X-Git-Url: https://pintos-os.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?a=blobdiff_plain;f=doc%2Fbugs.texi;h=3f96242687d486fb4b3f0174c311525e4c65d1ac;hb=69b31e124aff05df3492e6e6412c03c64e4e9d12;hp=96c1ed2227d0fd3d657cc6a41c9898669e4de7d6;hpb=620d94c8a41811d8dc8ba8a0f500896a9a894a18;p=pspp diff --git a/doc/bugs.texi b/doc/bugs.texi index 96c1ed2227..3f96242687 100644 --- a/doc/bugs.texi +++ b/doc/bugs.texi @@ -1,36 +1,137 @@ +@c PSPP - a program for statistical analysis. +@c Copyright (C) 2017, 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document +@c under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 +@c or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; +@c with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. +@c A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU +@c Free Documentation License". +@c @node Bugs @chapter Bugs @cindex bugs +@cindex troubleshooting -Occasionally users encounter problems with @pspp{}. -When such problems arise we do our best to fix them, but our limited -resources mean that certain issues may remain for some time. -If you discover a bug, please first: -@itemize @bullet -@item Try an up to date version of @pspp{}; it may be that the problem - has recently been fixed. -@item If the problem persists in the up to date version; check to see - if it has already been reported. -@item If the problem exists in a recent version and it has not already - been reported, please file a report. -@end itemize +Occasionally you may encounter a bug in @pspp{}. + +If you believe you have found a bug, please +make sure that it really is a bug. Sometimes, what may appear +to be a bug, turns out to be a misunderstanding of how to use the program. +If you are unsure, ask for advice on the pspp-users mailing list. +Information about the mailing list is at @uref{http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/pspp-users}. + +It is also valuable to try the newest version of @pspp{}, since the +problem may have already been fixed. You can always find the newest +version of PSPP by visiting @url{https://www.gnu.org/s/pspp, the PSPP +website}. You might have obtained PSPP from a downstream packager, +such as a GNU/Linux distribution; if your downstream package is not +up-to-date, please ask the distributor to update to the newest +version. + +If the problem persists in the up-to-date version, check to see if it +has already been reported. Reported issues are listed at +@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=pspp}. If it has already +been reported, you might consider adding a comment with additional +information or even just to mention that you are also experiencing the +problem, since the PSPP developers are often inclined to work on +issues that are important to a large number of users. + + For known issues in individual language features, see the relevant section in @pxref{Language}. + +If the problem exists in a recent version and it has not already +been reported, then please report it. -To see a list of reported bugs, visit @pspp{}'s project webpage at -@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=pspp} + +@section How to report bugs + +The best way to send a bug report is using the web page at +@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?group=pspp}. Alternatively, bug reports may be sent by email to @email{bug-gnu-pspp@@gnu.org}. -In your bug report please include: +A high-quality bug report allows the developers to understand, +reproduce, and ultimately fix the problem. We recommend +including the following: + @itemize @bullet -@item The version of @pspp{} which you are using. +@item +The version of @pspp{} in which you encountered the problem. It also +often helps to know some information about how @pspp{} was built. + +With @pspp{} command syntax, @code{SHOW SYSTEM.} will output +everything we ordinarily need. In the PSPPIRE GUI, +@clicksequence{Help @click{} System Info} produces the same output. + @item The operating system and type of computer on which it is running. + @item A sample of the syntax which causes the problem or, if it is a user interface problem, the sequence of steps required to reproduce it. -@item A description of what you think is wrong: What happened that you - didn't expect, and what did you expect to happen? + Screenshots can be helpful for reporting bugs in the graphical user + interface, especially since GUI bugs can arise on some systems but + not others, but they do not usually help fixing other kinds of bugs. + +@item A description of what you think is wrong: What happened that you + didn't expect, and what did you expect to happen? Include any error + messages that @pspp{} output. @end itemize -For known bugs in individual language features, see the documentation -for that feature. +Here is one example of a bug report that includes all of the elements above: + +@cartouche +@example +I'm running PSPP on a system where @code{SHOW SYSTEM.} outputs the +following: + +@psppoutput{show-system} + +The bug I'm seeing is that executing the following syntax: + + DATA LIST FREE /x *. + BEGIN DATA. + 1 2 3 + END DATA. + LIST. + +results in: + + 4 + 5 + 6 + +but I think the output should be: + + 1 + 2 + 3 +@end example +@end cartouche + +The following bug report, on the other hand, does not provide enough +information for PSPP developers to understand the problem. This means +that the developers cannot identify or fix the problem without +additional rounds of questions, which is more work for both the +reporter and the developer: + +@cartouche +@example +I downloaded the latest version of PSPP and entered a sequence of numbers, +but when I analyse them it gives the wrong output. +@end example +@end cartouche + +@pspp{} developers value all users' feedback, but cannot promise +an immediate response. The bug reporting is not a consultancy or +support service, although you can make private arrangements for such +services. Since @pspp{} is free software, consultants have access to +the information they need to provide such support. + +For general enquiries or help, please use the +@uref{http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/pspp-users, pspp-users +mailing list} instead of the bug mailing list or bug tracker. +The PSPP bug tracker and bug reporting mailing list are public. To +privately report a security vulnerability in GNU PSPP, please send +your report to the closed mailing list @email{pspp-security@@gnu.org}. +The PSPP developers will help you assess your report and fix problems +prior to public disclosure.