Suggestion: How to contribute to LitePlacer software
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 12:23 pm
1a. If you identify something in the software which you'd like to fix, imrpove, enhance or add, check the issue tracker to see if it is already listed as a feature request or bug report:
https://github.com/jkuusama/LitePlacer-DEV/issues
If it is not on the list yet, add it with a meaninful title and description.
1b. If you want to help but have no idea where to start, check the issue tracker and see if there is anything you'd like to do.
2. In any case, add a comment to the issue which states that you will be working on that issue - simply to avoid double work and wasted effort.
3. Create a fork of the DEV repo. Easiest way is to navigate to the repository page in your browser, sign in with username + password and then click "fork" button on the upper right of the screen.
Repository page:
https://github.com/jkuusama/LitePlacer-DEV
This basically creates a working copy of all the sources under your control. This will be your isolated development environment. But your copy is still linked to Juha's repository (it is listed as a "remote" in your fork), so you can update your copy later and also contribute back. Check the git docs for more info.
Your fork will have it's own URL like https://github.com/<USERNAME>/LitePlacer-DEV
So far this copy is still on GitHub server, not your computer.
4. Create your local working copy by using git UI or commandline. This of course requires that you have git (and UI if you desire) installed on your PC.
If you use Windows and have the UI installed, simply click the "download / clone to desktop" icon on your repository web page.
Otherwise, the command is what you're looking for.
!!! Make sure to clone to a new or empty directory, as clone will overwrite local files that you might already have !!!
5. Create a branch in your repository (git branch) and give it a meaningful name for each feature / bugfix you work on; this makes things much easier if the central repo advances in the meantime.
This can again be easily done in the UI, create a new branch by clicking "create new branch icon" on the upper left, typing a name and clicking create.
If you're on the commandline, type to create the branch and to select it to work on.
!!! Ce careful if you switch branches; checkout of another branch will revert unsaved local changes !!!
So far, the branch only exists on your computer. You have to push it to the GitHub server so it becomes visible to you and others, e.g. on the repository web page.
In the UI, click "Publish to remote" on the upper right.
On commandline, type
5. Now you can start to make your local changes with your preferred IDE, probably MS Visual Studio in this case. My suggestion is to keep each change small so it is easier to merge and test it later.
6. Once you are happy, you commit the local changes to the remote repository. Newly created files have to be added to version control.
UI is pretty much self-explantory. On commandline you are looking for:
I'd recommend a UI as it gives you a nice overview of the diffs here...
7. Once you published your changes, they reside in your forked repository and can be seen on the repository web page and the network diagram.
8. Last not least, the changed files should make it back to Juha's centralized repository. To achieve this, you have to create a "pull request" which asks Juha to pull and merge your changes into the centralized repository.
This request can be created on the web page of YOUR repository again. Click the green "Compare & Pull Request" button on the top right and select your feature branch. Git will compare the code to the main repository and show you all changes as diffs.
Add a comment for Juha and other reviewers.
!!! You may reference the issues you have dealt with in the comment by simply typing a hash tag and the number of the issue (e.g. #11) which will automatically create mutual links from the issue to the pull request and vice versa. !!!
Create the pull request and wait for Juha to review your changes.
9. If you want to work on other issues, create a new branch for those changes and start over.
Happy coding, thank you for your contributions and have fun!!!
Best regards
Malte
https://github.com/jkuusama/LitePlacer-DEV/issues
If it is not on the list yet, add it with a meaninful title and description.
1b. If you want to help but have no idea where to start, check the issue tracker and see if there is anything you'd like to do.
2. In any case, add a comment to the issue which states that you will be working on that issue - simply to avoid double work and wasted effort.
3. Create a fork of the DEV repo. Easiest way is to navigate to the repository page in your browser, sign in with username + password and then click "fork" button on the upper right of the screen.
Repository page:
https://github.com/jkuusama/LitePlacer-DEV
This basically creates a working copy of all the sources under your control. This will be your isolated development environment. But your copy is still linked to Juha's repository (it is listed as a "remote" in your fork), so you can update your copy later and also contribute back. Check the git docs for more info.
Your fork will have it's own URL like https://github.com/<USERNAME>/LitePlacer-DEV
So far this copy is still on GitHub server, not your computer.
4. Create your local working copy by using git UI or commandline. This of course requires that you have git (and UI if you desire) installed on your PC.
If you use Windows and have the UI installed, simply click the "download / clone to desktop" icon on your repository web page.
Otherwise, the command
Code: Select all
git clone <REPOSITORY_URL>!!! Make sure to clone to a new or empty directory, as clone will overwrite local files that you might already have !!!
5. Create a branch in your repository (git branch) and give it a meaningful name for each feature / bugfix you work on; this makes things much easier if the central repo advances in the meantime.
This can again be easily done in the UI, create a new branch by clicking "create new branch icon" on the upper left, typing a name and clicking create.
If you're on the commandline, type
Code: Select all
git branch <BRANCHNAME>Code: Select all
git checkout <BRANCHNAME>!!! Ce careful if you switch branches; checkout of another branch will revert unsaved local changes !!!
So far, the branch only exists on your computer. You have to push it to the GitHub server so it becomes visible to you and others, e.g. on the repository web page.
In the UI, click "Publish to remote" on the upper right.
On commandline, type
Code: Select all
git push -u origin <BRANCHNAME>6. Once you are happy, you commit the local changes to the remote repository. Newly created files have to be added to version control.
UI is pretty much self-explantory. On commandline you are looking for:
Code: Select all
git add *Code: Select all
git push7. Once you published your changes, they reside in your forked repository and can be seen on the repository web page and the network diagram.
8. Last not least, the changed files should make it back to Juha's centralized repository. To achieve this, you have to create a "pull request" which asks Juha to pull and merge your changes into the centralized repository.
This request can be created on the web page of YOUR repository again. Click the green "Compare & Pull Request" button on the top right and select your feature branch. Git will compare the code to the main repository and show you all changes as diffs.
Add a comment for Juha and other reviewers.
!!! You may reference the issues you have dealt with in the comment by simply typing a hash tag and the number of the issue (e.g. #11) which will automatically create mutual links from the issue to the pull request and vice versa. !!!
Create the pull request and wait for Juha to review your changes.
9. If you want to work on other issues, create a new branch for those changes and start over.
Happy coding, thank you for your contributions and have fun!!!
Best regards
Malte
