Bug 274404 - Document the new whining functionality that will be available in 2.20. Patch by A. Karl Kornel <karl@kornel.name> r=colin (carrying forward joel's content r)

2 files changed, 249 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/docs/xml/installation.xml b/docs/xml/installation.xml
index cccac847c..346e86f13 100644
--- a/docs/xml/installation.xml
+++ b/docs/xml/installation.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!-- <!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.1.2//EN"> -->
-<!-- $Id: installation.xml,v 1.97 2005/07/01 16:21:42 mozilla%colinogilvie.co.uk Exp $ -->
+<!-- $Id: installation.xml,v 1.98 2005/07/01 22:41:31 mozilla%colinogilvie.co.uk Exp $ -->
 <chapter id="installing-bugzilla">
   <title>Installing Bugzilla</title>
 
@@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ c:\perl\bin\perl.exe -xc:\bugzilla -wT "%s" %s
       </para>
    </section>
 
-    <section>
+    <section id="installation-whining-cron">
       <title>The Whining Cron</title>
 
       <para>What good are
@@ -1202,6 +1202,45 @@ c:\perl\bin\perl.exe -xc:\bugzilla -wT "%s" %s
       </note>
     </section>
 
+    <section id="installation-whining">
+      <title>Whining</title>
+
+      <para>
+        As of Bugzilla 2.20, users can configure Bugzilla to regularly annoy 
+        them at regular intervals, by having Bugzilla execute saved searches
+        at certain times and emailing the results to the user.  This is known
+        as "Whining".  The process of configuring Whining is described 
+        in <xref linkend="whining"/>, but for it to work a Perl script must be
+        executed at regular intervals.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        This can be done by adding the following command as a daily
+        crontab entry, in the same manner as explained above for bug
+        graphs. This example runs it every 15 minutes. 
+      </para>
+
+      <programlisting>*/15 * * * * cd &lt;your-bugzilla-directory&gt; ; ./whine.pl</programlisting>
+
+      <note>
+        <para>
+          Whines can be executed as often as every 15 minutes, so if you specify
+          longer intervals between executions of whine.pl, some users may not 
+          be whined at as often as they would expect.  Depending on the person,
+          this can either be a very Good Thing or a very Bad Thing.
+        </para>
+      </note>
+
+      <note>
+        <para>
+          Windows does not have 'cron', but it does have the Task
+          Scheduler, which performs the same duties. There are also
+          third-party tools that can be used to implement cron, such as
+          <ulink url="http://www.nncron.ru/">nncron</ulink>.
+        </para>
+      </note>
+    </section>
+
     <section id="patch-viewer">
       <title>Patch Viewer</title>
       
diff --git a/docs/xml/using.xml b/docs/xml/using.xml
index 4e63bac86..d6c14dbd1 100644
--- a/docs/xml/using.xml
+++ b/docs/xml/using.xml
@@ -1160,6 +1160,214 @@
     </para>
   </section>
 
+  <section id="whining">
+    <title>Whining</title>
+
+    <para>
+      Whining is a feature in Bugzilla that can regularly annoy users at 
+      specified times.  Using this feature, users can execute saved searches 
+      at specific times (i.e. the 15th of the month at midnight) or at 
+      regular intervals (i.e. every 15 minutes on Sundays).  The results of the
+      searches are sent to the user, either as a single email or as one email 
+      per bug, along with some descriptive text.
+    </para>
+
+    <warning>
+      <para>
+        Throughout this section it will be assumed that all users are members 
+        of the bz_canusewhines group, membership in which is required in order 
+        to use the Whining system.  You can easily make all users members of 
+        the bz_canusewhines group by setting the User RegExp to ".*" (without 
+        the quotes).
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        Also worth noting is the bz_canusewhineatothers group.  Members of this
+        group can create whines for any user or group in Bugzilla using a 
+        extended form of the whining interface.  Features only available to 
+        members of the bz_canusewhineatothers group will be noted in the 
+        appropriate places.
+      </para>
+    </warning>
+
+    <note>
+      <para>
+        For whining to work, a special Perl script must be executed at regular
+        intervals.  More information on this is available in 
+        <xref linkend="installation-whining"/>.
+      </para>
+    </note>
+
+    <note>
+      <para>
+        This section does not cover the whineatnews.pl script.  See
+        <xref linkend="installation-whining-cron"/> for more information on 
+        The Whining Cron.
+      </para>
+    </note>
+
+    <section id="whining-overview">
+      <title>The Event</title>
+
+      <para>
+        The whining system defines an "Event" as one or more queries being 
+        executed at regular intervals, with the results of said queries (if
+        there are any) being emailed to the user.  Events are created by 
+        clicking on the "Add new event" button.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        Once a new event is created, the first thing to set is the "Email 
+        subject line".  The contents of this field will be used in the subject
+        line of every email generated by this event.  In addition to setting a 
+        subject, space is provided to enter some descriptive text that will be 
+        included at the top of each message (to help you in understanding why 
+        you received the email in the first place).
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        The next step is to specify when the Event is to be run (the Schedule) 
+        and what searches are to be performed (the Queries).
+      </para>
+
+    </section>
+
+    <section id="whining-schedule">
+      <title>Whining Schedule</title>
+
+      <para>
+         Each whining event is associated with zero or more schedules.  A 
+         schedule is used to specify when the query (specified below) is to be
+         run.  A new event starts out with no schedules (which means it will 
+         never run, as it is not scheduled to run).  To add a schedule, press
+         the "Add a new schedule" button.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+         Each schedule includes an interval, which you use to tell Bugzilla 
+         when the event should be run.  An event can be run on certain days of
+         the week, certain days of the month, during weekdays (defined as 
+         Monday through Friday), or every day.
+      </para>
+
+      <warning>
+        <para>
+          Be careful if you set your event to run on the 29th, 30th, or 31st of
+          the month, as your event may not run exactly when expected.  If you 
+          want your event to run on the last day of the month, select "Last day
+          of the month" as the interval.
+        </para>
+      </warning>
+
+      <para>
+        Once you have specified the day(s) on which the event is to be run, you
+        should now specify the time at which the event is to be run.  You can 
+        have the event run at a certain hour on the specified day(s), or 
+        every hour, half-hour, or quarter-hour on the specified day(s).
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        If a single schedule does not execute an event as many times as you 
+        would want, you can create another schedule for the same event.  For 
+        example, if you want to run an event on days whose numbers are
+        divisible by seven, you would need to add four schedules to the event,
+        setting the schedules to run on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th (one day 
+        per schedule) at whatever time (or times) you choose.
+      </para>
+
+      <note>
+        <para>
+          If you are a member of the bz_canusewhineatothers group, then you
+          will be presented with another option: "Mail to".  Using this you 
+          can control who will receive the emails generated by this event.  You
+          can choose to send the emails to a single user (identified by email 
+          address) or a single group (identified by group name).  To send to 
+          multiple users or groups, create a new schedule for each additional 
+          user/group.
+        </para>
+      </note>
+    </section>
+
+    <section id="whining-query">
+      <title>Whining Queries</title>
+
+      <para>
+        Each whining event is associated with zero or more queries.  A query is
+        a saved search that is executed on the schedule specified (see above).
+        You start out with zero queries attached to the event (which means that
+        the event will not run, as there will never be any results to return).
+        To add a query, press the "Add a new query" button.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        The first field to examine in your new query is the Sort field.  Queries
+        are executed, and results returned, in the order specified by the Sort 
+        field.  Queries with lower Sort values will run before queries with 
+        higher Sort values.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        The next field to examine is the Search field.  This is where you 
+        choose the actual search that is to be run.  Instead of defining search
+        parameters here, you are asked to choose from the list of saved 
+        searches (the same list that appears at the bottom of every Bugzilla 
+        page).  You are only allowed to choose from searches that you have 
+        saved yourself (the default saved search, "My Bugs", is not a valid 
+        choice).  If you do not have any saved searches, you can take this 
+        opportunity to create one (see <xref linkend="list"/>).
+      </para>
+
+      <note>
+        <para>
+          When running queries, the whining system acts as if you are the user
+          executing the query.  This means that the whining system will ignore
+          bugs that match your query, but that you can not access.
+        </para>
+      </note>
+
+      <para>
+        Once you have chosen the saved search to be executed, give the query a 
+        descriptive title.  This title will appear in the email, above the 
+        results of the query.  If you choose "One message per bug", the query 
+        title will appear at the top of each email that contains a bug matching
+        your query.
+      </para>
+
+      <para>
+        Finally, decide if the results of the query should be sent in a single
+        email, or if each bug should appear in its own email.
+      </para>
+
+      <warning>
+        <para>
+          Think carefully before checking the "One message per bug" box.  If
+          you create a query that matches thousands of bugs, you will receive 
+          thousands of emails!
+        </para>
+      </warning>
+    </section>
+
+    <section>
+      <title>Saving Your Changes</title>
+
+      <para>
+        Once you have defined at least one schedule, and created at least one 
+        query, go ahead and "Update/Commit".  This will save your Event and make
+        it available for immediate execution.
+      </para>
+
+      <note>
+        <para>
+          If you ever feel like deleting your event, you may do so using the 
+          "Remove Event" button in the upper-right corner of each Event.  You 
+          can also modify an existing event, so long as you "Update/Commit" 
+          after completing your modifications.
+        </para>
+      </note>
+    </section>
+
+  </section>
+
 </chapter>
 
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