xref: /netbsd-src/external/gpl3/binutils.old/dist/binutils/README-how-to-make-a-release (revision e7ac2a8b5bd66fa2e050809de09a075c36a7014d)
1		README for MAKING BINUTILS RELEASES
2
3This is a collection of notes on how to perform a binutils release.  A
4lot of this information can also be found in the maintain.texi file in
5the gnulib project:
6
7  https://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/
8
9It is useful to have a cloned copy of the sources of this project as
10it also contains an upload script used to install tarballs on the GNU
11FTP server.
12
13Make sure that you have upload authority on sourceware and fencepost.
14Beware - this is an involved process and can take weeks to complete.
15See the maintain.texi file for details on how to obtain these
16permissions.
17
18-------------------------------------------------
19How to perform a release.
20-------------------------------------------------
21
22  1. Send an email out warning contributors about the forthcoming
23     branch.  Set a date for the branch (weekends are better because
24     they are less busy).
25
26  2. When the branch date is near:  Update the libiberty and config
27     directories and the top level configure files.
28
29  3. When branch day arrives add markers for the upcoming release to
30     gas, ld, gold and binutils NEWS files.
31       [If using the make-prerelease.sh script, check that
32        common.sh has the right values].
33       [make-prelease.sh command i]
34     Likewise for all of the ChangeLog files.
35     Add a note of the name of the new branch to binutils/BRANCHES.
36     Commit these changes.
37       [make-prerelease.sh command C]
38
39  4. Create the release branch using:
40
41	git tag -a binutils-2_30-branch   [e.g. for the 2.30 branch...]
42        git push --tags origin binutils-2_30-branch
43
44  5. Update "BINUTILS_BRANCH" in gdbadmin's crontab:
45
46     Log in as gdbadmin on sourceware.org, and then:
47
48        $ cd crontab
49        $ vi crontab
50        [change BINUTILS_BRANCH]
51        $ cvs ci crontab
52        $ crontab crontab
53
54     If you do not have access to this account, please feel free to
55     ask Joel Brobecker <brobecker AT adacore DOT com>.
56
57  6. Update bfd/configure and bfd/configure.ac on HEAD to indicate
58     snapshot of the following release.
59       [make-prerelease.sh command hv + C]
60
61  7. Rename the current HEAD version entry in Bugzilla, and create a
62     new one.  E.g. rename "2.30 (HEAD)" to 2.30, and create "2.31
63     (HEAD)":
64
65        https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editversions.cgi?product=binutils
66
67  8. Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 for the mainline and
68     the branch.  The mainline should have the minor number
69     incremented, but the branch only needs the point value set to 90
70     as the release has not actually happened yet.
71
72     Regenerate various files on both branch and HEAD by configuring
73     with --enable-maintainer-mode.  NB/ Remember to build gold and
74     gprof.  Commit the changes.  Make sure that this includes the
75     .pot files as well as the configure and makefiles.
76
77  9. Create an initial prerelease:
78
79     a. Change the version on the branch (bfd/version.m4), regenerate
80        the files, and check this in.
81
82     b. Create a source tarball of the branch sources:
83
84           ./src-release -x binutils
85
86     c. Build a test target using this tarball.
87
88     d. Upload the prerelease snapshot to the FTP:
89
90          scp ../binutils-$version.tar.xz sourceware.org:~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots
91          ssh sourceware.org md5sum ~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-$version.tar.xz
92
93  10. Send it to the Translation Project:
94
95        http://translationproject.org/html/maintainers.html
96
97      Sending mail for one of the POT files is sufficient.
98
99  11. Announce the availability of the snapshot and the branch on the
100      binutils mailing list.  Set a date for when the release will
101      actually happen.  Something like:
102        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
103        Hi Everyone,
104
105          The 2.XX branch has now been created:
106
107             git clone git://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-2_XX-branch 2.XX
108
109          A snapshot of the sources is also available here:
110
111            ftp://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-2.XX.0.tar.xz
112
113          Please could all patches for the branch be run by me.
114          The rules for the branch are:
115
116            * No new features.
117            * Target specific bug fixes are OK.
118            * Generic bug fixes are OK if they are important and widely tested.
119            * Documentation updates/fixes are OK.
120            * Translation updates are OK.
121            * Fixes for testsuite failures are OK.
122
123          Ideally I would like to make the release happen in two weeks time,
124          i.e. Saturday 27th Jan.  Which I hope will be enough time for everyone
125          to get their final fixes in.
126        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
127
128  12. Build various different toolchains, test them and nag
129      maintainers to fix any testsuite failures for their
130      architectures...
131
132
133When the time comes to actually make the release....
134
135
136  20. Make sure that the branch sources still build, test and install
137      correctly.
138
139  21. Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 on the release
140      branch to a whole new minor version number, without a point
141      value.  Eg "2.29.90" becomes "2.30".  Change bfd/development.sh
142      to set the value to "false".  Regenerate the configure and
143      makefiles.  Add changelog entries for the updates and add a
144      "this-is-the-2.XX-release" commit and commit.  Make sure to
145      include the .gmo files.
146
147  22. Check that your file creation mask will create the
148      correct file permissions.  Eg:
149
150	    umask 022
151
152  23. Create the release tarballs:
153
154            ./src-release -b -g -l -x binutils
155
156  24. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
157      permissions.  FIXME: The tarballs will contain spurious
158      autom4te.cache directories which could be removed to reduce
159      their size.
160
161  25. Sanity check the release on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu by building and
162      running the testsuite.  Make the source directory read-only
163      before building.  Also test "make install".  If necessary fix
164      any problems.
165
166  26. Tag the branch with the new release number:
167
168            git tag -a binutils-2_XX
169	      [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
170	    git push origin binutils-2_XX
171
172        NB/ If you do sign the binaries make sure to use a key
173	that has been published with the FSF.
174
175  27. Clean up the source tree.  (Use "git status" to find new
176      files, and remove them).
177
178  28. Edit bfd/development.sh on the branch and set
179      "development=true".  Also bump the version by adding a trailing
180      .0, so that the date suffix keeps the version lower than the
181      trunk version.  Regenerate files.  Commit these changes.
182
183  29. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
184
185       gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-X.XX.tar.*
186
187      The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
188
189      Check for an email response from the upload.  If necessary
190      fix any problems.
191
192  30. Upload the tarballs (and signatures) to sourceware.org:
193
194       sftp sourceware.org
195         cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
196 	 put binutils-X.XX.tar.*
197 	 chmod 644 binutils-X.XX.tar.*
198	 quit
199
200      FIXME: Should the signatures (created by the gnupload script in
201      step 29) be uploaded as well ?
202
203  31. Update web pages.  For sourceware.org:
204
205      Create a new documentation folder on the sourceware.org web
206      pages as /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils/docs-X.XX.
207      Make the html documentation locally with the "make html" command
208      and then upload and rename the directories as needed.  Create an
209      index.html file and then edit the docs link to point to the new
210      docs-X.XX directory.
211
212      Update the sourceware.org site to point to the new documentation
213      and  mention the new version.
214
215      For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
216      and ask them to make the change(s).
217
218  32. Send emails to binutils@sourceware.org, info-gnu@gnu.org and
219      David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
220      Sign the email and include the checksum.
221      (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
222      social media).  Something like this:
223      ------------------------------------------------------------------------
224        Hi Everyone,
225
226        We are pleased to announce that version 2.XX of the Binutils project
227        sources have been released and are now available for download at:
228
229          https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
230          https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
231
232          checksums: xxxx
233
234       This release contains numerous bug fixes, and also the
235       following new features:
236
237          <extract info from the NEWS files>
238
239       Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
240       present, for helping to make this release possible.
241
242      --------------------------------------------------------------------------
243
244-------------------------------------------------
245How to perform a point release.
246-------------------------------------------------
247
248A point release is easier than a normal release since a lot of the
249work has already been done.  The branch has been created, the
250translations updated and the documentation uploaded.  So the procedure
251looks like this:
252
253  0. Decide that a point release is necessary.
254
255     Usually this only happens when a sufficient number of serious
256     bugs have been found and fixed since the previous release, and a
257     new official release is not imminent.
258
259  1. Tell the community that a point release is happening.  Ask
260     maintainers to ensure that their ports are up to date on the
261     release branch.  Ask the community if there are any bug fixes
262     which are missing from the branch.  Allow some time for the
263     responses to this step.
264
265  2. Make sure that the branch sources build, test and install
266     correctly.
267
268  2.5 Prepare a list of the bugs which have been fixed.  This
269      will be needed for step 8.
270
271  3. In the branch sources:
272
273       a. Update the minor release number in bfd/version.m4.
274       b. Edit bfd/development.sh and set "development=false".
275       c. Regenerate the configure files.
276       d. Commit the updates along with a "this-is-the-2.XX.X-release"
277          note in all of the changelogs.
278       e. Tag the branch with the new release number:
279
280            git tag -a binutils-2_XX_X
281	      [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
282	    git push origin binutils-2_XX_X
283
284       f. Check that your file creation mask will create the
285          correct file permissions.  Eg:
286
287	    umask 022
288
289       g. Create the release tarballs:
290            ./src-release -b -g -l -x binutils
291
292       h. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
293          permissions.
294
295       i. Edit bfd/development.sh and set "development=true".
296       j. Commit this change into the git repository.
297       k. Clean up the source tree.  (Use "git status" to find new
298           files, and remove them).
299
300     FIXME: The tarballs will contain spurious autom4te.cache
301     directories which could be removed to reduce their size.
302
303  4. [If paranoid - upload the tarballs to one of the FTP servers and
304      ask people to test it before going on to step 5].
305
306  5. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
307
308       gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-X.XX.X.tar.*
309
310     The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
311
312  6. Upload the tarballs to sourceware.org:
313
314       sftp sourceware.org
315         cd /ftp/pub/binutils/releases
316 	 put binutils-X.XX.X.tar.*
317 	 chmod 644 binutils-X.XX.X.tar.*
318	 quit
319
320    FIXME: Should the signatures (created by the gnupload script in
321    step 5) be uploaded as well ?
322
323  7. Update web pages.  For sourceware.org:
324
325      * Log on to sourceware.org
326      * Go /www/htdocs/binutils
327      * Edit index.html
328
329      For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
330      and ask them to make the change(s).
331
332  8. Send an emails to the binutils list, info-gnu@gnu.org and
333     David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
334     (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
335     social media).  Something like this:
336------------------------------------------------------------------------
337Hi Everyone,
338
339  We are pleased to announce that version 2.XX.X of the Binutils project
340  sources have been released and are now available for download at:
341
342    https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
343    https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
344
345  This is a point release over the previous 2.XX version, containing bug
346  fixes but no new features.
347
348  Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
349  present, for helping to make this release possible.
350
351  Here is a list of the bugs that have been fixed:
352    xx
353    xx
354    xx
355    xx
356--------------------------------------------------------------------------
357
358
359Copyright (C) 2017-2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
360
361Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
362are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
363notice and this notice are preserved.
364