6.1 Release Checklist

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Timeline (tentative)
Please use <strike> </strike> to mark items below as done.

Kick-off

Update gnulib to latest version

Completion Date: 12/6/2019
Must occur first as it could resolve existing, or create new, bug reports. You should run ./bootstrap in the source tree after updating to the new gnulib version.

Call for bug reports

Completion Date: N/A (not done this release)
  • Put out a general call for reports on maintainers@octave.org and help@octave.org for all outstanding unreported known bugs.

Review Savannah bug and patch tracker

Completion Date:
  • Submitted (52) patches from bug tracker. (Updated 2020-01-18)
  • Submitted (50) patches from patch tracker. (Updated 2020-01-18)
  • Review open bugs and update to correct category, such as "Patch submitted", correct title if necessary.

One time tasks

GPL License activities

Completion Date:
  • Update copyright statements for all source controlled files.
  • Update dates in any other locations (launch message, citation, MXE files, etc.).
  • Add any new contributors to doc/interpreter/contributors.in who wish to be mentioned (don't add them without permission).

Style-check code base

Completion Date: 1/12/20
This will produce lots of whitespace changes, but no behavior changes. Must occur after patches have been added, since whitespace changes can prevent patches from applying.

Review documentation

Completion Date: 12/12/2019
  • Grammar check documentation.
  • Spell check documentation.
  • Verify no functions missing from manual.
  • Verify deprecated functions removed from "see also" links.
  • Verify all formats (Info, HTML, PDF) build correctly.
  • Review NEWS for any features which should be announced.
  • Update major version number in "@subtitle Edition XXX" in octave.texi.

Call for translations

Completion Date:
  • Update language translation files (*.ts). (Changeset)
  • Create issue report on Savannah as a centralized location for uploading files. (Bug #57490)
  • Call for translations for GUI strings on maintainers@octave.org. (Dec, 28 2019) (Jan, 14 2020)
  • Collect and push all translated files

Repeat until all bugs are resolved

Completion Date first iteration:

Current state at Savannah

The Savannah links are created by using the "Display criteria", "Browse with the Advanced query form and MULTIPLE selection" form.

Merge submitted patches

make check

  • Verify make check is passing on all buildbot combinations of OS and compilers.
  • Compiling with -fsanitize=undefined, --enable-address-sanitizer-flags to check for memory leaks. Use other tools cppcheck, etc.
  • Start discussion on maintainers@octave.org about which failing tests that must be fixed and which can be declared WON'T FIX.

Create new release candidate

  • Ensure correct version information.
  • Create hg tag in repository with release candidate version number.
  • Verify make distcheck passes.
  • Verify make dist works.
  • Create Windows Installer.
  • Upload release candidates.
  • Add release candidate version to Savannah bug tracker.
  • Announce release candidate to maintainers@octave.org, help@octave.org mailing-list, on web page.

Final Release

Update version information

Completion Date:
  • Ensure correct version information.
  • Create hg tag in repository with release version number.
  • Update NEWS (final release date).
  • Update CITATION (version, year, URL).
  • Update org.octave.Octave.appdata.xml (version number and release date).
  • Update Savannah bug tracker version info.
  • Update Savannah bug tracker: OPEN bugs marked as WON'T FIX should be marked as CONFIRMED (or more appropriate) for the final release.
  • Remove release candidate versions from Savannah.

Announce final release

Completion Date:
  • Octave mailing-lists
  • Octave web site
  • This wiki

Post-Release

Completion Date:
  • Merge default onto stable to become the current stable release.
  • Ensure correct version information.
  • Remove all deprecated functions (either OCTAVE_DEPRECATED in C++ or scripts/deprecated for m-files) scheduled for deletion in "default" branch.
  • Move NEWS file to backup in etc/NEWS.X.
  • Create new NEWS file.

Versioning hints

Read etc/HACKING.md carefully!!
  • Update configure.ac:
    • AC_INIT
    • OCTAVE_API_VERSION
    • OCTAVE_MAJOR/MINOR/PATCH_VERSION
    • OCTAVE_RELEASE_DATE
  • Update libtool versioning:
    • liboctave/module.mk %canon_reldir%_%canon_reldir%_current
    • libinterp/module.mk %canon_reldir%_liboctinterp_current
    • libgui/module.mk %canon_reldir%_liboctgui_current