1 $gControlHtml = <<HTML_END
2 <!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
5 <title>$gProject $gBug system - control mail server commands</title>
6 <link rev="made" href="mailto:$gMaintainerEmail">
10 <h1>Introduction to the $gBug control and manipulation mailserver</h1>
12 <p>In addition to the mailserver on <code>request\@$gEmailDomain</code>
13 which allows the retrieval of $gBug data and documentation by email,
14 there is another server on <code>control\@$gEmailDomain</code> which
15 also allows $gBug reports to be manipulated in various ways.</p>
17 <p>The control server works just like the request server, except that it
18 has some additional commands; in fact, it's the same program. The two
19 addresses are only separated to avoid users making mistakes and
20 causing problems while merely trying to request information.</p>
23 <a href="server-request.html#introduction">introduction to the request
24 server</a> available on the World Wide Web, in the file
25 <code>bug-log-mailserver.txt</code>, or by sending
26 <code>help</code> to either mailserver, for details of the basics of
27 operating the mailservers and the common commands available when
28 mailing either address.</p>
30 <p>The <a href="server-refcard.html">reference card</a> for the
31 mailservers is available via the WWW, in
32 <code>bug-mailserver-refcard.txt</code> or by email using the
33 <code>refcard</code> command.</p>
35 <h1>Commands available at the control mailserver</h1>
39 <dt><code>reassign</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>package</var>
40 [ <var>version</var> ]
42 <dd>Records that $gBug #<var>${gBug}number</var> is a $gBug in <var>package</var>.
43 This can be used to set the package if the user forgot the
44 pseudo-header, or to change an earlier assignment. No notifications
45 are sent to anyone (other than the usual information in the processing
48 <p>If you supply a <var>version</var>, the $gBug tracking system will note
49 that the $gBug affects that version of the newly-assigned package.
51 <dt><code>reopen</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
52 [ <var>originator-address</var> | <code>=</code> | <code>!</code> ]
54 <dd>Reopens #<var>bugnumber</var> if it is closed.
56 <p>By default, or if you specify <code>=</code>, the original submitter is
57 still as the originator of the report, so that they will get the ack
58 when it is closed again.
60 <p>If you supply an <var>originator-address</var> the originator will be
61 set to the address you supply. If you wish to become the new
62 originator of the reopened report you can use the <code>!</code>
63 shorthand or specify your own email address.
65 <p>It is usually a good idea to tell the person who is about to be
66 recorded as the originator that you're reopening the report, so that
67 they will know to expect the ack which they'll get when it is closed
70 <p>If the $gBug is not closed then reopen won't do anything, not even
71 change the originator. To change the originator of an open $gBug report,
72 use the <code>submitter</code> command; note that this will inform the
73 original submitter of the change.
75 <p>If the $gBug was recorded as being closed in a particular version of a
76 package but recurred in a later version, it is better to use the
77 <code>found</code> command instead.
79 <dt><code>found</code> <var>bugnumber</var> [ <var>version</var> ]
81 <dd>Record that #<var>bugnumber</var> has been encountered in the given
82 <var>version</var> of the package to which it is assigned.
84 <p>The $gBug tracking system uses this information, in conjunction with
85 fixed versions recorded when closing $gBugs, to display lists of $gBugs
86 open in various versions of each package. It considers a $gBug to be open
87 when it has no fixed version, or when it has been found more recently than
90 <p>If no <var>version</var> is given, then the list of fixed versions for
91 the $gBug is cleared. This is identical to the behaviour of
94 <p>This command will only cause a bug to be marked as not done if no
95 version is specified, or if the <var>version</var> being marked found
96 is equal to the <var>version</var> which was last marked fixed. (If
97 you are certain that you want the bug marked as not done,
98 use <code>reopen</code> in conjunction with <code>found</code>.</p>
100 <p>This command was introduced in preference to <code>reopen</code>
101 because it was difficult to add a <var>version</var> to that command's
102 syntax without suffering ambiguity.
104 <dt><code>notfound</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>version</var>
106 <dd>Remove the record that #<var>bugnumber</var> was encountered in the
107 given <var>version</var> of the package to which it is assigned.
109 <p>This differs from closing the $gBug at that version in that the $gBug
110 is not listed as fixed in that version either; no information about that
111 version will be known. It is intended for fixing mistakes in the record of
112 when a $gBug was found.
114 <dt><code>submitter</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
115 <var>originator-address</var> | <code>!</code>
117 <dd>Changes the originator of #<var>bugnumber</var> to
118 <var>originator-address</var>.
120 <p>If you wish to become the new originator of the report you can use
121 the <code>!</code> shorthand or specify your own email address.</p>
123 <p>While the <code>reopen</code> command changes the originator of other
124 bugs merged with the one being reopened, <code>submitter</code> does not
125 affect merged bugs.</p>
127 <dt><code>forwarded</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>address</var>
129 <dd>Notes that <var>bugnumber</var> has been forwarded to the upstream
130 maintainer at <var>address</var>. This does not actually forward the
131 report. This can be used to change an existing incorrect forwarded-to
132 address, or to record a new one for a $gBug that wasn't previously noted
133 as having been forwarded.
135 <dt><code>notforwarded</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
137 <dd>Forgets any idea that <var>bugnumber</var> has been forwarded to any
138 upstream maintainer. If the $gBug was not recorded as having been
139 forwarded then this will do nothing.
141 <dt><code>retitle</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>new-title</var>
143 <dd>Changes the title of a $gBug report to that specified (the default is
144 the <code>Subject</code> mail header from the original report).
146 <p>Unlike most of the other $gBug-manipulation commands when used on one of
147 a set of merged reports this will change the title of only the
148 individual $gBug requested, and not all those with which it is merged.
150 <dt><code>severity</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>severity</var>
152 <dd>Set the severity level for $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var> to
153 <var>severity</var>. No notification is sent to the user who reported
156 <p>For <a href="Developer.html#severities">their meanings</a> please
157 consult the general developers' documentation for the $gBug system.
159 <dt><code>clone</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>NewID</var> [ <var>new IDs</var> ... ]
161 <dd>The clone control command allows you to duplicate a $gBug report. It is
162 useful in the case where a single report actually indicates that multiple
163 distinct $gBugs have occurred. "<var>New IDs</var>" are negative numbers,
164 separated by spaces, which may be used in subsequent control commands to
165 refer to the newly duplicated $gBugs. A new report is generated for each
168 <p>Example usage:</p>
173 retitle -1 foo: foo sucks
175 retitle -2 bar: bar sucks when used with foo
179 retitle -3 foo: foo sucks
183 <dt><code>merge</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>bugnumber</var> ...
185 <dd>Merges two or more $gBug reports. When reports are merged opening,
186 closing, marking or unmarking as forwarded and reassigning any of the
187 $gBugs to a new package will have an identical effect on all of the
190 <p>Before $gBugs can be merged they must be in exactly the same state:
191 either all open or all closed, with the same forwarded-to upstream
192 author address or all not marked as forwarded, all assigned to the
193 same package or package(s) (an exact string comparison is done on the
194 package to which the $gBug is assigned), and all of the same severity.
195 If they don't start out in the same state you should use
196 <code>reassign</code>, <code>reopen</code> and so forth to make sure
197 that they are before using <code>merge</code>. Titles are not required
198 to match, and will not be affected by the merge.
200 <p>If any of the $gBugs listed in a <code>merge</code> command is already
201 merged with another $gBug then all the reports merged with any of the
202 ones listed will all be merged together. Merger is like equality: it
203 is reflexive, transitive and symmetric.
205 <p>Merging reports causes a note to appear on each report's logs; on the
206 WWW pages this includes links to the other $gBugs.
208 <p>Merged reports are all expired simultaneously, and only when all of
209 the reports each separately meet the criteria for expiry.
211 <dt><code>forcemerge</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>bugnumber</var> ...
212 <dd>Forcibly merges two or more $gBug reports. The first bug is
213 chosen as the master bug, and its seetings are assigned to the bugs
214 listed next in the command. See the text above for a description of
217 <dt><code>unmerge</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
219 <dd>Disconnects a $gBug report from any other reports with which it may have
220 been merged. If the report listed is merged with several others then
221 they are all left merged with each other; only their associations with
222 the $gBug explicitly named are removed.
224 <p>If many $gBug reports are merged and you wish to split them into two
225 separate groups of merged reports you must unmerge each report in one
226 of the new groups separately and then merge them into the required new
229 <p>You can only unmerge one report with each <code>unmerge</code>
230 command; if you want to disconnect more than one $gBug simply include
231 several <code>unmerge</code> commands in your message.
233 <dt><code>tags</code> <var>bugnumber</var> [ <code>+</code> | <code>-</code> | <code>=</code> ] <var>tag</var> [ <var>tag</var> ... ]
235 <dd>Sets tags for the $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var>. No notification
236 is sent to the user who reported the $gBug. Setting the action to
237 <code>+</code> means to add each given <var>tag</var>, <code>-</code>
238 means to remove each given <var>tag</var>, and <code>=</code> means to
239 ignore the current tags and set them afresh to the list provided. The
240 default action is adding.
242 <p>Example usage:</p>
245 # same as 'tags 123456 + patch'
248 # same as 'tags 123456 + help security'
249 tags 123456 help security
251 # add 'fixed' and 'pending' tags
252 tags 123456 + fixed pending
254 # remove 'unreproducible' tag
255 tags 123456 - unreproducible
257 # set tags to exactly 'moreinfo' and 'unreproducible'
258 tags 123456 = moreinfo unreproducible
261 <p>Available tags currently include <code>patch</code>, <code>wontfix</code>,
262 <code>moreinfo</code>, <code>unreproducible</code>, <code>help</code>,
263 <code>pending</code>, <code>fixed</code>, <code>security</code>,
264 <code>upstream</code>, <code>potato</code>, <code>woody</code>,
266 <code>sid</code> and <code>experimental</code>.
268 <p>For <a href="Developer.html#tags">their meanings</a> please consult the
269 general developers' documentation for the $gBug system.
271 <dt><code>block</code>|<code>unblock</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <code>by</code>|<code>with</code> <var>bug</var> [ <var>bug</var> ... ]
273 <dd>Use to note that one bug blocks another bug from being fixed.
274 The first listed bug is the one being blocked, and it is followed
275 by the bug or bugs that are blocking it. Use <code>unblock</code>
278 <p>Example usage:</p>
281 # indicates that 7890 cannot be fixed until 123456 is fixed
283 # indicates that 7890 can be fixed before 123456 after all
284 unblock 7890 by 123456
287 <dt><code>close</code> <var>bugnumber</var> [ <var>fixed-version</var> ]
290 <dd>Close $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var>.
292 <p>A notification is sent to the user who reported the $gBug, but (in
293 contrast to mailing <var>bugnumber</var><code>-done@$gEmailDomain</code>) the
294 text of the mail which caused the $gBug to be closed is <strong>not</strong>
295 included in that notification. The maintainer who closes a report
296 should ensure, probably by sending a separate message, that the user
297 who reported the $gBug knows why it is being closed.
298 The use of this command is therefore deprecated.
300 <p>If you supply a <var>fixed-version</var>, the $gBug tracking system
301 will note that the $gBug was fixed in that version of the package.
303 <dt><code>package</code> [ <var>packagename</var> ... ]
305 <dd>Limits the following commands so that they will only apply to bugs
306 filed against the listed packages. You can list one or more packages. If
307 you don't list any packages, the following commands will apply to all
308 bugs. You're encouraged to use this as a safety feature in case you
309 accidentally use the wrong bug numbers.
311 <p>Example usage:</p>
315 reassign 123456 bar 1.0-1
318 retitle 123456 bar: bar sucks
319 severity 123456 normal
322 severity 234567 wishlist
325 <dt><code>owner</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>address</var> | <code>!</code>
327 <dd>Sets <var>address</var> to be the "owner" of #<var>bugnumber</var>.
328 The owner of a $gBug claims responsibility for fixing it.
329 This is useful to share out work in cases where a
330 package has a team of maintainers.
332 <p>If you wish to become the owner of the $gBug yourself, you can use the
333 <code>!</code> shorthand or specify your own email address.</p>
335 <dt><code>noowner</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
337 <dd>Forgets any idea that the $gBug has an owner other than the usual
338 maintainer. If the $gBug had no owner recorded then this will do nothing.
340 <dt><code>archive</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
342 <dd>Archives a $gBug that was previously archived if the $gBug
343 fulfills the requirements for archival, ignoring time.
345 <dt><code>unarchive</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
347 <dd>Unarchives a $gBug that was previously archived. Unarchival
348 should generally be coupled with reopen and found/fixed as
349 approprite. Bugs that have been unarchived can be archived using
350 archive assuming the non-time based archival requirements are met.
352 <dt><code>#</code>...
354 <dd>One-line comment. The <code>#</code> must be at the start of the line.
355 The text of comments will be included in the acknowledgement sent to the
356 sender and to affected maintainers, so you can use this to document the
357 reasons for your commands.
359 <dt><code>quit</code>
360 <dt><code>stop</code>
361 <dt><code>thank</code>
362 <dt><code>thanks</code>
363 <dt><code>thankyou</code>
364 <dt><code>thank you</code>
366 <!-- #366093, I blame you! -->
367 <!-- <dt><code>kthxbye</code> -->
368 <!-- See... I documented it! -->
370 <dd>On a line by itself, in any case, possibly followed by
371 whitespace, tells the control server to stop processing the
372 message; the remainder of the message can include explanations,
373 signatures or anything else, none of it will be detected by the
382 <li><a href="./">$gBug tracking system main contents page.</a>
383 <li><a href="Reporting.html">Instructions for reporting $gBugs.</a>
384 <li><a href="Access.html">Accessing the $gBug tracking logs other than by WWW.</a>
385 <li><a href="Developer.html">Developers' information regarding the $gBug processing system.</a>
386 <li><a href="server-request.html">Fundamentals of the mailserver and commands for retrieving $gBugs.</a>
387 <li><a href="server-refcard.html">Mailservers' reference card.</a>
388 <li><a href="db/ix/full.html">Full list of outstanding and recent $gBug reports.</a>
389 <li><a href="db/ix/packages.html">Packages with $gBug reports.</a>
390 <li><a href="db/ix/maintainers.html">Maintainers of packages with $gBug reports.</a>