Re: [Evolution-hackers] How to incorporate and test changes to code - an overview??

[William Jon McCann <mccannwj pha jhu edu>]

Hello Carlos,

You may find some good information here:
http://gnome.org/projects/evolution/developer.shtml

In short:

 * Use jhbuild
 * Learn how to use CVS commands
 * Read the code and try to understand how it works (and there is 
plenty of it)
 * Follow the coding style of the file you change (evolution uses at 
least two distinct styles)
 * Always try to provide patches that apply to the very latest version 
from CVS HEAD.
 * Try to make your change affect as little code as possible
 * Thoroughly test your changes
 * The evolution hackers are, unfortunately, quite swamped so you may 
have to be patient when requesting feedback.

Good luck,
Jon

Carlos Gonzalez wrote:
> Hi everyone, 
>
> This is my first post on the list so bear with me if some of what I ask
> about seems like old hat to most of you :).  
>
> I have been using Evolution for a few days now and find it a very
> worthwhile program.  But I have been encountering lots of frustrating
> quirks to using it that I would like to change.  Rather than waiting for
> changes to be made, if ever, through the more normal channels I prefer
> to make changes to the source code myself and recompile if necessary.  
>
> It's the first open source program I have encountered that needs some
> changes pretty bad but which is already at a point of being quite
> useful.  So it's worth it for me to do this.  
>
> So...I am wondering first off if there is some kind of guide online for
> newbie hackers of the source code and where that might be?  
>
> Secondly in a more general sense I am wondering about the whole
> methodology used in making changes to the source code such that I can
> make them and test them within a reasonable time period.  Obviously I
> cannot wait to test a change by recompiling the source with every few
> changes.  There must be a much faster way of doing this that Evolution
> programmers use but of which I am unaware.  Do they build test scripts
> that can test individual functions?  One at a time?  Such that they can
> compile changes to the function quickly to test before incorporating
> into the source code tree? 
>
> Lastly what is a good way to keep any changes I make while also making
> use of the latest stable builds to Evolution? Is it theoretically
> possible to download the entire source, for me to create and run a Perl
> or other script to patch the source code, and then to recompile so that
> I get the best and greatest from Evolution while also incorporating my
> changes.  
>
> Any input on any or all of the above would be most appreciated.  Some of
> evolutions quirks are starting to drive me nuts yet I don't want to
> cease using it since it's the best there is on Linux.  
>
> Carlos 
>
>
>
>
>
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