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Hi fellow wiki editors!
To help newly registered users get more familiar with the wiki (and maybe older users too) there is now a {{Welcome to the wiki}} template. Have a look at it and feel free to add it to new users discussion pages (and perhaps your own).
I have tried to keep the template short, but meaningful. /Johan G
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{{GitStatus}}
{{Release}}
[[File:ReleasePlan.jpg|thumb|250px|The original release plan.]]This '''FlightGear has had two release plans over [[FlightGear History|history]]. The original release plan''' was originally developed by Mathias Fröhlich, Martin Spott, Thorsten Brehm and Torsten Dreyer during LinuxTag 2011. The current plan was proposed by Torsten Dreyer after the 3.6 release was [[FlightGear Newsletter November 2015#FlightGear v3.6 canceled|cancelled]].
=== Version numbers Before 2016.1 ===FlightGear version numbers consist of three digits, seperated by dots:* '''Major''' (<u>23</u>.4.10): is only Only increased after significant changes to the functionality of the software, i.(e. g., 1.Xx.X => x → 2.0.0 (due to switch to [[OSG]]).* '''Minor''' (23.<u>4</u>.10): has Has two applications:** '''Stable releases''' always have ''even numbers'', i.(e.g. 2.68.0, 2.810.0, 32.012.0).** The '''development streamlatest [[Git]] version''' (or ''latest Git version'[[FlightGear build server|nightly build]]''') uses an ''odd number'', increasing the minor number of always one more than the latest stable release's version by one. I.eminor revision numbere.For example, when the latest release is 2was 3.84.0, the current development stream is 2was 3.95.0.* '''Revision''' (23.4.<u>10</u>): is increased Increased by bugfix releases, i.(e. 2g.8.1, 2.812.2, 2.8.31).
=== Detailed time schedule 2016.1 and checklist after ===# * '''Dec/Jun 17th:Year''' Development stream is declared "frozen" or "yellow"##Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mailing-list to announce the state, add a call for screenshots##Create a "release preperations" topic at the forum and make it a "Global Announcement", add a call for screenshots##Change the content of wiki template at [[Template:GitStatus]] to <code><nowiki>{{GitStatus:frozen}}</nowiki></code>##Bump up the version-number of simgear/next, flightgear/next and fgdata/master to an even number (2.9.0 -> 3.0.0)##Compile and test drive FlightGear with the new version-number##Commit the new version number to next (flightgear+simgear) and master(fgdata)##Tag (annotated) flightgear, simgear and fgdata with <ttu>version/3.0.02016</ttu>##:''git tag -a version/3.01.0'' (Enter a wise comment)##Push the branches next/master '''and''' the tags upstream##:for flightgear and simgear: ''git push origin next''##:for fgdata: ''git push origin master''##:for The year the tags (all repos): ''git push origin version/3was released.0.0''# * '''Jan/Jul 17th:Number''' Create new release branch, assign new version number to dev-stream, re-open streams<!-- We don't really need this step(2016...##Declare the streams "closed" or "red"##:Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mail-list, asking not to commit/push anything##:Post an update to the forum topic##:Change the content of wiki template at [[Template:GitStatus]] to <codeu><nowiki>{{GitStatus:closed}}1</nowikiu></code>-->##Pull current Git, create the release branches (for sg/fg/fgdata.0):##:''git pull##:''git branch Which release/3.0.0##On the next/master branches, bump up the version-number of simgear, flightgear and fgdata to an odd number (3.0.0 -> 3.1.0)##Compile and test drive FlightGear with the new development version number##Commit year the changes of version-number to next/master##Tag is (annotated) flightgear, simgear and fgdata with "version/2.9.0"##note:''git tag -a version/2.9.0'' (Enter a wise commentstarts at 1)##Push the branches next/master '''and''' release/3.0.0 '''and''' the tags upstream##:for flightgear, simgear and fgdata: * ''git push origin release/3.0.0'Revision'##:for flightgear and simgear: ''git push origin next''##:for fgdata: ''git push origin master''##:for the tags (all repos): ''git push origin version/32016.1.0''##Declare dev-streams "open" or "green"##: Ask a [http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php?title=Special:ListUsers&group=sysop wiki admin] to change the content of wiki template at [[Template:GitStatus]] to <codeu><nowiki>{{GitStatus:open}}0</nowikiu></code>##): Indicates one of two things:Send a mail to the flightgear-devel mailing-list to announce the state.## Trigger James for ** In the Jenkins-builds and Curt for a snapshot release and ThorstenB for the OpenSuse build# '''Feb/Aug 1st:latest [[Git]] version''' Start preparing the release notes and a press announcement# or '''Feb/Aug 17th:[[FlightGear build server|nightly build]]''' Create binaries/installers, pack fgdatathis digit is 0, publish files, announce new version, close the release-branchindicating that it is unstable.## Generate latest '''getstart.pdf''', push the PDF to fgdata/master - and cherry-pick to the ** When a new '''release branch'''. Generate latest '''getstart''' HTMLis created, push PDF and HTML this digit is set to the MapServer site1.##Tag the release/3.00 branches of simgearWith bugfix that is made, flightgear and fgdata and push the tags.##:for flighgearthis digit is increased by 1, simgear and fgdata: ''git tag version/3.0.0-final''##:for flighgear, simgear and fgdata: ''git push origin version/3.0.0-final''##Merge the branch release/3.0.0 into '''master''' (<u>'''NOT'''</u> next) for flightgear and simgear and push the branch##:We don't have a next branch for fgdata, no merging of the release branch here.##:for flighgear and simgear: ##:''git checkout -b master origin/master'' or ''git checkout master'' if you already have the local branch##:''git merge new version/3.0.0-final##:''git push origin master''##[[:Category:FlightGear Core developers|Core developers]] and other contributors should be invited to add their release related experiences (i.e. suggestions for improvements) to the wiki to help update and improve the release plan (i.e. this page) accordinglycreated.
==Detailed time schedule and checklist = Definition of repository states ==={| class="wikitable"!! State! Description|-! [[File:Traffic light green.png|20px]]! Open/Green| Normal development of # Just after the code base and fgdata. Unrestricted (wellnext release, sort of) access to the streamsnext default airport is decided on by a poll on the forum. This state lasts for five month The next release will be named after it.# (On the 17th of the release month): The first Jenkins script is triggered to create <code>release/xxxx.x.0</code> branches were createdwith version xxxx.x.0.|-# Jenkins creates the binaries for xxxx.x.1.! # Patches going into the <code>release/xxxx.x.0</code> branch automatically trigger a new build with a increase of the revision version number (see [[File:Traffic light yellow#2016.png1 and after|20pxabove]]! Frozen/Yellow| No new features or major changes shall be pushed onto the development streams (neither source nor data)and we immediately have a bugfix release. This period is for preparing # On the <code for >next</code> branch, the release and make sure there are no major issuesversion number is changed. It lasts for four weeks until creation of the release branches# Nightly builds are created from <code>next</code> after every push in that branch.
== Version files ==; FGData: {{fgdata file|version}}; SimGear: {{simgear file|version}}; FlightGear: {{flightgear file|version}}; FGRun: [http://sourceforge.net/p/flightgear/fgrun/ci/next/tree/version fgrun/version]<!--== Bug fix committing policy ===
Fixes for bugs during the shakedown test of the release branch may be applied to the branches next or release/2.8.0.
A fix goes into release/2.8.0 if the development of next has moved forward and this fix does not apply there. It also goes into the release branch if there will be a better fix for next.
'''DO NOT''' merge next into release/2.8.0 or vice versa. Most likely, there will be commits that are not welcome in or even break the other branch.
-->
<!--
=== Tasks and owners ===
The following table should be updated and augmented after each release, according to the [[Release plan#Lessons learned|Lessons learned]] section below.
{|class="wikitable"!Stage
! width="500px" | Task
! Owner(s)
|-
! rowspan="7" | Preparation| Announce the state-change of the dev-streams, '''cross-post to JSBSim list''' (see lessons learned!)
| TorstenD
|-
| Create/maintain the git branches
| TorstenD
|-
| Track the bugs on the tracker, trigger developers, adjust bug-priorities
| Sync the language files so they can be translated
| ThorstenB, James
|-
| Beta testing
| Update documentation: [[FAQ]], [https://www.gitorious.org/fg/getstart/ The Manual], wiki
| Stuart, Gijs and anyone else
|-
| Pack RC and final version of FGDATAfgdata
|
|-
| Windows
| Curt
|-
| MacOS
| Tat/James
|-
| Distribute files to download servers
| Curt
|-
! rowspan="23" | Make adjustments on the web-site
| Collect/make screenshots for the gallery
| Curt
| Generate aircraft page
| Curt, Gijs
|-
| Tag the [http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php?title=Talk:Next_newsletter&action=edit§ion=45 newsletter template] according to the released version
<nowiki>[[Category:Changes after 2.12]]</nowiki>
| Hooray, Gijs, Stuart (other wiki admins)
|-
! rowspan="2" | Announce the new version to the public
| Write a changelog: [[Changelog 3.0.0Next changelog]]| All developers/contributors
|-
| Contact flightsim websites and send them/link them to the "press announcement". See [[release promotion]] for a list of already-contacted and yet-to-contact websites/magazinsmagazines.
| '''EVERYBODY'''
|}
-->
==== 2.8 ==Lessons learned ==* {{Thumbs down}} Lack of stress-testing: A number of users reported severe memory growth issues (with fgfs consuming as much as 14gb of RAM), many directly related to new features, such as random buildings: See [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=16758&p=160765&hilit=vegetation#p160747] [http:Release plan//flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=17249Lessons learned] [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=17114&start=15#p163829] [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg38007.html] These could have probably been identified earlier by running FG for extended periods a list of time, things that turned out well and testing should be kept for the shipped aircraft with the default KSFO scenery, and new features such next release as random buildings enabled.* {{Thumbs down}} Lack of graceful feature scaling: Several users with old graphics cards reported not being able to run FG 2.8 without crashing during startup, because the FG defaults well as thing that didn't scale for old hardware [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=17308]* {{Thumbs down}} According to noaa.gov it seems that the NOAA metar source got phased turn out in 04/2012 so well and moved to a new URL[http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/coded.html], some users reported issues related to this[http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=17457&p=165784&hilit=metar#p165784]should be changed for future releases. HoweverIdeally, the metar URL is currently hard-coded in the fgfs/metar source code - in addition, the default format is no longer a plain text dump [http://www.aviationweather.gov/adds/metars/]. It would make sense to make the URL a string property that can release plan should be put into preferences.xml updated and then use a Nasal listener to parse the resulting XML/HTML and set a plain text property instead, augmented so that can be processed by the existing metar codelessons learned are incorporated accordingly.* {{Thumbs down}} [http://www.mail<!-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg38113.html Broken OSX downloads]* {{Thumbs downAppendix}} [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&p=165841#p165841 the OSX 10.8 release and code signing caused some irritation]* {{Thumbs down}} [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=14883&start=330#p166062 After the 2.8 release a number of users on the forums reported seeing GLSL related errors, because some of the 2.8 shaders used GLSL features only supported by more recent GLSL compilers/drivers - it would probably make sense to test all shader settings on all 3 platforms and check if they cause any errors (and "backport" shaders as necessary). Apple/Mac OSX seems to be more problematic]* {{Thumbs down}} [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg38121.html Microsoft Redistributables were apparently not shipped with the Windows installer ?]* {{Thumbs down}} [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg38089.html The changelog should be written as early as possible]* The code freeze could probably be lifted for patches that are not normally enabled/used by any default code paths (or shipped aircraft) in a FlightGear release. This probably involves Nasal extension functions, fgcommands, telnet commands, but also custom hard coded instruments or instrumentation-related APIs (think Canvas). Basically, whenever there's no chance to break a release by committing a certain patch, because the code path will not be executed by default without explicitly enabling it. For 2.8, this also meant that the Nasal [[Canvas]] API could not be included due to the code freeze, which however wasn't used by any systems or aircraft - so that there would have been zero chance for breakage [http://www.mail-archive.com/flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net/msg37622.html] [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=17397#p165413].* The wiki contains a number of resources to help new users with hardware decisions, such as [[Hardware Recommendations]] [[Notebooks known to run FlightGear]] and [[Supported Video Cards]] - these should probably be updated for each release several weeks in advance.>
==Related content == 2.6 === Mailing lists ===* {{Thumbs up}} feature freeze in generalcite web*|url = http: helped a lot during release management. Kept the commit traffic low and thus helped identifying those commits required to pick into the release.* {{Thumbs down}} feature freeze for aircraft*: Technically, a feature freeze for aircraft is not necessary as long as this aircraft is not part of the base distribution and no common parts are affected//sourceforge. If it's guaranteed that the changes remain in FGDATAnet/Aircraftp/flightgear/mailman/message/34701971/MyAircraft and no other files are touched, these updates should be OK up to shortly before the release.* {{Thumbs down}} switching to a new version of supporting libraries like OSG.*: The move to OSG |title = <nowiki>[Flightgear-devel] Release 3.x introduced some major issues. If at all possible, switch to a new library early in the development cycle.8</nowiki>* {{Thumbs down}} manual creation of release candidates and the release binaries|author = Torsten Dreyer*: It's preferable to have equal numbers for release candidates for all O/S and probably a git-tag for each candidate.|date = Dec 17th, 2015* {{Thumbs down}} release date/time frame*: It took several days to release all the subparts. Might be better to upload all files and pages to hidden folders and publish them all at once (or at least within a couple of hours). That'll have several advantages:*:* no big difference between releases for the various OS.*:* the website will switch to the new release state quickly. With 2.6.0, the aircraft page was published before the setup. The release announcement was published even later.
[[Category:Core developer documentation]]
[[Category:FlightGear]]
[[Category: Release]]