Bugzilla
If you discover a problem with the program (known as a bug), you may want to record the bug so that it can be fixed by the developers. The GnuCash project uses the Bugzilla repository maintained by the Gnome Project. Bugzilla includes 'bugs and enhancement requests for a wide number of projects, including GnuCash.
Using Bugzilla
Because Bugzilla has bugs for many projects, it can be useful to see bugs only for GnuCash. There is a specific GnuCash "Product" page which allows you to see GnuCash bugs. On this page, you can see the bugs for GnuCash arranged by component. The number of bugs for each component is clickable, and will display the list of the open bugs for that component.
Triage
At first you should check for existing reports of the same problem or improvement suggestion. It may be still open or already closed after the date of your release.
Example links into GnuCash's bugzilla section:
- Search the entire GNOME bug database (overwhelming)
- Search for open GnuCash bugs and enhancements
- Search for open GnuCash bugs and enhancements, restricted to post-1.8 or unspecified versions
Entering of or commenting on bugs
- Also bugzillas help has useful parts.
- Open a new GnuCash bug or enhancement Request; when reporting a crash, see Stack Trace and Tracefile for information on how to produce a stack trace for your bug report. You may also wish to consider logging messages and filtering detail.
- Tip
- If you refer to other bugs in your text, we suggest to use the form bug nnnnnn - Title. Bugzilla will then add a link and the reader saves time if the title can be read without following the link.
Do not copy and paste log files. Instead append them as:
Attachments
If a program crash or freeze only happens on a specific file like
- data file
- import file
- (modified) report
it can be useful to attach a copy of that file to your bug report, but:
- It is easier, if you attach your XML data file uncompressed. Before you save your file, uncheck Edit->Preferences->General->Files->Compress Files. It can then already be seen in the web interface.
- If the file contains confidential data do not forget to anonymize your data e.g. with the ObfuscateScript.
- If the file is really big, try to create a minimal example.
When uploading adjust the mime type of your file:
- Uncompressed gnucash data files are of type text/xml,
- most import files and log files are of type text/plain.
Other Resources
- Uservoice is an interesting forum for discussion of new feature requests (but not bug reports).
- The online banking module AqBanking has its own bugtracker.
- If Finance::Quote is not working correctly, you can test it by using the gnc-fq-* command line tools, see FAQ. Use their Request Tracker at the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN).
Answers
If a developer asked you for some information or one of the files above and you attached them, do not forget, to reset the bug status from needinfo to unconfirmed again.
Bug Mail
If you want to receive email notifications about a particular bug, you can add the email address that is your Bugzilla id to the CC list on the bug. Bugzilla will do this for you by default if you take any action on the bug page. If you want to be notified about all changes to particular categories of bugs, including new ones, add one or more of the following email addresses to your "User Watch" list in Bugzilla Email Preferences: Click the Preferences item in the Bugzilla menu bar and select the Email Preferences tab. The watch list is underneath the table with all of the check boxes. The email addresses and the groups they monitor are:
Group | Elements |
---|---|
gnucash-core-maint@gnome.bugs | Backend-SQL, Backend-XML, Budgets, Build System, Business, Currency and Commodity, Engine, Python Bindings, Scheduled Transactions |
gnucash-documentation-maint@gnome.bugs | Documentation, Translations, Website |
gnucash-general-maint@gnome.bugs | General |
gnucash-import-maint@gnome.bugs | Import-AqBanking, Import-CSV, Import-OFX, Import-Other, Import-QIF, Import-QSF, TXF Export |
gnucash-mac-maint@gnome.bugs | MacOS |
gnucash-reports-maint@gnome.bugs | Check Printing, Reports |
gnucash-ui-maint@gnome.bugs | Register, Regist-2, User Interface General |
gnucash-win-maint@gnome.bugs | Windows |
Bug Triage
For those people who may like to help us e.g. on bug triage, there is some additional information in QA/BugzillaAdministration.