From 6b607da839992bead01d7cba308f216e17eed520 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "barnboy%trilobyte.net" <> Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2001 13:35:44 +0000 Subject: Documentation update; added docs/sgml, docs/html, docs/txt. No text version of The Bugzilla Guide availabe yet, however. --- docs/xml/faq.xml | 1845 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 1845 insertions(+) create mode 100644 docs/xml/faq.xml (limited to 'docs/xml/faq.xml') diff --git a/docs/xml/faq.xml b/docs/xml/faq.xml new file mode 100644 index 000000000..c10efec42 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/xml/faq.xml @@ -0,0 +1,1845 @@ + + + + The Bugzilla FAQ + + + + + + General Questions + + + + + Where can I find information about Bugzilla? + + + + You can stay up-to-date with the latest Bugzilla + information at + http://www.mozilla.org/projects/bugzilla/ + + + + + + + + What license is Bugzilla distributed under? + + + + + Bugzilla is covered by the Mozilla Public License. + See details at + http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/ + + + + + + + + How do I get commercial support for Bugzilla? + + + + + www.collab.net offers + Bugzilla as part of their standard offering to large projects. + They do have some minimum fees that are pretty hefty, and generally + aren't interested in small projects. + + + There are several experienced + Bugzilla hackers on the mailing list/newsgroup who are willing + to whore themselves out for generous compensation. + Try sending a message to the mailing list asking for a volunteer. + + + + + + + + What major companies or projects are currently using Bugzilla + for bug-tracking? + + + + + There are dozens of major comapanies with public + Bugzilla sites to track bugs in their products. A few include: + + Netscape/AOL + Mozilla.org + AtHome Corporation + Red Hat Software + Loki Entertainment Software + SuSe Corp + The Horde Project + The Eazel Project + AbiSource + Real Time Enterprises, Inc + Eggheads.org + Strata Software + RockLinux + Creative Labs (makers of SoundBlaster) + The Apache Foundation + The Gnome Foundation + Linux-Mandrake + + + + Suffice to say, there are more than enough huge projects using Bugzilla + that we can safely say it's extremely popular. + + + + + + + + Who maintains Bugzilla? + + + + + There are many, many contributors from around the world maintaining Bugzilla. + The designated "Maintainer" is Tara Hernandez, with QA support by Matthew Tuck. + Dan Mosedale and Dawn Endico are employees of Mozilla.org responsible for the + installation of Bugzilla there, and are very frequent code contributors. + Terry Weissman originally ported Bugzilla, but "these days, Terry just hangs around + and heckles." The rest of us are mostly transient developers; Bugzilla suits + our needs, and we contribute code as we have needs for updates. + + + + + + + + How does Bugzilla stack up against other bug-tracking databases? + + + + + A year has gone by, and I still can't find any head-to-head + comparisons of Bugzilla against other defect-tracking software. However, from my + personal experience with other bug-trackers, Bugzilla offers + superior performance on commodity hardware, better price (free!), more developer- + friendly features (such as stored queries, email integration, and platform + independence), improved scalability, open source code, greater flexibility, + and superior ease-of-use. + + + If you happen to be a commercial Bugzilla vendor, please step forward with a rebuttal + so I can include it in the FAQ. We're not in pursuit of Bugzilla ueber alles; + we simply love having a powerful, open-source tool to get our jobs done. + + + + + + + + How do I change my user name in Bugzilla? + + + + + You can't. However, the administrative account can, by simply opening + your user account in editusers.cgi and changing the login name. + + + + + + + + Why doesn't Bugzilla offer this or that feature or compatability + with this other tracking software? + + + + + It may be that the support has not been built yet, or that you + have not yet found it. Bugzilla is making tremendous strides in + usability, customizability, scalability, and user interface. It + is widely considered the most complete and popular open-source + bug-tracking software in existence. + + + That doesn't mean it can't use improvement! + You can help the project along by either hacking a patch yourself + that supports the functionality you require, or else submitting a + "Request for Enhancement" (RFE) using the bug submission interface + at bugzilla.mozilla.org. + + + + + + + + Why MySQL? I'm interested in seeing Bugzilla run on + Oracle/Sybase/Msql/PostgreSQL/MSSQL? + + + + Terry Weissman answers, +
+ + You're not the only one. But I am not very interested. I'm not + a real SQL or database person. I just wanted to make a useful tool, + and build it on top of free software. So, I picked MySQL, and + learned SQL by staring at the MySQL manual and some code lying + around here, and + wrote Bugzilla. I didn't know that Enum's were non-standard SQL. + I'm not sure if I would have cared, but I didn't even know. So, to + me, things are "portable" because it uses MySQL, and MySQL is + portable enough. I fully understand (now) that people want to be + portable to other databases, but that's never been a real concern + of mine. + +
+ + + Things aren't quite that grim these days, however. Terry pretty much + sums up much of the thinking many of us have for Bugzilla, but there + is light on the horizon for database-independence! Here are some options: + + + + Red Hat Bugzilla: + Runs a modified Bugzilla 2.8 atop an Oracle database. + + + Interzilla: + A project to run Bugzilla on Interbase. No code released yet, however. + + + Bugzilla 3.0: One of the primary stated goals + is multiple database support. + + + + + + + + + Why do the scripts say "/usr/bonsaitools/bin/perl" instead of + "/usr/bin/perl" or something else? + + + + + Mozilla.org uses /usr/bonsaitools/bin/perl. The prime rule in making + submissions is "don't break bugzilla.mozilla.org". If it breaks it, your + patch will be reverted faster than you can do a diff. + + + Here's Terry Weissman's comment, for some historical context: +
+ + [This was] purely my own convention. I wanted a place to put a version of + Perl and other tools that was strictly under my control for the + various webtools, and not subject to anyone else. Edit it to point + to whatever you like. + + + + We always recommend that, if possible, you keep the path + as /usr/bonsaitools/bin/perl, and simply add a /usr/bonsaitools + and /usr/bonsaitools/bin directory, then symlink your version + of perl to /usr/bonsaitools/bin/perl. This will make upgrading + your Bugzilla much easier in the future. + + + Obviously, if you do not have root access to your Bugzilla + box, our suggestion is irrelevant. + + +
+ + + + + + + + + Red Hat Bugzilla + + + + + What about Red Hat Bugzilla? + + + + + Red Hat Bugzilla is arguably more user-friendly, customizable, and scalable + than stock Bugzilla. Check it out at + http://bugzilla.redhat.com and the sources at ftp://people.redhat.com/dkl/. + They've set their Bugzilla up to work with Oracle out of the box. + Note that Redhat Bugzilla is based upon the 2.8 Bugzilla tree; + Bugzilla has made some tremendous advances since the 2.8 release. + Why not download both Bugzillas to check out the differences for + yourself? + + + Dave Lawrence, the original Red Hat Bugzilla maintainer, mentions: +
+ + Somebody needs to take the ball and run with it. I'm the only + maintainer and am very pressed for time. + +
+ If you, or someone you know, has the time and expertise to do the integration + work so main-tree Bugzilla 2.12 and higher integrates the Red + Hat Bugzilla Oracle modifications, please donate your + time to supporting the Bugzilla project. + + + + + + + + What are the primary benefits of Red Hat Bugzilla? + + + + + Dave Lawrence: +
+ + For the record, we are not using any template type implementation for + the cosmetic changes maded to Bugzilla. It is just alot of html changes + in the code itself. I admit I may have gotten a little carried away with it + but the corporate types asked for a more standardized interface to match up + with other projects relating to Red Hat web sites. A lot of other web based + internal tools I am working on also look like Bugzilla. + + + I do want to land the changes that I have made to Bugzilla but I may + have to back out a good deal and make a different version of Red Hat's + Bugzilla for checking in to CVS. Especially the cosmetic changes because it + seems they may not fit the general public. I will do that as soon as I can. + I also still do my regular QA responsibilities along with Bugzilla so time + is difficult sometimes to come by. + + + There are also a good deal of other changes that were requested by + management for things like support contracts and different permission + groups for making bugs private. Here is a short list of the major + changes that have been made: + + + + + No enum types. All old enum types are now separate smaller tables. + + + + + No bit wise operations. Not all databases support this so they were + changed to a more generic way of doing this task + + + + + Bug reports can only be altered by the reporter, assignee, or a + privileged bugzilla user. The rest of the world can see the bug but in + a non-changeable format (unless the bug has been marked private). They + can however add comments, add and remove themselves from the CC list + + + + + Different group scheme. Each group has an id number related to it. + There is a user_group table which contains userid to groupid mappings + to determine which groups each user belongs to. Additionally there is + a bug_group table that has bugid to groupid mappings to show which + groups can see a particular bug. If there are no entries for a bug in + this table then the bug is public. + + + + + Product groups. product_table created to only allow certain products to + be visible for certain groups in both bug entry and query. This was + particulary helpful for support contracts. + + + + + Of course many (too many) changes to Bugzilla code itself to allow use + with Oracle and still allow operation with Mysql if so desired. + Currently if you use Mysql it is set to use Mysql's old permission + scheme to keep breakage to a minimum. Hopefully one day this will + standardize on one style which may of course be something completely + different. + + + + + Uses Text::Template perl module for rendering of the dynamic HTML pages + such as enter_bug.cgi, query.cgi, bug_form.pl, and for the header and + footer parts of the page. This allows the html to be separate from the + perl code for customizing the look and feel of the page to one's + preference. + + + + + There are many other smaller changes. There is also a port to Oracle + that I have been working on as time permits but is not completely + finished but somewhat usable. I will merge it into our standard code + base when it becomes production quality. Unfortunately there will have + to be some conditionals in the code to make it work with other than + Oracle due to some differences between Oracle and Mysql. + + + + + Both the Mysql and Oracle versions of our current code base are + available from ftp://people.redhat.com/dkl. If Terry/Tara wants I can submit + patch files for all of the changes I have made and he can determine what is + suitable for addition to the main bugzilla cade base. But for me to commit + changes to the actual CVS I will need to back out alot of things that are + not suitable for the rest of the Bugzilla community. I am open to + suggestions. + +
+ + + + + + + + What's the current status of Red Hat Bugzilla? + + + + + + + This information is somewhat dated; I last updated it + 7 June 2000. + + + Dave Lawrence: +
+ + I suppose the current thread warrants an update on the status of + Oracle and bugzilla ;) We have now been running Bugzilla 2.8 on + Oracle for the last two days in our production environment. I + tried to do as much testing as possible with it before going live + which is some of the reason for the long delay. I did not get + enough feedback as I would have liked from internal developers to + help weed out any bugs still left so I said "Fine, i will take it + live and then I will get the feedback I want :)" So it is now + starting to stabilize and it running quite well after working + feverishly the last two days fixing problems as soon as they came + in from the outside world. The current branch in cvs is up2date if + anyone would like to grab it and try it out. The oracle _setup.pl + is broken right now due to some last minute changes but I will + update that soon. Therefore you would probably need to create the + database tables the old fashioned way using the supplied sql + creation scripts located in the ./oracle directory. We have heavy + optimizations in the database it self thanks to the in-house DBA + here at Red Hat so it is running quite fast. The database itself + is located on a dual PII450 with 1GB ram and 14 high voltage + differential raided scsi drives. The tables and indexes are + partitioned in 4 chuncks across the raided drive which is nice + because when ever you need to do a full table scan, it is actually + starting in 4 different locations on 4 different drives + simultaneously. And the indexes of course are on separate drives + from the data so that speeds things up tremendously. When I can + find the time I will document all that we have done to get this + thing going to help others that may need it. + + + As Matt has mentioned it is still using out-dated code and with a + little help I would like to bring everything up to date for + eventual incorporation with the main cvs tree. Due to other + duties I have with the company any help with this wiould be + appreciated. What we are using now is what I call a best first + effort. It definitely can be improved on and may even need + complete rewrites in a lot of areas. A lot of changes may have to + be made in the way Bugzilla does things currently to make this + transition to a more generic database interface. Fortunately when + making the Oracle changes I made sure I didn't do anything that I + would consider Oracle specific and could not be easily done with + other databases. Alot of the sql statements need to be broken up + into smaller utilities that themselves would need to make + decisions on what database they are using but the majority of the + code can be made database neutral. + +
+ + + + + + + + Loki Bugzilla (AKA Fenris) + + + Loki's "Fenris" Bugzilla is no longer actively maintained. + It works well enough for Loki. Additionally, the major + differences in Fenris have now been integrated into + the main source tree of Bugzilla, so there's not much + reason to go grab the source. I left this section of the + FAQ principally for historical interest. + + + + + + + What about Loki Bugzilla? + + + + + Loki Games has a customized version of Bugzilla available at + http://fenris.lokigames.com. From that page, +
+ + You may have noticed that Fenris is a fork from Bugzilla-- our + patches weren't suitable for integration --and a few people have + expressed interest in the code. Fenris has one major improvement + over Bugzilla, and that is individual comments are not appended + onto a string blob, they are stored as a record in a separate + table. This allows you to, for instance, separate comments out + according to privilege levels in case your bug database could + contain sensitive information not for public eyes. We also provide + things like email hiding to protect user's privacy, additional + fields such as 'user_affected' in case someone enters someone + else's bug, comment editing and deletion, and more conditional + system variables than Bugzilla does (turn off attachments, + qacontact, etc.). + +
+ + + + + + + + Who maintains Fenris (Loki Bugzilla) now? + + + + + Raphael Barrerro <raistlin@lokigames.com>. + Michael Vance created the initial fork, but no longer + maintains the project. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Pointy-Haired-Boss Questions + + + The title of this section doesn't mean you're a PHB -- it just means + you probably HAVE a PHB who wants to know this :) + + + + + + + Is Bugzilla web-based or do you have to have specific software or + specific operating system on your machine? + + + + + It is web and e-mail based. You can edit bugs by sending specially + formatted email to a properly configured Bugzilla, or control via the web. + + + + + + + + Has anyone you know of already done any Bugzilla integration with + Perforce (SCM software)? + + + + + Yes! You can find more information elsewhere in "The Bugzilla + Guide" in the "Integration with Third-Party Products" section. + The section on Perforce isn't very large, but as the maintainer + of the Guide is charged with Perforce/Bugzilla integration by + his company, you can expect this section to grow. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla allow the user to track multiple projects? + + + + + Absolutely! You can track up to a "soft-limit" of around + 64 individual "Products", that can each be composed of as + many "Components" as you want. Check the Administration + section of the Bugzilla Guide for more information regarding + setting up Products and Components. + + + + + + + + If I am on many projects, and search for all bugs assigned to me, will + Bugzilla list them for me and allow me to sort by project, severity etc? + + + + + Yes. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla allow attachments (text, screenshots, urls etc)? If yes, + are there any that are NOT allowed? + + + + + Yes. There are many specific MIME-types that are pre-defined by Bugzilla, + but you may specify any arbitrary MIME-type you need when you + upload the file. Since all attachments are stored in the database, + however, I recommend storing large binary attachments elsewhere + in the web server's file system and providing a hyperlink + as a comment, or in the provided "URL" field in the bug report. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla allow us to define our own priorities and levels? Do we + have complete freedom to change the labels of fields and format of them, and + the choice of acceptable values? + + + + + Yes. However, modifying some fields, notably those related to bug + progression states, also require adjusting the program logic to + compensate for the change. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla provide any reporting features, metrics, graphs, etc? You + know, the type of stuff that management likes to see. :) + + + + + Yes. Look at + http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/reports.cgi for basic reporting + facilities. + + + For more advanced reporting, I recommend hooking up a professional + reporting package, such as Crystal Reports, and use ODBC to access + the MySQL database. You can do a lot through the Query page of + Bugzilla as well, but right now Advanced Reporting is much + better accomplished through third-party utilities that can + interface with the database directly. + + + Advanced Reporting is a Bugzilla 3.X proposed feature. + + + + + + + + Is there email notification and if so, what do you see when you get an + email? Do you see bug number and title or is it only the number? + + + + + Email notification is user-configurable. The bug id and Topic + of the bug report accompany each email notification, along with + a list of the changes made. + + + + + + + + Can email notification be set up to send to multiple + people, some on the To List, CC List, BCC List etc? + + + + + Yes. + + + + + + + + If there is email notification, do users have to have any particular + type of email application? + + + + + Bugzilla email is sent in plain text, the most compatible mail format + on the planet. + + + If you decide to use the bugzilla_email integration features + to allow Bugzilla to record responses to mail with the associated bug, + you may need to caution your users to set their mailer to "respond + to messages in the format in which they were sent". For security reasons + Bugzilla ignores HTML tags in comments, and if a user sends HTML-based + email into Bugzilla the resulting comment looks downright awful. + + + + + + + + + + If I just wanted to track certain bugs, as they go through life, can I + set it up to alert me via email whenever that bug changes, whether it be + owner, status or description etc.? + + + + + Yes. Place yourself in the "cc" field of the bug you wish to monitor. + Then change your "Notify me of changes to" field in the Email Settings + tab of the User Preferences screen in Bugzilla to the "Only those + bugs which I am listed on the CC line" option. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla allow data to be imported and exported? If I had outsiders + write up a bug report using a MS Word bug template, could that template be + imported into "matching" fields? If I wanted to take the results of a query + and export that data to MS Excel, could I do that? + + + + + Mozilla allows data export through a custom DTD in XML format. + It does not, however, export to specific formats other than the + XML Mozilla DTD. Importing the data into Excel or any other application + is left as an exercise for the reader. + + + If you create import filters to other applications from Mozilla's XML, + please submit your modifications for inclusion in future Bugzilla + distributions. + + + As for data import, any application can send data to Bugzilla through + the HTTP protocol, or through Mozilla's XML API. However, it seems + kind of silly to put another front-end in front of Bugzilla; + it makes more sense to create a simplified bug submission form in + HTML. You can find an excellent example at + + http://www.mozilla.org/quality/help/bugzilla-helper.html + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla allow fields to be added, changed or deleted? If I want to + customize the bug submission form to meet our needs, can I do that using our + terminology? + + + + + Yes. + + + + + + + + Has anyone converted Bugzilla to another language to be used in other + countries? Is it localizable? + + + + + Currently, no. Internationalization support for Perl did not + exist in a robust fashion until the recent release of version 5.6.0; + Bugzilla is, and likely will remain (until 3.X) completely + non-localized. + + + + + + + + Can a user create and save reports? Can they do this in Word format? + Excel format? + + + + + Yes. No. No. + + + + + + + + Can a user re-run a report with a new project, same query? + + + + + Yes. + + + + + + + + Can a user modify an existing report and then save it into another name? + + + + + You can save an unlimited number of queries in Bugzilla. You are free + to modify them and rename them to your heart's desire. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla have the ability to search by word, phrase, compound + search? + + + + + You have no idea. Bugzilla's query interface, particularly with the + advanced Boolean operators, is incredibly versatile. + + + + + + + + Can the admin person establish separate group and individual user + privileges? + + + + + Yes. + + + + + + + + Does Bugzilla provide record locking when there is simultaneous access + to the same bug? Does the second person get a notice that the bug is in use + or how are they notified? + + + + + Bugzilla does not lock records. It provides mid-air collision detection, + and offers the offending user a choice of options to deal with the conflict. + + + + + + + + Are there any backup features provided? + + + + + MySQL, the database back-end for Bugzilla, allows hot-backup of data. + You can find strategies for dealing with backup considerations + at + http://www.mysql.com/doc/B/a/Backup.html + + + + + + + + Can users be on the system while a backup is in progress? + + + + + Yes. However, commits to the database must wait + until the tables are unlocked. Bugzilla databases are typically + very small, and backups routinely take less than a minute. + + + + + + + + What type of human resources are needed to be on staff to install and + maintain Bugzilla? Specifically, what type of skills does the person need to + have? I need to find out if we were to go with Bugzilla, what types of + individuals would we need to hire and how much would that cost vs buying an + "Out-of-the-Box" solution. + + + + + If Bugzilla is set up correctly from the start, continuing maintenance needs + are minimal and can be completed by unskilled labor. Things like rotate + backup tapes and check log files for the word "error". + + + Commercial Bug-tracking software typically costs somewhere upwards + of $20,000 or more for 5-10 floating licenses. Bugzilla consultation + is available from skilled members of the newsgroup. + + + As an example, as of this writing I typically charge + $115 for the first hour, and $89 each hour thereafter + for consulting work. It takes me three to five hours to make Bugzilla + happy on a Development installation of Linux-Mandrake. + + + + + + + + What time frame are we looking at if we decide to hire people to install + and maintain the Bugzilla? Is this something that takes hours or weeks to + install and a couple of hours per week to maintain and customize or is this + a multi-week install process, plus a full time job for 1 person, 2 people, + etc? + + + + + It all depends on your level of commitment. Someone with much Bugzilla + experience can get you up and running in less than a day, and + your Bugzilla install can run untended for years. If your + Bugzilla strategy is critical to your business workflow, hire somebody + with reasonable UNIX or Perl skills to handle your process management and + bug-tracking maintenance & customization. + + + + + + + + Is there any licensing fee or other fees for using Bugzilla? Any + out-of-pocket cost other than the bodies needed as identified above? + + + + + No. MySQL asks, if you find their product valuable, that you purchase + a support contract from them that suits your needs. + + + + + + + Bugzilla Installation + + + + How do I download and install Bugzilla? + + + + + Check + http://www.mozilla.org/projects/bugzilla/ for details. + Once you download it, untar it, read the README and + the Bugzilla Guide. + + + + + + + + How do I install Bugzilla on Windows NT? + + + + + Installation on Windows NT has its own section in + "The Bugzilla Guide". + + + + + + + + Is there an easy way to change the Bugzilla cookie name? + + + + + At present, no. + + + + + + + + Bugzilla Security + + + + + How do I completely disable MySQL security if it's giving me problems + (I've followed the instructions in the README!)? + + + + + Run mysql like this: "mysqld --skip-grant-tables". Please remember this + makes mysql as secure as taping a $100 to the floor of a football stadium + bathroom for safekeeping. Please read the Security section of the + Administration chapter of "The Bugzilla Guide" before proceeding. + + + + + + + + Are there any security problems with Bugzilla? + + + + + The Bugzilla code has not undergone a complete security audit. + It is recommended that you closely examine permissions on your Bugzilla + installation, and follow the recommended security guidelines found + in the README and in The Bugzilla Guide. + + + + + + + + + I've implemented the security fixes mentioned in Chris Yeh's security + advisory of 5/10/2000 advising not to run MySQL as root, and am running into + problems with MySQL no longer working correctly. + + + + + This is a common problem, related to running out of file descriptors. + Simply add "ulimit -n unlimited" to the script which starts + mysqld. + + + + + + + Bugzilla Email + + + + + I have a user who doesn't want to receive any more email from Bugzilla. + How do I stop it entirely for this user? + + + + + With the email changes to 2.12, the user should be able to set + this in user email preferences. + + + + + + + + I'm evaluating/testing Bugzilla, and don't want it to send email to + anyone but me. How do I do it? + + + + + Edit the param for the mail text. Replace "To:" with "X-Real-To:", + replace "Cc:" with "X-Real-CC:", and add a "To: (myemailaddress)". + + + + + + + + I want whineatnews.pl to whine at something more, or other than, only new + bugs. How do I do it? + + + + + Try Klaas Freitag's excellent patch for "whineatassigned" functionality. + You can find it at + http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6679. This + patch is against an older version of Bugzilla, so you must apply + the diffs manually. + + + + + + + + I don't like/want to use Procmail to hand mail off to bug_email.pl. + What alternatives do I have? + + + + + You can call bug_email.pl directly from your aliases file, with + an entry like this: +
+ + bugzilla-daemon: "|/usr/local/bin/bugzilla/contrib/bug_email.pl" + +
+ However, this is fairly nasty and subject to problems; you also + need to set up your smrsh (sendmail restricted shell) to allow + it. In a pinch, though, it can work. + + + + + + + + How do I set up the email interface to submit/change bugs via email? + + + + + You can find an updated README.mailif file in the contrib/ directory + of your Bugzilla distribution that walks you through the setup. + + + + + + + + Email takes FOREVER to reach me from bugzilla -- it's extremely slow. + What gives? + + + + + If you are using an alternate Mail Transport Agent (MTA other than + sendmail), make sure the options given in the "processmail" script for all + instances of "sendmail" are correct for your MTA. If you are using Sendmail, + you may wish to delete the "-ODeliveryMode=deferred" option in the + "processmail" script for every invocation of "sendmail". (Be sure and leave + the "-t" option, though!) + + + A better alternative is to change the "-O" option to + "-ODeliveryMode=background". This prevents Sendmail from hanging your + Bugzilla Perl processes if the domain to which it must send mail + is unavailable. + + + This is now a configurable parameter called "sendmailparm", available + from editparams.cgi. + + + + + + + + How come email never reaches me from bugzilla changes? + + + + + Double-check that you have not turned off email in your user preferences. + Confirm that Bugzilla is able to send email by visiting the "Log In" + link of your Bugzilla installation and clicking the "Email me a password" + button after entering your email address. + + + If you never receive mail from Bugzilla, chances you do not have + sendmail in "/usr/lib/sendmail". Ensure sendmail lives in, or is symlinked + to, "/usr/lib/sendmail". + + + + + + + Bugzilla Database + + + + + I've heard Bugzilla can be used with Oracle? + + + + + Red Hat Bugzilla, mentioned above, works with Oracle. The current version + from Mozilla.org does not have this capability. Unfortunately, though + you will sacrifice a lot of the really great features available in + Bugzilla 2.10 and 2.12 if you go with the 2.8-based Redhat version. + + + + + + + + Bugs are missing from queries, but exist in the database (and I can pull + them up by specifying the bug ID). What's wrong? + + + + + You've almost certainly enabled the "shadow database", but for some + reason it hasn't been updated for all your bugs. This is the database + against which queries are run, so that really complex or slow queries won't + lock up portions of the database for other users. You can turn off the + shadow database in editparams.cgi. If you wish to continue using the shadow + database, then as your "bugs" user run "./syncshadowdb -syncall" from the + command line in the bugzilla installation directory to recreate your shadow + database. After it finishes, be sure to check the params and make sure that + "queryagainstshadowdb" is still turned on. The syncshadowdb program turns it + off if it was on, and is supposed to turn it back on when completed; that + way, if it crashes in the middle of recreating the database, it will stay + off forever until someone turns it back on by hand. Apparently, it doesn't + always do that yet. + + + + + + + + I think my database might be corrupted, or contain invalid entries. What + do I do? + + + + + Run the "sanity check" utility (./sanitycheck.cgi in the bugzilla_home + directory) to see! If it all comes back, you're OK. If it doesn't come back + OK (i.e. any red letters), there are certain things Bugzilla can recover + from and certain things it can't. If it can't auto-recover, I hope you're + familiar with mysqladmin commands or have installed another way to manage + your database... + + + + + + + + I want to manually edit some entries in my database. How? + + + + + There is no facility in Bugzilla itself to do this. It's also generally + not a smart thing to do if you don't know exactly what you're doing. + However, if you understand SQL you can use the mysqladmin utility to + manually insert, delete, and modify table information. Personally, I + use "phpMyAdmin". You have to compile a PHP module with MySQL + support to make it work, but it's very clean and easy to use. + + + + + + + + I try to add myself as a user, but Bugzilla always tells me my password is wrong. + + + + + Certain version of MySQL (notably, 3.23.29 and 3.23.30) accidentally disabled + the "crypt()" function. This prevented MySQL from storing encrypted passwords. + Upgrade to the "3.23 stable" version of MySQL and you should be good to go. + + + + + + + + I think I've set up MySQL permissions correctly, but bugzilla still can't + connect. + + + + + Try running MySQL from its binary: "mysqld --skip-grant-tables". This + will allow you to completely rule out grant tables as the cause of your + frustration. However, I do not recommend you run it this way on a regular + basis, unless you really want your web site defaced and your machine + cracked. + + + + + + + + How do I synchronize bug information among multiple different Bugzilla + databases? + + + + + Well, you can synchronize or you can move bugs. Synchronization will + only work one way -- you can create a read-only copy of the database + at one site, and have it regularly updated at intervals from the main + database. + + + MySQL has some synchronization features builtin to the latest releases. + It would be great if someone looked into the possibilities there + and provided a report to the newsgroup on how to effectively + synchronize two Bugzilla installations. + + + If you simply need to transfer bugs from one Bugzilla to another, + checkout the "move.pl" script in the Bugzilla distribution. + + + + + + + + Why do I get bizarre errors when trying to submit data, particularly problems + with "groupset"? + + + + + If you're sure your MySQL parameters are correct, you might want turn + "strictvaluechecks" OFF in editparams.cgi. If you have "usebugsentry" set + "On", you also cannot submit a bug as readable by more than one group with + "strictvaluechecks" ON. + + + + + + + + How come even after I delete bugs, the long descriptions show up? + + + + + Delete everything from $BUZILLA_HOME/shadow. Bugzilla creates shadow + files there, with each filename corresponding to a + bug number. Also be sure to run syncshadowdb to make sure, if you are using + a shadow database, that the shadow database is current. + + + + + + + + Bugzilla and Win32 + + + + + What is the easiest way to run Bugzilla on Win32 (Win98+/NT/2K)? + + + + + Remove Windows. Install Linux. Install Bugzilla. + The boss will never know the difference. + + + + + + + + Is there a "Bundle::Bugzilla" equivalent for Win32? + + + + + Not currently. Bundle::Bugzilla enormously simplifies Bugzilla + installation on UNIX systems. If someone can volunteer to + create a suitable PPM bundle for Win32, it would be appreciated. + + + + + + + + CGI's are failing with a "something.cgi is not a valid Windows NT + application" error. Why? + + + + + Depending on what Web server you are using, you will have to configure + the Web server to treat *.cgi files as CGI scripts. In IIS, you do this by + adding *.cgi to the App Mappings with the <path>\perl.exe %s %s as the + executable. + + + Microsoft has some advice on this matter, as well: +
+ + "Set application mappings. In the ISM, map the extension for the script + file(s) to the executable for the script interpreter. For example, you might + map the extension .py to Python.exe, the executable for the Python script + interpreter. Note For the ActiveState Perl script interpreter, the extension + .pl is associated with PerlIS.dll by default. If you want to change the + association of .pl to perl.exe, you need to change the application mapping. + In the mapping, you must add two percent (%) characters to the end of the + pathname for perl.exe, as shown in this example: c:\perl\bin\perl.exe %s %s" + +
+ + + + + + + + Can I have some general instructions on how to make Bugzilla on Win32 work? + + + + + The following couple entries are deprecated in favor of the Windows installation + instructions available in the "Administration" portion of "The Bugzilla Guide". + However, they are provided here for historical interest and insight. + + 1. #!C:/perl/bin/perl had to be added to every perl file. + 2. Converted to Net::SMTP to handle mail messages instead of + /usr/bin/sendmail. + 3. The crypt function isn't available on Windows NT (at least none that I + am aware), so I made encrypted passwords = plaintext passwords. + 4. The system call to diff had to be changed to the Cygwin diff. + 5. This was just to get a demo running under NT, it seems to be working + good, and I have inserted almost 100 bugs from another bug tracking + system. Since this work was done just to get an in-house demo, I am NOT + planning on making a patch for submission to Bugzilla. If you would + like a zip file, let me know. + +Q: Hmm, couldn't figure it out from the general instructions above. How +about step-by-step? +A: Sure! Here ya go! + + 1. Install IIS 4.0 from the NT Option Pack #4. + 2. Download and install Active Perl. + 3. Install the Windows GNU tools from Cygwin. Make sure to add the bin + directory to your system path. (Everyone should have these, whether + they decide to use Bugzilla or not. :-) ) + 4. Download relevant packages from ActiveState at + http://www.activestate.com/packages/zips/. + DBD-Mysql.zip + 5. Extract each zip file with WinZip, and install each ppd file using the + notation: ppm install <module>.ppd + 6. Install Mysql. *Note: If you move the default install from c:\mysql, + you must add the appropriate startup parameters to the NT service. (ex. + -b e:\\programs\\mysql) + 7. Download any Mysql client. http://www.mysql.com/download_win.html + 8. Setup MySql. (These are the commands that I used.) + + I. Cleanup default database settings. + C:\mysql\bin\mysql -u root mysql + mysql> DELETE FROM user WHERE Host='localhost' AND User=''; + mysql> quit + C:\mysql\bin\mysqladmin reload + + II. Set password for root. + C:\mysql\bin\mysql -u root mysql + mysql> UPDATE user SET Password=PASSWORD('new_password') + WHERE user='root'; + mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES; + mysql> quit + C:\mysql\bin\mysqladmin -u root reload + + III. Create bugs user. + C:\mysql\bin\mysql -u root -p + mysql> insert into user (host,user,password) + values('localhost','bugs',''); + mysql> quit + C:\mysql\bin\mysqladmin -u root reload + + IV. Create the bugs database. + C:\mysql\bin\mysql -u root -p + mysql> create database bugs; + + V. Give the bugs user access to the bugs database. + mysql> insert into db + (host,db,user,select_priv,insert_priv,update_priv,delete_priv,create_priv,drop_priv) + values('localhost','bugs','bugs','Y','Y','Y','Y','Y','N') + mysql> quit + C:\mysql\bin\mysqladmin -u root reload + 9. Run the table scripts to setup the bugs database. + 10. Change CGI.pm to use the following regular expression because of + differing backslashes in NT versus UNIX. + o $0 =~ m:[^\\]*$:; + 11. Had to make the crypt password = plain text password in the database. + (Thanks to Andrew Lahser" <andrew_lahser@merck.com>" on this one.) The + files that I changed were: + o globals.pl + o CGI.pl + o alternately, you can try commenting all references to 'crypt' + string and replace them with similar lines but without encrypt() + or crypr() functions insida all files. + 12. Replaced sendmail with Windmail. Basically, you have to come up with a + sendmail substitute for NT. Someone said that they used a Perl module + (Net::SMTP), but I was trying to save time and do as little Perl coding + as possible. + 13. Added "perl" to the beginning of all Perl system calls that use a perl + script as an argument and renamed processmail to processmail.pl. + 14. In processmail.pl, I added binmode(HANDLE) before all read() calls. I'm + not sure about this one, but the read() under NT wasn't counting the + EOLs without the binary read." + + + + + + + + + I'm having trouble with the perl modules for NT not being able to talk to + to the database. + + + + + Your modules may be outdated or inaccurate. Try: + + + + Hitting http://www.activestate.com/ActivePerl + + + + + Download ActivePerl + + + + + Go to your prompt + + + + + Type 'ppm' + + + + + PPM> install DBI DBD-mysql GD + + + + I reckon TimeDate and Data::Dumper come with the activeperl. You can check + the ActiveState site for packages for installation through PPM. + + http://www.activestate.com/Packages/ + + + + + + + + Bugzilla Usage + + + + + The query page is very confusing. Isn't there a simpler way to query? + + + + + We are developing in that direction. You can follow progress on this + at + http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=16775. Some functionality + is available in Bugzilla 2.12, and is available as "quicksearch.html" + + + + + + + + I'm confused by the behavior of the "accept" button in the Show Bug form. + Why doesn't it assign the bug to me when I accept it? + + + + + The current behavior is acceptable to bugzilla.mozilla.org and most + users. I personally don't like it. You have your choice of patches + to change this behavior, however. + + + Add a "and accept bug" radio button + + "Accept" button automatically assigns to you + + Note that these patches are somewhat dated. You will need to do the find + and replace manually to apply them. They are very small, though. It is easy. + + + + + + + + I can't upload anything into the database via the "Create Attachment" + link. What am I doing wrong? + + + + + The most likely cause is a very old browser or a browser that is + incompatible with file upload via POST. Download the latest Netscape, + Microsoft, or Mozilla browser to handle uploads correctly. + + + + + + + + Email submissions to Bugzilla that have attachments end up asking me to + save it as a "cgi" file. + + + + + Yup. Just rename it once you download it, or save it under a different + filename. This will not be fixed anytime too soon, because it would + cripple some other functionality. + + + + + + + + How do I change a keyword in Bugzilla, once some bugs are using it? + + + + + In the Bugzilla administrator UI, edit the keyword and it will let you + replace the old keyword name with a new one. This will cause a problem + with the keyword cache. Run sanitycheck.cgi to fix it. + + + + + + + + Bugzilla Hacking + + + + + What bugs are in Bugzilla right now? + + + + + Try + this link to view current bugs or requests for + enhancement for Bugzilla. + + + You can view bugs marked for 2.14 release + here. + This list includes bugs for the 2.14 release that have already + been fixed and checked into CVS. Please consult the + + Bugzilla Project Page for details on how to + check current sources out of CVS so you can have these + bug fixes early! + + + + + + + + What's the best way to submit patches? What guidelines should I follow? + + + +
+ + + + Enter a bug into bugzilla.mozilla.org for the "Webtools" product, + "Bugzilla" component. + + + + + Upload your patch as a unified DIFF (having used "diff -u" against + the current sources checked out of CVS), + or new source file by clicking + "Create a new attachment" link on the bug page you've just created, and + include any descriptions of database changes you may make, into the bug + ID you submitted in step #1. Be sure and click the "Patch" radio + button to indicate the text you are sending is a patch! + + + + + Announce your patch and the associated URL + (http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=XXXX) for discussion in + the newsgroup (netscape.public.mozilla.webtools). You'll get a really + good, fairly immediate reaction to the implications of your patch, + which will also give us an idea how well-received the change would + be. + + + + + If it passes muster with minimal modification, the person to whom + the bug is assigned in Bugzilla is responsible for seeing the patch + is checked into CVS. + + + + + Bask in the glory of the fact that you helped write the most successful + open-source bug-tracking software on the planet :) + + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + + -- cgit v1.2.3-24-g4f1b