


CVSBUG(8)                                               CVSBUG(8)


NAME
       cvsbug  -  send problem report (PR) about CVS to a central
       support site

SYNOPSIS
       cvsbug [ site ] [ -f problem-report ] [ -t mail-address ]
               [ -P ] [ -L ] [ --request-id ] [ -v ]

DESCRIPTION
       cvsbug 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).

       cvsbug  invokes  an  editor  on  a problem report template
       (after trying to  fill  in  some  fields  with  reasonable
       default  values).   When you exit the editor, cvsbug sends
       the completed form to the Problem Report Management System
       (GNATS)  at  a central support site.  At the support site,
       the PR is assigned a unique number and is  stored  in  the
       GNATS database according to its category and submitter-id.
       GNATS automatically replies with an acknowledgement,  cit-
       ing the category and the PR number.

       To ensure that a PR is handled promptly, it should contain
       your (unique) submitter-id and one of the available  cate-
       gories  to identify the problem area.  (Use `cvsbug -L' to
       see a list of categories.)

       The cvsbug template at your site should  already  be  cus-
       tomized   with  your  submitter-id  (running  `install-sid
       submitter-id' to accomplish this is part of the  installa-
       tion  procedures  for  cvsbug).  If this hasn't been done,
       see your system administrator for  your  submitter-id,  or
       request  one  from  your  support site by invoking `cvsbug
       --request-id'.  If your site does not distinguish  between
       different  user  sites,  or if you are not affiliated with
       the support site, use `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 (problem-report) which already  con-
              tains  a complete problem report.  cvsbug sends the
              contents of the file without invoking  the  editor.
              If the value for problem-report is `-', then cvsbug
              reads from standard input.





February 1993               xVERSIONx                           1





CVSBUG(8)                                               CVSBUG(8)


       -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 vari-
              able 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 submit-
              ter-id of net'.

       -v     Display the cvsbug version number.

       Note: use cvsbug to submit  problem  reports  rather  than
       mailing them directly.  Using both the template and cvsbug
       itself will help ensure  all  necessary  information  will
       reach the support site.

ENVIRONMENT
       The  environment  variable  EDITOR specifies the editor to
       invoke on the template.
       default: vi

       If the environment variable PR_FORM 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).

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 fol-
       lowing guidelines:

       o  describe only one problem with each problem report.

       o  For follow-up mail, use the same subject  line  as  the
          one in the automatic acknowledgent. It consists of cat-
          egory, 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.

       o  Please try to be as accurate as possible in the subject
          and/or synopsis line.




February 1993               xVERSIONx                           2





CVSBUG(8)                                               CVSBUG(8)


       o  The subject and the synopsis line are not confidential.
          This is because open-bugs lists are compiled from them.
          Avoid confidential information there.

       See  the GNU Info file cvsbug.info or the document Report-
       ing  Problems  With  cvsbug for  detailed  information  on
       reporting problems

HOW TO SUBMIT TEST CASES, CODE, ETC.
       Submit  small  code samples with the PR.  Contact the sup-
       port 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

INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION
       See INSTALL for installation instructions.

SEE ALSO
       gnats(l),  query-pr(1), edit-pr(1), gnats(8), queue-pr(8),
       at-pr(8), mkcat(8), mkdist(8).

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 ver-
       sions 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 con-
       ditions 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.









February 1993               xVERSIONx                           3


