NAME
send-pr - send problem report (PR) to a central support site
SYNOPSIS
send-pr
[
site
]
[
-f
problem-report
]
[
-t
mail-address
]
[
-P
]
[
-L
]
[
--request-id
]
[
-V
]
DESCRIPTION
send-pr
is a tool used to submit
problem reports
(PRs) to a central support site. In most cases the correct
site
will be the default. This argument indicates the support site which
is responsible for the category of problem involved. Some sites may
use a local address as a default.
site
values are defined by using the
aliases(5)
send-pr
invokes an editor on a problem report template (after trying to fill
in some fields with reasonable default values). When you exit the
editor,
send-pr
sends the completed form to the
Problem Report Management System
(GGNNAATTSS) at a central support site. At the support site, the PR
is assigned a unique number and is stored in the GGNNAATTSS database
according to its category and submitter-id. GGNNAATTSS automatically
replies with an acknowledgement, citing the category and the PR
number.
To ensure that a PR is handled promptly, it should contain your (unique)
_s_u_b_m_i_t_t_e_r_-_i_d and one of the available _c_a_t_e_g_o_r_i_e_s to identify the
problem area. (Use
`send-pr -L'
to see a list of categories).
The PR should also contain a subject header, which is separate to the
synopsis line.
NetBSD does not use unique _s_u_b_m_i_t_t_e_r_-_i_d's - all PR's use the
default value of
`net'
for this field.
The more precise your problem description and the more complete your
information, the faster your support team can solve your problems.
OPTIONS
-
-f problem-report
-
specify a file (_p_r_o_b_l_e_m_-_r_e_p_o_r_t) which already contains a
complete problem report.
send-pr
sends the contents of the file without invoking the editor. If
the value for
problem-report
is
`-',
then
send-pr
reads from standard input.
-
-t mail-address
-
Change mail address at the support site for problem reports. The
default
mail-address
is the address used for the default
site.
Use the
site
argument rather than this option in nearly all cases.
-
-P
-
print the form specified by the environment variable
PR_FORM
on standard output. If
PR_FORM
is not set, print the standard blank PR template. No mail is sent.
-
-L
-
print the list of available categories. No mail is sent.
-
--request-id
-
sends mail to the default support site, or
site
if specified, with a request for your
submitter-id.
If you are
not affiliated with
site,
use a
submitter-id
of
net'.
-
-V
-
Display the
send-pr
version number.
Note: use
send-pr
to submit problem reports rather than mailing them directly. Using
both the template and
send-pr
itself will help ensure all necessary information will reach the
support site.
ENVIRONMENT
-
-
GNATS_ROOT
If the file $GNATS_ROOT/gnats-adm/config exists then it is used
to provide newer configuration information. The default value
is the empty string.
-
-
LOGNAME
Sets the default for the From and Reply-To fields of the problem report.
Defaults to $USER if not set.
-
-
NAME
Sets the default for the Originator field of the problem report.
If not set, then the file $HOME/.fullname is used. If
$HOME/.fullname is not present, then an attempt is made to query
the password file for a full name.
-
-
ORGANIZATION
The name of a file which contains the default for the Organization field
of the problem report.
-
-
PR_FORM
If this is set, then its value is used as the file name of the template for
your problem-report editing session. You can use this to start with a
partially completed form (for example, a form with the identification
fields already completed).
-
-
REPLYTO
Sets the default for the Reply-To field of the problem report. If not
set, then it defaults to $LOGNAME.
-
-
TMPDIR
Specifies the temporary directory used for creating the problem report.
This directory must exist with write permissions. Defaults to /tmp if
not specified.
-
-
USER_GNATS_SITE
Used to set the default site you are reporting bugs to. Defaults to
netbsd if not specified.
-
-
VISUAL
Specifies the editor to invoke on the template. If not set, then the
variable EDITOR is used. If neither VISUAL nor EDITOR are
set, then
vi(1)
is used.
HOW TO FILL OUT A PROBLEM REPORT
Problem reports have to be in a particular form so that a program can
easily manage them. Please remember the following guidelines:
-
·
describe only
-
one problem
with each problem report.
-
·
For follow-up mail, use the same subject line as the one in the automatic
-
acknowledgement. It consists of category, PR number and the original synopsis
line. This allows the support site to relate several mail messages to a
particular PR and to record them automatically.
-
·
Please try to be as accurate as possible in the subject and/or synopsis line.
-
-
·
The subject and the synopsis line are not confidential. This is
-
because open-bugs lists are compiled from them. Avoid confidential
information there.
The
severity
field is to indicate the severity of the problem.
The accepted values are:
-
ccrriittiiccaall
The product, component or concept is completely non-operational or some
-
essential functionality is missing (e.g. kernel panic or program core dumps).
No workaround is known.
-
sseerriioouuss
The product, component or concept is not working properly or significant
-
functionality is missing.
Problems that would otherwise be considered
critical
are rated
serious
when a workaround is known.
-
nnoonn--ccrriittiiccaall
The product, component or concept is working in general, but lacks
-
features, has irritating behavior, does something wrong, or doesn't
match its documentation.
The default value is
serious.
The
priority
field specifies
how soon the problem report submitter requires a solution.
The accepted values are:
-
hhiigghh
A solution is needed as soon as possible.
-
-
mmeeddiiuumm
The problem should be solved in the next release.
-
-
llooww
The problem should be solved in a future release.
-
The default value is
medium.
The
class
of a problem report can be one of the following:
-
ssww--bbuugg
A general software problem (
-
`sw'
stands for
software
).
-
ddoocc--bbuugg
A problem with the manual pages or other documentation.
-
-
cchhaannggee--rreeqquueesstt
A request for a change from existing behavior that is not a bug
-
("It's nice, but it would be better if ...").
-
ssuuppppoorrtt
A support problem or question.
-
The default value is
sw-bug.
See the GNU
Info
file
send-pr.info
or the document _R_e_p_o_r_t_i_n_g _P_r_o_b_l_e_m_s _W_i_t_h _s_e_n_d_-_p_r for detailed
information on reporting problems
HOW TO SUBMIT TEST CASES, CODE, ETC.
Submit small code samples with the PR. Contact the support site for
instructions on submitting larger test cases and problematic source
code.
FILES
/tmp/p$$
copy of PR used in editing session
-
-
/tmp/pf$$
copy of empty PR form, for testing purposes
-
-
/tmp/pbad$$
file for rejected PRs
-
-
$HOME/.fullname
Contains the default for the Originator field of the problem
report if $NAME is not set
-
-
$HOME/.organization
Contains the default for the Organization field of the problem
report if $ORGANIZATION is not set.
-
-
$HOME/.signature
Contains the default for the Organization field of the problem
report if $ORGANIZATION is not set and $HOME/.organization does
not exist.
EMACS USER INTERFACE
An Emacs user interface for
send-pr
with completion of field values is part of the
send-pr
distribution (invoked with
M-x send-pr).
See the file
send-pr.info
or the ASCII file
INSTALL
in the top level directory of the distribution for configuration and
installation information. The Emacs LISP template file is
send-pr-el.in
and is installed as
send-pr.el.
WEB INTERFACE
An interface to sending PR's is available on the NetBSD website at
http://www.NetBSD.org/Gnats/.
INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION
See
send-pr.info
or
INSTALL
for installation instructions.
SEE ALSO
Reporting Problems Using send-pr
(also installed as the GNU Info file
send-pr.info).
AUTHORS
Jeffrey Osier, Brendan Kehoe, Jason Merrill, Heinz G. Seidl (Cygnus
Support)
COPYING
Copyright (c) 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.
Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
permission notice identical to this one.
Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions, except that this permission notice may be included in
translations approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in
the original English.