var{ISSUE_NUMBER}@@debbugs.gnu.org
> $(./etc/teams.scm cc-members HEAD~2 HEAD) *.patch
>  @end example
>  
>  @node Tracking Bugs and Patches
> 
> base-commit: 88746cd80bc56212ae7922c0fa1cd9a18e44c3bb
LGTM.

Also CC'd zimoun