New sticky HOW TO REPORT BUGS topic needed

[jamerlan]

Hi to all!

We currently have "How to report bugs" topic. But it contains lots of messages and does not have some useful information.

I propose to unlock that thread and create new clear and locked post (withoout any replays) about "how to report bugs".

For example: I know that linux users should use debug info to report crashes correctly. But I allways forgot how to do that and I need to search forum for that and read many posts. So this info should be locaten in one place.

//////////////////////////////////////////////
example of such post
/////////////////////////////////////////////
Before reporting a bug, it's usually a good idea to check the FAQ and this forum to see if anyone else has already encountered something similar.
If you are unsure whether or not something is a bug, you can always create a thread in this forum to discuss it.

If the problem indeed seems to be a genuine bug, the best way to get developer attention is to post detailed information about it in the Spring bugtracker. We have recently switched over to the Mantis bugtracker, and it can be found here(http://springrts.com/mantis/)

When reporting a crashbug always include:
1. detailed instructions on how to reproduce the bug (give as much information as you can)
2. attach infolog.txt from your spring directory to forum thread or mantis bugreport

-----------------------------------------
If your spring crashed under linux, you need to gather additional information to help developers to fix this bug.

You need to install the debug-symbols for spring "spring-dbg" (ubuntu-package) or "spring-debuginfo" (fedora package).
The debug-symbols are only useful if you use gdb (linu console debugger). So, to get a more useful stacktrace when it crashed: don't press ok on the "Spring has crashed" dialog box.
To attach gdb to the running spring, you've to first get the pid:
Code:
ps aux|grep spring
abma 2586 10.6 6.9 1058856 282028 ? Sl 13:13 10:49 /usr/lib/firefox-10.0.2/firefox http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.ph ... 8&e=516598
abma 4439 14.8 6.0 480956 245584 pts/0 S+ 14:54 0:09 spring
abma 4455 0.4 0.5 278152 20932 pts/0 S+ 14:54 0:00 zenity --title Spring crashed? --error --text Spring has crashed:?Segmentation fault (SIGSEGV).??A stacktrace has been written to:? /var/tmp/home/.spring/infolog.txt?
abma 4482 0.0 0.0 10764 872 pts/1 S+ 14:55 0:00 grep spring

here it is 4439, then attach gdb to the running process:

Code:
sudo gdb -p 4439


then with "bt" or "bt full" you get a similar (but much more useful) output like in infolog.txt. without the debug symbols, no line info is shown.

[SinbadEV]

+1 to this idea!

First there should be a boilerplate "give us all the details you can!" type dealybob... OS version, Video Card and driver version, system specs (CPU/cores, RAM, etc.) and affected map and game... what other maps and games you've tried... etc... crash/game logs and how to post them.

I think that maybe it would be best to have an answer for Windows, OSX and Linux (first post would be a "table of contents" with links to the other posts...)

Would be best if early on you help people make the distinction between maps, games, widgets, lobby and engine issues... have some known good maps and games to try and how to disable widgets etc... details on this stuff should probably be in the FAQ but a "You'll want to narrow down the problem by..." then a list of links to some other place...

[jamerlan]

OS version, Video Card and driver version, system specs (CPU/cores, RAM, etc.) and affected map and game...

infolog.txt contains this information

[SinbadEV]

OS version, Video Card and driver version, system specs (CPU/cores, RAM, etc.) and affected map and game...

infolog.txt contains this information

OK. I thought that might be the case... the rest of the stuff I said stand though... right?

[jamerlan]

OK. I thought that might be the case... the rest of the stuff I said stand though... right?

true

[SwiftSpear]

I'll go through with something similar to this if I get some developer support from it, as ultimately it's them that have to wrangle the bug-tracker, not I.

[knorke]

yes, there are too many stickies and too longwinded too.

imo http://www.springrts.com/wiki/Bugscovers everything?
(the text is similiar to what you posted.)
if not, please add it so all stickies can be removed and replaced with link to this?

[abma]

http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=25547 should cover all points..?! (added "bugs")

[jamerlan]

http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=25547 should cover all points..?! (added "bugs")

It does not have info about linux debug symbols etc. I created this post with idea to add such info. Because:

For example: I know that linux users should use debug info to report crashes correctly. But I allways forgot how to do that and I need to search forum for that and read many posts. So this info should be locaten in one place.

[abma]

So this info should be locaten in one place.

put it on the wiki! the forum is a really bad place for that... knorke already wrote that...