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.
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.
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-maint-mailcontrol.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.
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).
35 <h1>Commands available only at the control mailserver</h1>
39 <dt><code>close</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
41 <dd>Close $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var>.
43 <p>A notification is sent to the user who reported the $gBug, but (in
44 contrast to mailing <var>bugnumber</var><code>-done@$gEmailDomain</code>) the
45 text of the mail which caused the $gBug to be closed is <em>not</em>
46 included in that notification. The maintainer who closes a report
47 should ensure, probably by sending a separate message, that the user
48 who reported the $gBug knows why it is being closed.
50 <dt><code>reassign</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>package</var>
52 <dd>Records that $gBug #<var>${gBug}number</var> is a $gBug in <var>package</var>.
53 This can be used to set the package if the user forgot the
54 pseudo-header, or to change an earlier assignment. No notifications
55 are sent to anyone (other than the usual information in the processing
58 <dt><code>reopen</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
59 [ <var>originator-address</var> | <code>=</code> | <code>!</code> ]
61 <dd>Reopens #<var>bugnumber</var> if it is closed.
63 <p>By default, or if you specify <code>=</code>, the original submitter is
64 still as the originator of the report, so that they will get the ack
65 when it is closed again.
67 <p>If you supply an <var>originator-address</var> the originator will be
68 set to the address you supply. If you wish to become the new
69 originator of the reopened report you can use the <code>!</code>
70 shorthand or specify your own email address.
72 <p>It is usually a good idea to tell the person who is about to be
73 recorded as the originator that you're reopening the report, so that
74 they will know to expect the ack which they'll get when it is closed
77 <p>If the $gBug is not closed then reopen won't do anything, not even
78 change the originator. There is no way to change the originator of an
79 open $gBug report (this is deliberate, so that you can't have a $gBug be
80 closed and then deleted $gRemoveAge days later without someone being told about
83 <dt><code>forwarded</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>address</var>
85 <dd>Notes that <var>bugnumber</var> has been forwarded to the upstream
86 maintainer at <var>address</var>. This does not actually forward the
87 report. This can be used to change an existing incorrect forwarded-to
88 address, or to record a new one for a $gBug that wasn't previously noted
89 as having been forwarded.
91 <dt><code>notforwarded</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
93 <dd>Forgets any idea that <var>bugnumber</var> has been forwarded to any
94 upstream maintainer. If the $gBug was not recorded as having been
95 forwarded then this will do nothing.
97 <dt><code>retitle</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>new-title</var>
99 <dd>Changes the title of a $gBug report to that specified (the default is
100 the <code>Subject</code> mail header from the original report.
102 <p>Unlike most of the other $gBug-manipulation commands when used on one of
103 a set of merged reports this will change the title of only the
104 individual $gBug requested, and not all those with which it is merged.
106 <dt><code>severity</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>severity</var>
108 <dd>Set the severity level for $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var> to
109 <var>severity</var>. No notification is sent to the user who reported
112 <p>For <a href="Developer.html#severities">their meanings</a> please
113 consult the general developers' documentation for the $gBug system.
115 <dt><code>merge</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>bugnumber</var> ...
117 <dd>Merges two or more $gBug reports. When reports are merged opening,
118 closing, marking or unmarking as forwarded and reassigning any of the
119 $gBugs to a new package will have an identical effect on all of the
122 <p>Before $gBugs can be merged they must be in exactly the same state:
123 either all open or all closed, with the same forwarded-to upstream
124 author address or all not marked as forwarded, and all assigned to the
125 same package or package(s) (an exact string comparison is done on the
126 package to which the $gBug is assigned). If they don't start out in the
127 same state you should use <code>reassign</code>, <code>reopen</code>
128 and so forth to make sure that they are before using
131 <p>If any of the $gBugs listed in a <code>merge</code> command is already
132 merged with another $gBug then all the reports merged with any of the
133 ones listed will all be merged together. Merger is like equality: it
134 is reflexive, transitive and symmetric.
136 <p>Merging reports causes a note to appear on each report's logs; on the
137 WWW pages this is includes links to the other $gBugs.
139 <p>Merged reports are all expired simultaneously, and only when all of
140 the reports each separately meet the criteria for expiry.
142 <dt><code>unmerge</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
144 <dd>Disconnects a $gBug report from any other reports with which it may have
145 been merged. If the report listed is merged with several others then
146 they are all left merged with each other; only their associations with
147 the $gBug explicitly named are removed.
149 <p>If many $gBug reports are merged and you wish to split them into two
150 separate groups of merged reports you must unmerge each report in one
151 of the new groups separately and then merge them into the required new
154 <p>You can only unmerge one report with each <code>unmerge</code>
155 command; if you want to disconnect more than one $gBug simply include
156 several <code>unmerge</code> commands in your message.
158 <dt><code>tags</code> <var>bugnumber</var> [ <code>+</code> | <code>-</code> | <code>=</code> ] <var>tag</var>
160 <dd>Sets a particular tag for the $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var> to
161 <var>tag</var>. No notification is sent to the user who reported the $gBug.
162 <code>+</code> means adding, <code>-</code> means subtracting, and
163 <code>=</code> means ignoring the current tags and setting them afresh.
164 The default action is adding.
166 <p>Available tags currently include <code>patch</code>, <code>wontfix</code>,
167 <code>moreinfo</code>, <code>unreproducible</code>, <code>fixed</code>,
168 and <code>stable</code>.
170 <p>For <a href="Developer.html#tags">their meanings</a> please consult the
171 general developers' documentation for the $gBug system.
179 <li><a href="./">$gBug tracking system main contents page.</a>
180 <li><a href="Reporting.html">Instructions for reporting $gBugs.</a>
181 <li><a href="Access.html">Accessing the $gBug tracking logs other than by WWW.</a>
182 <li><a href="Developer.html">Developers' information regarding the $gBug processing system.</a>
183 <li><a href="server-request.html">Fundamentals of the mailserver and commands for retrieving $gBugs.</a>
184 <li><a href="server-refcard.html">Mailservers' reference card.</a>
185 <li><a href="db/ix/full.html">Full list of outstanding and recent $gBug reports.</a>
186 <li><a href="db/ix/packages.html">Packages with $gBug reports.</a>
187 <li><a href="db/ix/maintainers.html">Maintainers of packages with $gBug reports.</a>