Bugs Database

We have a bugs database which is at: bugs.bacula.org, and as a developer you will need to respond to bugs, perhaps bugs in general if you have time, otherwise just bugs that correspond to code that you wrote.

If you need to answer bugs, please be sure to ask the Project Manager (currently Kern) to give you Developer access to the bugs database. This allows you to modify statuses and close bugs.

The first thing is if you want to take over a bug, rather than just make a note, you should assign the bug to yourself. This helps other developers know that you are the principal person to deal with the bug. You can do so by going into the bug and clicking on the Update Issue button. Then you simply go to the Assigned To box and select your name from the drop down box. To actually update it you must click on the Update Information button a bit further down on the screen, but if you have other things to do such as add a Note, you might wait before clicking on the Update Information button.

Generally, we set the Status field to either acknowledged, confirmed, or feedback when we first start working on the bug. Feedback is set when we expect that the user should give us more information.

Normally, once you are reasonably sure that the bug is fixed, and a patch is made and attached to the bug report, and/or in the SVN, you can close the bug. If you want the user to test the patch, then leave the bug open, otherwise close it and set Resolution to Fixed. We generally close bug reports rather quickly, even without confirmation, especially if we have run tests and can see that for us the problem is fixed. However, in doing so, it avoids misunderstandings if you leave a note while you are closing the bug that says something to the following effect: We are closing this bug because … If for some reason, it does not fix your problem, please feel free to reopen it, or to open a new bug report describing the problem”.

We do not recommend that you attempt to edit any of the bug notes that have been submitted, nor to delete them or make them private. In fact, if someone accidentally makes a bug note private, you should ask the reason and if at all possible (with his agreement) make the bug note public.

If the user has not properly filled in most of the important fields (platorm, OS, Product Version, …) please do not hesitate to politely ask him. Also, if the bug report is a request for a new feature, please politely send the user to the Feature Request menu item on www.bacula.org. The same applies to a support request (we answer only bugs), you might give the user a tip, but please politely refer him to the manual and the Getting Support page of www.bacula.org.

Possible Next Steps

Go back to Developer Notes.

Go back to Developer Guide.