How to contribute to Open Source on Ubuntu
Last night I did a presentation for the OSU Open Source club on how to contribute to Open Source software, and here are my notes / commands:
1. Search in Bugzilla, then make a post:
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=392431
2. Download the source code:
## You only have to run this command once, not every time
# Install compiler + tools
sudo apt-get install build-essential fakeroot vim-full dpkg-dev
# Install compiler + tools
sudo apt-get install build-essential fakeroot vim-full dpkg-dev
# Get the source, Luke!
apt-get source gnome-applets && sudo apt-get build-dep gnome-applets
3. Edit the code:
# Builds index of methods, constants, classes, etc
ctags -R .
ctags -R .
# Use Control-], (Control-w, ]), and Ctrl-T to find definitions of functions in gVim
gvim
4. Create and test a patch:
To test:
# Installs app to /usr/local
./autogen.sh –prefix=/usr/local && make && sudo make install
./autogen.sh –prefix=/usr/local && make && sudo make install
# Removes everything that was installed
sudo make uninstall && make distclean
To build and install packages:
# Build Debian / Ubuntu package
dpkg-buildpackages -rfakeroot
dpkg-buildpackages -rfakeroot
# Install it
sudo dpkg -i *.deb
To make a patch:
# Remove intermediate files
cd [The top directory]
sudo debian/rules clean
cd [The top directory]
sudo debian/rules clean
# Make the patch
diff -ur gnome-applets-orig gnome-applets-modified > the-fix.patch
# Check for errors / clean up extra lines that aren’t needed
vim the-fix.patch
5. Send the patch back!
Tips:
- Make patches clean and only do one thing, don’t clean up other misc. mistakes
- Follow indentation rules (tab sizes, spacing, etc)
- Read ./HACKING first and follow their naming conventions
- Test your patch first!
Nice blog.
Added in my feeds reader.
Category: programming and linux.
Juan
17 Jan 07 at 4:32 pm