<p>In addition to the mailserver on <code>request\@$gEmailDomain</code>
which allows the retrieval of $gBug data and documentation by email,
there is another server on <code>control\@$gEmailDomain</code> which
-also allows $gBug reports to be manipulated in various ways.
+also allows $gBug reports to be manipulated in various ways.</p>
<p>The control server works just like the request server, except that it
has some additional commands; in fact, it's the same program. The two
addresses are only separated to avoid users making mistakes and
-causing problems while merely trying to request information.
+causing problems while merely trying to request information.</p>
<p>Please see the
<a href="server-request.html#introduction">introduction to the request
server</a> available on the World Wide Web, in the file
-<code>bug-maint-mailcontrol.txt</code>, or by sending
+<code>bug-log-mailserver.txt</code>, or by sending
<code>help</code> to either mailserver, for details of the basics of
operating the mailservers and the common commands available when
-mailing either address.
+mailing either address.</p>
<p>The <a href="server-refcard.html">reference card</a> for the
mailservers is available via the WWW, in
<code>bug-mailserver-refcard.txt</code> or by email using the
-<code>refcard</code> command).
+<code>refcard</code> command.</p>
-<h1>Commands available only at the control mailserver</h1>
+<h1>Commands available at the control mailserver</h1>
<dl>
-<dt><code>close</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
-
- <dd>Close $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var>.
-
- <p>A notification is sent to the user who reported the $gBug, but (in
- contrast to mailing <var>bugnumber</var><code>-done@$gEmailDomain</code>) the
- text of the mail which caused the $gBug to be closed is <em>not</em>
- included in that notification. The maintainer who closes a report
- should ensure, probably by sending a separate message, that the user
- who reported the $gBug knows why it is being closed.
-
<dt><code>reassign</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>package</var>
<dd>Records that $gBug #<var>${gBug}number</var> is a $gBug in <var>package</var>.
<dt><code>retitle</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>new-title</var>
<dd>Changes the title of a $gBug report to that specified (the default is
- the <code>Subject</code> mail header from the original report.
+ the <code>Subject</code> mail header from the original report).
<p>Unlike most of the other $gBug-manipulation commands when used on one of
a set of merged reports this will change the title of only the
<p>For <a href="Developer.html#severities">their meanings</a> please
consult the general developers' documentation for the $gBug system.
+<dt><code>clone</code> <var>bugnumber</var> [ <var>new IDs</var> ]
+
+ <dd>The clone control command allows you to duplicate a $gBug report. It is
+ useful in the case where a single report actually indicates that multiple
+ distinct $gBugs have occurred. "<var>New IDs</var>" are negative numbers,
+ separated by spaces, which may be used in subsequent control commands to
+ refer to the newly duplicated $gBugs. A new report is generated for each
+ new ID.
+
+ <p>Example usage:</p>
+
+ <pre>
+ clone 12345 -1 -2
+ reassign -1 foo
+ retitle -1 foo: foo sucks
+ reassign -2 bar
+ retitle -2 bar: bar sucks when used with foo
+ severity -2 wishlist
+ clone 123456 -2
+ reassign -2 foo
+ retitle -2 foo: foo sucks
+ merge -1 -2
+ </pre>
+
<dt><code>merge</code> <var>bugnumber</var> <var>bugnumber</var> ...
<dd>Merges two or more $gBug reports. When reports are merged opening,
<p>Before $gBugs can be merged they must be in exactly the same state:
either all open or all closed, with the same forwarded-to upstream
- author address or all not marked as forwarded, and all assigned to the
+ author address or all not marked as forwarded, all assigned to the
same package or package(s) (an exact string comparison is done on the
- package to which the $gBug is assigned). If they don't start out in the
- same state you should use <code>reassign</code>, <code>reopen</code>
- and so forth to make sure that they are before using
- <code>merge</code>.
+ package to which the $gBug is assigned), and all of the same severity.
+ If they don't start out in the same state you should use
+ <code>reassign</code>, <code>reopen</code> and so forth to make sure
+ that they are before using <code>merge</code>.
<p>If any of the $gBugs listed in a <code>merge</code> command is already
merged with another $gBug then all the reports merged with any of the
is reflexive, transitive and symmetric.
<p>Merging reports causes a note to appear on each report's logs; on the
- WWW pages this is includes links to the other $gBugs.
+ WWW pages this includes links to the other $gBugs.
<p>Merged reports are all expired simultaneously, and only when all of
the reports each separately meet the criteria for expiry.
The default action is adding.
<p>Available tags currently include <code>patch</code>, <code>wontfix</code>,
- <code>moreinfo</code>, <code>unreproducible</code>, <code>fixed</code>,
- and <code>stable</code>.
+ <code>moreinfo</code>, <code>unreproducible</code>, <code>help</code>,
+ <code>pending</code>, <code>fixed</code>, <code>security</code>,
+ <code>upstream</code>, <code>potato</code>, <code>woody</code>,
+ <code>sarge</code>,
+ <code>sid</code> and <code>experimental</code>.
<p>For <a href="Developer.html#tags">their meanings</a> please consult the
general developers' documentation for the $gBug system.
+<dt><code>close</code> <var>bugnumber</var>
+
+ <dd>Close $gBug report #<var>bugnumber</var>.
+
+ <p>A notification is sent to the user who reported the $gBug, but (in
+ contrast to mailing <var>bugnumber</var><code>-done@$gEmailDomain</code>) the
+ text of the mail which caused the $gBug to be closed is <strong>not</strong>
+ included in that notification. The maintainer who closes a report
+ should ensure, probably by sending a separate message, that the user
+ who reported the $gBug knows why it is being closed.
+ The use of this command is therefore deprecated.
+
+<dt><code>quit</code>
+<dt><code>stop</code>
+<dt><code>thank</code>...
+<dt><code>--</code>...
+
+ <dd>Tells the control server to stop processing the message; the remainder
+ of the message can include explanations, signatures or anything else,
+ none of it will be detected by the control server.
+
+<dt><code>#</code>...
+
+ <dd>One-line comment. The <code>#</code> must be at the start of the line.
+
</dl>
<hr>