Development Updates/Status: *development* branch, and debian/changelog file maintenance.

[petersilva]

So, now that version 3 is the released version on github, pretty much everyone is expected to use the new version. It no longer makes sense to call version 3 a work in progress. So the principle development branch, which until now has been called v03_wip is now simply called development.

Another attempt to clarify work in progress is a super-lightweight "project planning" method: putting stuff in the change log. The debian/changelog file is a required file to build debian packages, and conventionally lists the changes in each version. Changes to that file are not included in PR's because they always cause merge issues, because no-one knows in which order features will be merged, so the lines always end up as conflicts to be resolved.

So the convention has been to, once in a while, after a number of PR's to the development branch have been accepted, to update debian/changelog manually to reflect those PR's. One of the final steps of a release is polishing the content of that file. So the changes to that file are done via direct commits to the development branch and not PR's. They could also be done by PR's that ONLY contain the changelog changes, the essential thing is not to mix changes to the changelog with substantive ones.

A new thing being tried for v3.0.46 is to include a little planning information, or forward looking information in the changelog to guide potential contributors towards things that are considered most helpful to work on. Here is an example:

metpx-sr3 (3.00.46) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium

  [ Done ]

  * fixes for windows executable generation.
  * branch re-org: v03 now assumed, so *development* replaces v03_wip

  [ Goals ]

  * why are mqtt flow tests failing?
  * on gitlab... look at symlink mirroring complaint.
  * #791 review published messages when mirror off.
  * #782 variable expansion in queueName in default.conf?
  * move metrics to sub-directory (for Greg's work on cloud)
  * queue size to metrics/status...
  * #649 sr3 status display size of queue.
  * #767 Add metrics for number of messages in AMQP queue (same as #649)

  [ Opportunities ]

  * review/update/re-enable? docker image generation: batteries-included.
  * enable github generation of windows executables.
  * origin/v03_issue396_2_manifest_files - working towards re-enabling partitioned transfers.
  * #785 log rollover fails on Windows
  * #771 features in install guide.
  * #770 harmless error message in docker.
  * #625 re-enable reporting, complete it by testing a bit.
  * #702 flowcb to create metadata files... blocked transfer is an example.
  * #771 "features" in Installation log.

 -- peter <peter.silva@ssc-spc.gc.ca>  Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:39:35 -0400

• The Goals Sections identifies things that we really want to get done in that release.
• The Opportunities Section indicates other stuff happening, that would be nice to include if it gets done, but might not make it into this release.

So anybody can find out what the plans are in development by just looking at:

https://github.com/MetPX/sarracenia/blob/development/debian/changelog

at any time... Does this make sense as a planning aide/ status update method?

[petersilva]

oh... I guess an obvious corrolary: Don't need to use the v03 or v03only tags anymore. That is assumed. It is now incumbent to label v2 issues explicitly, flipping the onus.

[petersilva]

After discussion:

• development is now the default branch.
• the main branch will be renamed to stable (github actions, and Launchpad release builders need to be updated.)

[petersilva]

made sarrac branch default to "development" and the release branch is now called "stable"