SENDBUG(1)                 OpenBSD Reference Manual                 SENDBUG(1)

NAME
     sendbug - report a bug in OpenBSD

SYNOPSIS
     sendbug [-LPV] [--version]

DESCRIPTION
     sendbug is a tool used to submit problem reports (PRs) to the OpenBSD
     bugs database.  sendbug invokes an editor on a problem report template
     (after filling in some fields with reasonable default values).  When you
     exit the editor, sendbug sends the completed form to the OpenBSD bugs
     database.  The PR will be assigned a unique number and stored in the bugs
     database according to its category.  An automatic reply will be sent with
     an acknowledgement, citing the category and the PR number.

     The bugs database can be queried using the online bug tracking system
     available at http://www.openbsd.org/query-pr.html.  This allows users to
     search for PRs based on either their PR number or content.

     To ensure that a PR is handled promptly, it should specify one of the
     available categories to identify the problem area.  Use sendbug -L to see
     a list of categories.

     The more precise your problem description and the more complete your in-
     formation, the faster the OpenBSD team will be able to solve your prob-
     lem.

     The options are as follows:

     -L      Print the list of available categories.  No mail is sent.

     -P      Print the form specified by the environment variable PR_FORM on
             standard output.  If PR_FORM is not set, print the standard blank
             PR template.  No mail is sent.

     -V      Display the sendbug version number.

     --version
             Same as -V.

     Note: Use sendbug to submit problem reports rather than mailing them di-
     rectly.  Using both the template and sendbug itself will help ensure all
     necessary information will reach the OpenBSD bugs database.

ENVIRONMENT
     EDITOR   Specifies the editor to invoke on the template.  The default ed-
              itor is /usr/bin/vi.

     PR_FORM  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 following guidelines:

     o   Describe only one problem per problem report.

     o   For follow-up mail, use the same subject line as the one in the auto-
         matic acknowledgement.  It consists of category, PR number and the
         original synopsis line.  This allows the bugs database to relate sev-
         eral mail messages to a particular PR and to record them automatical-
         ly.

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

     o   The content of the PR is not confidential; it is sent out to a public
         mailing list.  Sensitive, security-related issues should be sent via
         email to <security@OpenBSD.org>.

HOW TO SUBMIT TEST CASES, CODE, ETC.
     Submit small code samples with the PR.  Contact <bugs@OpenBSD.org> for
     instructions on submitting larger test cases and problematic source code.

FILES
     /tmp/p.XXXXXXXXXX     copy of PR used in editing session
     /tmp/pf.XXXXXXXXXX    copy of empty PR form (testing purposes)
     /tmp/pbad.XXXXXXXXXX  file for rejected PRs

AUTHORS
     Jeffrey Osier, Brendan Kehoe, Jason Merrill, and Heinz G. Seidl (Cygnus
     Support).

                               February 27, 2003                             2
