binutils/README-how-to-make-a-release

   1                 README for MAKING BINUTILS RELEASES
   2
   3 This is a collection of notes on how to perform a binutils release.  A
   4 lot of this information can also be found in the maintain.texi file in
   5 the gnulib project:
   6
   7   https://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/
   8
   9 It is useful to have a cloned copy of the sources of this project as
  10 it also contains an upload script used to install tarballs on the GNU
  11 FTP server.
  12
  13 Make sure that you have upload authority on sourceware and fencepost.
  14 Beware - this is an involved process and can take weeks to complete.
  15 See the maintain.texi file for details on how to obtain these
  16 permissions.
  17
  18 -------------------------------------------------
  19 How to perform a release.
  20 -------------------------------------------------
  21
  22   1. Send an email out warning contributors about the forthcoming
  23      branch.  Set a date for the branch (weekends are better because
  24      they are less busy).
  25
  26   2. When the branch date is near:  Update the libiberty and config
  27      directories and the top level Makefile and configure files.  Also
  28      consider updating the toplevel libtool files.
  29
  30
  31 Approx time to complete from here: 2 hours ....
  32
  33   3. When branch day arrives add markers for the upcoming release to
  34      the NEWS files in gas, ld, and binutils.  No need to update NEWS
  35      in the gold directory - it has its own release numbering.
  36
  37      Likewise for the ChangeLog files in: bfd, binutils, config, cpu,
  38      elfcpp, gas, gold, gprof, include, ld, libctf, libiberty, opcodes
  39      and toplevel.
  40
  41      Add a note of the name of the new branch to binutils/BRANCHES.
  42
  43      Commit these changes.
  44
  45   4. Create the release branch using:
  46
  47         git branch binutils-2_39-branch
  48         git push origin binutils-2_39-branch
  49
  50      If you get a message like:
  51
  52        remote: fatal: Invalid revision range 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f974f26cb16cc6fe3946f163c787a05e713fb77b
  53
  54      It appears that this can be ignored...
  55
  56   5. Make sure that the branch is there.  IE check out the branch sources:
  57
  58         git clone ssh://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-2_39-branch 2.39
  59
  60      If you get a message about being in a "detached head" state, something
  61      has gone wrong...
  62
  63      Keep the checked out sources - they are going to be needed in future
  64      steps.
  65
  66   6. Update "BINUTILS_BRANCH" in gdbadmin's crontab:
  67
  68      Log in as gdbadmin on sourceware.org, and then:
  69
  70         $ cd crontab
  71         $ vi crontab
  72         [change BINUTILS_BRANCH]
  73         $ cvs ci crontab
  74         $ crontab crontab
  75
  76      If you do not have access to this account, please feel free to
  77      ask Joel Brobecker <brobecker AT adacore DOT com>.
  78
  79   7. Rename the current HEAD version entry in Bugzilla, and create a
  80      new one.  E.g. rename "2.38 (HEAD)" to 2.38, and create
  81      "2.39 (HEAD)":
  82
  83         https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editversions.cgi?product=binutils
  84
  85   8. Update bfd/version.m4 on HEAD to indicate that is now a snapshot
  86      of the next release.  Note if the release is going to be 2.39 then
  87      the version number on the branch is set to 2.38.90 - ie almost, but
  88      not quite at 2.39, and the version number on the mainline is set to
  89      2.39.50 - ie half way to the next release after 2.39.
  90
  91      So the branch bfd/version.m4 has:
  92
  93        m4_define([BFD_VERSION], [2.38.90])
  94
  95      and the mainline has:
  96
  97        m4_define([BFD_VERSION], [2.39.50])
  98
  99      Regenerate various files on both branch and HEAD by configuring
 100      with "--enable-maintainer-mode --enable-gold --enable-shared" and then building
 101      with "make all-binutils all-gas all-gold all-gprof all-gprofng all-ld"
 102
 103      Add ChangeLog entries for the updated files.  Commit the changes.
 104      Make sure that this includes the .pot files as well as the
 105      configure and makefiles.
 106
 107   9. Create an initial pre-release:
 108
 109      a. Remove any auto-generated files, in order to force the
 110         src-release script to rebuild them.
 111
 112           cd <branch-sources>
 113           git clean -fdx
 114
 115      b. Create a source tarball of the BRANCH sources:
 116
 117           ./src-release.sh -x binutils
 118
 119      c. Build a test target using this tarball.
 120
 121            cp binutils-2.38.90.tar.xz /dev/shm
 122            pushd /dev/shm
 123            tar xvf binutils-2.38.90.tar.xz
 124            mkdir build
 125            cd build
 126            ../binutils-2.38.90/configure --quiet --enable-gold
 127            make
 128            popd
 129
 130         If there are problems, fix them.
 131
 132      d. Upload the pre-release snapshot to the sourceware FTP site:
 133
 134           scp binutils-2.38.90.tar.xz sourceware.org:~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots
 135           ssh sourceware.org sha256sum ~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-2.38.90.tar.xz
 136
 137      e. Clean up the source directory again.
 138
 139          git clean -fdx
 140
 141   10. Tell the Translation Project where to find the new tarball.
 142       <coordinator@translationproject.org>
 143       qv: https://translationproject.org/html/maintainers.html
 144
 145 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 146 Dear Translation Project
 147
 148   The 2.39 release branch has been created for the GNU Binutils project.
 149
 150   A snapshot of the branch sources can be found here:
 151
 152     https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-2.38.90.tar.xz
 153
 154   We hope to make the official release of the sources on the <DATE>
 155   although that could change if there are important bugs that need to
 156   be fixed before the release.
 157 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 158
 159   11. Announce the availability of the snapshot and the branch on the
 160       binutils mailing list.  Set a date for when the release will
 161       actually happen.  Something like:
 162
 163 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 164 Hi Everyone,
 165
 166   The <NEW_VERSION> branch has now been created:
 167
 168      git clone git://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-<NEW_VERSION>-branch
 169
 170   A snapshot of the sources is also available here:
 171
 172     https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-<OLD_VERSION>.90.tar.xz
 173
 174   Please could all patches for the branch be run by me.
 175   The rules for the branch are:
 176
 177     * No new features.
 178     * Target specific bug fixes are OK.
 179     * Generic bug fixes are OK if they are important and widely tested.
 180     * Documentation updates/fixes are OK.
 181     * Translation updates are OK.
 182     * Fixes for testsuite failures are OK.
 183
 184   Ideally I would like to make the release happen in two weeks time,
 185   i.e. <DATE>.  Which I hope will be enough time for everyone
 186   to get their final fixes in.
 187 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 188
 189   12. Build various different toolchains, test them and nag
 190       maintainers to fix any testsuite failures for their
 191       architectures...
 192
 193 ==============================================================================
 194
 195 When the time comes to actually make the release....
 196
 197
 198   20. Make sure that the branch sources still build, test and install
 199       correctly.  Make sure that the sources are clean, without any
 200       patch files (.reg .orig *~) left over.
 201
 202          cd <branch>
 203          git clean -fdx
 204
 205   21. a. Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 on the release
 206          branch to a whole new minor version number, without a point
 207          value.  Eg "2.38.90" becomes "2.39".
 208
 209       b. Change bfd/development.sh to set all values to "false".
 210
 211       c. Regenerate the configure and makefiles.  And *info* files.
 212
 213       d. Create a ChangeLog from the git refs for all of the commits
 214          from when changelog entries were no longer required:
 215
 216            gitlog-to-changelog --since=2021-07-03 > ChangeLog.git
 217
 218         The gitlog-to-changelog script is part of the sources
 219         of the "config" project.
 220
 221       e.  Add ChangeLog entries for all of the updates and add a
 222           "this-is-the-2.38-release" comment and commit.
 223
 224   22. Check that your file creation mask will create the
 225       correct file permissions.  Eg:
 226
 227             % umask
 228             22
 229
 230       Remove any spurious autom4te.cache files left over from the
 231       reconfiguring:
 232
 233             git clean -fdx
 234
 235   23. Note - check to see if any new files have been added to the top
 236       level of the source directory, but which are not in the
 237       DEVO_SUPPORT variable in the src-release.sh script.  If they are
 238       needed then add them.  NB/ Add the new ChangeLog.git file.
 239
 240       Create the release tarballs:
 241
 242             ./src-release.sh -b -g -l -x binutils
 243
 244   24. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
 245       permissions.
 246
 247            tar tvf binutils-2.39.tar.bz2 | grep -e "---"
 248
 249       Also check that the man files are not empty.  (cf PR 28144).
 250
 251            tar tvf binutils-2.39.tar.xz | grep -e "\.1"
 252
 253   25. Sanity check the release on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu by building and
 254       running the testsuites (gas, gold, binutils and ld).  Make the
 255       source directory read-only before building.  Also test
 256       "make install".  If necessary fix any problems.
 257
 258         pushd /dev/shm
 259         mkdir delme
 260         cd delme
 261         tar xvf <path-to-sources>/binutils-2.*.tar.lz
 262         chmod -R -w binutils-2.*
 263         mkdir build
 264         cd build
 265         ../binutils-2.*/configure --quiet --enable-gold --prefix=`pwd`/install --enable-plugins --enable-shared
 266         make all-gas all-gold all-ld all-binutils all-gprof all-gprofng
 267         make check-gas check-binutils check-ld check-gold
 268         make install-gas install-gold install-ld install-binutils
 269
 270         # Needed for step 29...
 271         make html pdf
 272
 273         popd
 274
 275   26. Tag the branch with the new release number:
 276         [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
 277         enter a tag message such as: "Official GNU Binutils 2.3x release"
 278
 279             git tag -a binutils-2_38 -u DD9E3C4F      <=== Be careful to get the tag right
 280
 281         NB/ If you do sign the binaries make sure to use a key
 282         that has been published with the FSF.
 283
 284         Then push the release:
 285
 286             git push origin binutils-2_3x
 287
 288         If you get an error message along the lines of:
 289         "Invalid revision range ..." you can ignore it.
 290
 291   27.  Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
 292
 293             gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-2.3*.tar.*
 294
 295         Be prepared to provide the password for the key, if you
 296         signed the binaries.
 297
 298         The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
 299
 300         Check for an email response from the upload.  If necessary
 301         fix any problems.
 302
 303   28. Upload the tarballs (and signatures) to sourceware.org:
 304
 305        sftp sourceware.org
 306          cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
 307          put binutils-2.3*.tar.*
 308          chmod 644 binutils-2.3x.tar.*
 309          quit
 310
 311       FIXME: Are the signatures (created by the gnupload script in step 27)
 312       needed ?  [The above commands upload them and nobody has complained,
 313       so suggest that they are retained].
 314
 315   29. Update web pages.  For sourceware.org:
 316
 317       Create a new documentation folder on the sourceware.org web
 318       pages as /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils/docs-2.3x.
 319
 320        sftp sourceware.org
 321          cd /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils
 322          mkdir docs-2.3x
 323          cd docs-2.3x
 324          mkdir as
 325          mkdir bfd
 326          mkdir binutils
 327          mkdir gprof
 328          mkdir ld
 329          cd ../docs-2.3(x-1)
 330          get index.html
 331
 332       Update the (local copy of the) index.html file to point to the
 333       new documentation and mention the new version and then upload it.
 334
 335          cd ../docs-2.3x
 336          put index.html
 337
 338       Make the html documentation locally with the "make html" command
 339       (see step 25 above).  Then upload and rename the directories as
 340       needed.  (sftp does not appear to support recursive uploads
 341       however, so the directories had to be made by hand, as shown above).
 342
 343          cd as
 344          lcd <build-dir>/gas/doc/as
 345          put *                {be patient - this takes a long time...}
 346          lcd ..
 347          cd ..
 348          put as.html
 349          put as.pdf
 350          cd bfd
 351          lcd ../../bfd/doc/bfd
 352          put *
 353          cd ..
 354          lcd ..
 355          put bfd.html
 356          put bfd.pdf
 357          cd binutils
 358          lcd ../../binutils/binutils      <=== NB/ Path not like others
 359          put *
 360          cd ..
 361          lcd ../doc
 362          put binutils.html
 363          put binutils.pdf
 364          cd gprof
 365          lcd ../../gprof/doc/gprof
 366          put *
 367          cd ..
 368          lcd ../..
 369          put gprof.html
 370          put gprof.pdf
 371          cd ld
 372          lcd ../ld/doc/ld
 373          put *
 374          cd ..
 375          lcd ../..
 376          put ld.html
 377          put ld.pdf
 378
 379       Edit the top level binutils index.html file to change the links
 380       to point to the new documentation.
 381
 382          cd ../..
 383          get index.html
 384          [edit]
 385          put index.html
 386          rm docs
 387          ln -s docs-2.3x docs
 388          quit
 389
 390       Check that the new web page is correct:
 391
 392           https://sourceware.org/binutils/
 393
 394       For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
 395       and ask them to make the change(s):
 396 ---------------------------------------
 397 Hi FSF Webmasters,
 398
 399   Please could the GNU Binutils webpage at:
 400
 401 https://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/binutils.html
 402
 403   be updated to indicate that there is now a newer version available
 404   (2.3x).  I have already updated the related page on the sourceware
 405   website so this might be useful as a template:
 406
 407 https://sourceware.org/binutils/
 408
 409   Thanks very much.
 410
 411 Cheers
 412 --------------------------------------
 413
 414   30. Send emails to binutils@sourceware.org, info-gnu@gnu.org and
 415       David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
 416       Sign the email and include the checksum:
 417
 418           sha256sum binutils-2.3*.tar.*
 419
 420       (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
 421       social media).  Something like this:
 422       -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 423         Hi Everyone,
 424
 425         We are pleased to announce that version 2.3x of the GNU Binutils project
 426         sources have been released and are now available for download at:
 427
 428           https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
 429           https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
 430
 431           checksums: xxxx
 432
 433         This release contains numerous bug fixes, and also the
 434         following new features:
 435
 436           <extract info from the NEWS files>
 437
 438         Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
 439         present, for helping to make this release possible.
 440
 441       -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 442
 443   31. Clean up the source tree:
 444
 445         git clean -fdx .
 446
 447   32. Edit bfd/development.sh on the branch and set the development flag
 448       to "true".  (Leave the experimental flag set to "false").  Also bump
 449       the version in bfd/version.m4 by adding a trailing .0, so that the
 450       date suffix keeps the version lower than the trunk version.
 451       Regenerate files.  Commit these changes.
 452
 453   33. Email the binutils list telling everyone that the 2.3x branch
 454       is now open for business as usual and that patches no longer
 455       need special approval.
 456
 457   34. Examine the bfd/config.bfd file in the mainline sources and move
 458       any pending obsolete targets into the definitely obsolete
 459       section.  Create a changelog entry and commit.
 460
 461
 462
 463
 464 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 465 How to perform a POINT release.
 466 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 467
 468 A point release is easier than a normal release since a lot of the
 469 work has already been done.  The branch has been created, the
 470 translations updated and the documentation uploaded.  So the procedure
 471 looks like this:
 472
 473   0. Decide that a point release is necessary.
 474
 475      Usually this only happens when a sufficient number of serious
 476      bugs have been found and fixed since the previous release, and a
 477      new official release is not imminent.
 478
 479   1. Tell the community that a point release is happening.  Ask
 480      maintainers to ensure that their ports are up to date on the
 481      release branch.  Ask the community if there are any bug fixes
 482      which are missing from the branch.  Allow some time for the
 483      responses to this step.
 484
 485   2. Make sure that the branch sources build, test and install
 486      correctly.
 487
 488   2.5 Prepare a list of the bugs which have been fixed.  This
 489       will be needed for step 8.
 490
 491   3. In the branch sources:
 492
 493        a. Update the minor release number in bfd/version.m4.
 494        b. Edit bfd/development.sh, set "development=false".
 495        c. Regenerate the configure files.
 496        d. Remove spurious autom4te.cache files:
 497
 498           git clean -fdx
 499
 500        e. Commit the updates along with a "this-is-the-2.3x.y-release"
 501           note in all of the changelogs.
 502        f. Tag the branch with the new release number:
 503
 504             git tag -a binutils-2_3x_y
 505               [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
 506             git push origin binutils-2_3x_y
 507
 508        g. Check that your file creation mask will create the
 509           correct file permissions.  Ie:
 510
 511             umask 022
 512
 513        h. Create the release tarballs:
 514
 515             ./src-release -b -g -l -x binutils
 516
 517        i. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
 518           permissions.
 519
 520        j. Clean the source tree again
 521
 522             git clean -fdx
 523
 524        k. Edit bfd/development.sh and set "development=true".
 525        l. Commit this change.
 526
 527   4. [If paranoid - upload the tarballs to one of the FTP servers and
 528       ask people to test it before going on to step 5].
 529
 530   5. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
 531
 532        gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-*.tar.*
 533
 534      The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
 535
 536   6. Upload the tarballs to sourceware.org:
 537
 538        sftp sourceware.org
 539          cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
 540          put binutils-*.tar.*
 541          chmod 644 binutils-*.tar.*
 542          quit
 543
 544     It is OK to upload the signatures as well.
 545
 546   7. Update web pages.  For sourceware.org:
 547
 548       * Log on to sourceware.org
 549       * Go to /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils
 550       * Edit index.html and update the latest release number (if this is a latest release)
 551
 552       For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
 553       and ask them to make the change(s).
 554
 555   8. Send an emails to the binutils list, info-gnu@gnu.org and
 556      David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
 557      (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
 558      social media).  Something like this:
 559
 560 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 561 Hi Everyone,
 562
 563   We are pleased to announce that version 2.3x.y of the GNU Binutils
 564   project sources have been released and are now available for download at:
 565
 566     https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
 567     https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
 568
 569   This is a point release over the previous 2.3x version, containing bug
 570   fixes but no new features.
 571
 572   Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
 573   present, for helping to make this release possible.
 574
 575   Here is a list of the bugs that have been fixed:
 576     xx
 577     xx
 578     xx
 579     xx
 580 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 581
 582   9. Create a new Bugzilla entry for the point release.
 583
 584        https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editversions.cgi?product=binutils
 585
 586      And a new milestone too:
 587
 588        https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editmilestones.cgi?product=binutils
 589 \f
 590 Copyright (C) 2017-2022 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 591
 592 Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
 593 are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
 594 notice and this notice are preserved.