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 sup-
       port site.  In most cases the correct site will be the  default.   This
       argument  indicates the support site which is responsible for the cate-
       gory 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 Manage-
       ment 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, citing 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 categories to identify
       the problem area.  (Use `cvsbug -L' to see a list of categories.)

       The cvsbug template at your site should already be customized with your
       submitter-id  (running `install-sid submitter-id' to accomplish this is
       part of the installation 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 contains a com-
              plete 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.

       -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 variable 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 submitter-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 following 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  acknowledgement.  It  consists of category, 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 automat-
          ically.

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

       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 Reporting 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  support  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 versions of  this
       manual  under  the  conditions  for verbatim copying, provided that the
       entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a  per-
       mission notice identical to this one.

       Permission  is granted to copy and distribute translations of this man-
       ual into another language, under the above conditions for modified ver-
       sions,  except  that this permission notice may be included in transla-
       tions approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in the origi-
       nal English.




February 1993                      xVERSIONx                         CVSBUG(8)
