docs/internals/release-HOWTO.txt

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TODO list when doing a Valgrind release (with release number "X.Y.Z")
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First of all:

- Tell valgrind-developers you want to do a release.  Give a timeframe for
  everyone to check in any final features/bug-fixes they want in the
  release.

- Go over the docs, make sure they're up to date.

- Update version number and date in docs/xml/vg-entities.xml.  (Exact
  release date probably won't be known yet, updating it is in the list below
  of tasks for the official release.)

- Write release notes, add to NEWS.  Include a list of fixed bugs from
  Bugzilla.  It's unclear how to do this consistently.  The approach
  taken for 3.0.0 was to go to this page in KDE's bugzilla:
     http://bugs.kde.org/query.cgi
  and to create a search where
     "Status and severity" / Status field is set to RESOLVED
  and
     "Involved People" / Email, bug-owner contains "jseward"
  since I believe jseward@acm.org is the owner of all bugs.
  This creates a long list of bugs which does not conveniently stop 
  at the previous release.  Work backwards through this list until
  either (1) you run out of patience, or (2) most of the bugs seem
  to pertain to previous releases and are now irrelevant.  In short
  this is not a very scientific or robust way to collect up all
  bugs fixed since last time.

- Other files that might need updating:  README, README_DEVELOPERS,
  README_PACKAGERS.

- Add X.Y.Z and X.Y.Z.SVN versions to Bugzilla (ask Dirk to do it)

- If there are any binary incompatible tool API changes against the last
  stable release, ensure that VG_CORE_INTERFACE_VERSION in
  include/pub_tool_tooliface.h has been increased since the last release.


For each release candidate (should do release candidates for big releases,
bug-fix-only releases might not need one):

- Do pre-release testing:
  - Make sure regtests run ok on all platforms of interest.
  - Make sure Mozilla and OpenOffice run ok on all platforms of interest.

- Change release number in AC_INIT() in configure.in to "X.Y.Z-rcN", where
  'N' is the release candidate number.

- Make the tarball ("make dist") and put it on the web somewhere (it doesn't
  have to be on valgrind.org if another site is easier).

- Ensure the tarball builds, runs, regtests on the platforms of interest.
  However redundant this seems, sometimes it can be that a from-the-repo
  build works whereas a from-the-tarball one doesn't, usually due to some
  trivial installation problem.

- Announce the release:
  - Email valgrind-users and valgrind-developers (but not valgrind-announce).  
  - Make clear it's a release candidate.  
  - Make sure you tell everyone where to download from.
  - Include the release notes in the email (maybe not necessary for release
    candidates 2+).

- Wait 2--3 days for feedback.  If bugs appear:
  - Fix them.
  - Update the bug-fix list in NEWS if necessary.
  - Do another release candidate.


For the official release:

- Again, update date in docs/xml/vg-entities.xml for the official release
  date.

- Do pre-release testing:
  - Make sure regtests run ok on all platforms of interest.
  - Make sure Mozilla and OpenOffice run ok on all platforms of interest.

- Change release number in AC_INIT() in configure.in to "X.Y.Z".

- Make the tarball ("make dist").

- Check tarball builds, installs, regtests on platforms of interest.
  If not, fix and repeat until success.

- Tag the repositories ("VALGRIND_X_Y_Z" and "VEX_X_Y_Z").
  If it's a X.Y.0 release, make "VALGRIND_X_Y_BRANCH" and "VEX_X_Y_BRANCH"
  branches too.
  
- Update website: 
  - Put the tarball up.
  - Update the docs -- both the tarball'd docs, and the online-readable docs.
  - Update www.valgrind.org/downloads/source_code.html.  
  - Update www.valgrind.org/downloads/archive.html.  
  - Put the release notes at www.valgrind.org/info/release-notes-X.Y.Z.txt.
  - Add a news item to the front page and also to valgrind.org/info/news.html.
    Include a link to the release notes.
  - Update the "release-date" and "release-version" in php/.htconfx.
  - Other pages that might need updating:  devel/cvs_svn.html.

- Change release number in AC_INIT() in configure.in to "X.Y.Z.SVN", where
  X.Y.Z is one more than the release just done.

- Add a new section to docs/internals/X_Y_BUGSTATUS.txt.

- Announce the release:
  - Email valgrind-users, valgrind-developers, and valgrind-announce.
  - Email Linux Weekly News.
  - Include the release notes in the email.

- Go on holiday.