Re: [boost] Updated Development and Release Practices for 1.35.0

From: Vladimir Prus (ghost_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-09-05 01:00:48

Beman Dawes wrote:

> Vladimir Prus wrote:
>> Beman Dawes wrote:
>> 
>>> The Development and Release Practices trac wiki page has been updated.
>>> See http://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/wiki/ImprovingPractices
>>>
>>> The most important changes were refinements of the repository
>>> organization and addition of more specific procedures for merging from
>>> the trunk to the next release. The merging is described in terms of
>>> TortoiseSVN. It would be helpful if someone familiar with command line
>>> svn provided an equivalent set of instructions for command line users.
>>>
>>> I'm trying to restrict the process to things we can do right away, so we
>>> can get started on 1.35.0.
>> 
>> I don't think I see the answers to the below question that I've previous
>> posted:
>> 
>> 1. The procedure for merging to release-ready tree needs
>> more details -- if the procedure is painful, then authors just
>> won't merge anything.
> 
> Yes, the easier the procedure is, the better.
> 
> We are strongly urging developers to become familiar with synmerge.py,
> and use it to simplify branch management See
> http://www.orcaware.com/svn/wiki/Svnmerge.py.
> 
> Incidentally, Subversion 1.5 will build in the functionality of
> svnmerge.py.

1. For the branch layout that is proposed, you don't need svnmerge,
a scrap of paper, of a wiki page, or a manually maintained property
will work just fine. 

2. What made you think that SVN 1.5 will be compatible with svnmerge
in any way? Importantly, I can find any indication that properties
set by svnmerge can be of direct use to SVN 1.5. I'd be happy to
be proved wrong, BTW.

>> Say a great new feature is developed on trunk, but
>> causes regression on a obscure platform. Author failed
>> to fix that regression after reasonable effect, and platform
>> experts failed as well. Can this change go to release tree still?
> 
> Sure, as long as it is marked up as an expected failure. There are no
> plans to change the markup procedures for failing tests AFAIK.

Ok, this makes sense.

>> 2. Say Boost 1.35 is released. Week later, a big source-incompatible
>> change to some library is merged to release-ready tree. Week later, a
>> serious bug is found in another library. Is there a place where that bug
>> can be fixed? Release-ready tree already has source-incompatible change
>> to other library? In other words -- from which tree is 1.35.1 going to be
>> released?
> 
> Up to the release manager, perhaps after discussion on the. Between the
> way we tag releases and the facilities of Subversion, the release
> manager will be able to start from wherever is best. My guess is the the
> starting point is always the prior release, so the just merged change
> gets moved aside until the next 1.36.0 release.

"Moved aside" means "reverted"? They are already on release branch. This seems
weird, this means the work spend merging to release branch is wasted.

>> 3. Even assuming release-ready tree haven't got any big changes --
>> what is the planned procedure for fixing issues discovered on
>> release-ready tree? Trunk might be in the middle on the next big change,
>> so a fix can either (1) be made on brunch and then merged, or (2) be made
>> on release-ready tree directly. (1) requires on-demand testing of
>> branches. Is (2) the way to go?
> 
> Release manager decides. (1) is preferred because it minimizes change of
> release branch becoming unstable, but (2) may be acceptable to the
> release manager if working copy testing has been extensive enough.

Okay.
 
>> Concerning (1), your definition of release ready will prevent merge if
>> there even a single regression.
> 
> I'll change the wording to make it clear markups are still allowed.
> 
>> And (2)-(3) are not addressed at all, as far as I see.
> 
> We don't have to have procedures in place for every possible
> contingency. Let's get started on a release; we can refine procedures as
> experience dictates.

Well, to get started on a release you only have to find a release manager,
and create a release branch. The rest of this discussion, such as how to
name directories, can well happen in parallel with 1.35 release process.

- Volodya