1 README for MAKING BINUTILS RELEASES
3 This is a collection of notes on how to perform a binutils release. A
4 lot of this information can also be found in the maintain.texi file in
7 https://www.gnu.org/software/gnulib/
9 It is useful to have a cloned copy of the sources of this project as
10 it also contains an upload script used to install tarballs on the GNU
13 Make sure that you have upload authority on sourceware and fencepost.
14 Beware - this is an involved process and can take weeks to complete.
15 See the maintain.texi file for details on how to obtain these
18 -------------------------------------------------
19 How to perform a release.
20 -------------------------------------------------
22 1. Send an email out warning contributors about the forthcoming
23 branch. Set a date for the branch (weekends are better because
26 2. When the branch date is near: Update the libiberty and config
27 directories and the top level configure files.
29 3. When branch day arrives add markers for the upcoming release to
30 the NEWS files in gas, ld, and binutils. No need to update NEWS
31 in the gold directory - it has its own release numbering.
33 Likewise for the ChangeLog files in: bfd, binutils, config, cpu,
34 elfcpp, gas, gold, gprof, include, ld, libctf, opcodes and toplevel.
36 Add a note of the name of the new branch to binutils/BRANCHES.
40 4. Create the release branch using:
42 git branch binutils-2_33-branch
43 git push origin binutils-2_33-branch
45 If you get a message like:
47 remote: fatal: Invalid revision range 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f974f26cb16cc6fe3946f163c787a05e713fb77b
49 It appears that this can be ignored...
51 5. Make sure that the branch is there. IE check out the branch sources:
53 git clone ssh://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-2_33-branch 2.33
55 If you get a message about being in a "detached head" state, something
58 Keep the checked out sources - they are going to be needed in future
61 6. Update "BINUTILS_BRANCH" in gdbadmin's crontab:
63 Log in as gdbadmin on sourceware.org, and then:
67 [change BINUTILS_BRANCH]
71 If you do not have access to this account, please feel free to
72 ask Joel Brobecker <brobecker AT adacore DOT com>.
74 7. Rename the current HEAD version entry in Bugzilla, and create a
75 new one. E.g. rename "2.33 (HEAD)" to 2.33, and create "2.34
78 https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/editversions.cgi?product=binutils
80 8. Update bfd/version.m4 on HEAD to indicate that is now a snapshot
83 m4_define([BFD_VERSION], [2.33.51])
85 Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 for the branch.
86 The branch only needs the point value set to 90 as the release
87 has not actually happened yet.
89 m4_define([BFD_VERSION], [2.32.90])
91 Regenerate various files on both branch and HEAD by configuring
92 with "--enable-maintainer-mode --enable-gold" and then building
93 with "make all-binutils all-gas all-gold all-gprof all-ld"
95 Add ChangeLog entries for the updated files. Commit the changes.
96 Make sure that this includes the .pot files as well as the
97 configure and makefiles.
99 8. Create an initial pre-release:
101 a. Remove any auto-generated files, in order to force the
102 src-release script to rebuild them.
107 b. Create a source tarball of the BRANCH sources:
109 ./src-release -x binutils
111 c. Build a test target using this tarball.
113 cp binutils-<version>.tar.xz /dev/shm
115 tar xvf binutils-<version>.tar.xz
118 ../<version>/configure --quiet --enable-gold
121 If there are problems, fix them.
123 d. Upload the pre-release snapshot to the sourceware FTP site:
126 scp binutils-<version>.tar.xz sourceware.org:~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots
127 ssh sourceware.org md5sum ~ftp/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-<version>.tar.xz
129 e. Clean up the source directory again.
133 9. Tell the Translation Project where to find the new tarball.
134 <coordinator@translationproject.org>
135 qv: http://translationproject.org/html/maintainers.html
137 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
138 Dear Translation Project
140 The 2.3x release branch has been created for the FSF binutils.
142 A snapshot of the branch sources can be found here:
144 https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-2.3x.90.tar.xz
146 We hope to make the official release of the sources on the 8th July
147 although that could change if there are important bugs that need to
148 be fixed before the release.
149 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
151 10. Announce the availability of the snapshot and the branch on the
152 binutils mailing list. Set a date for when the release will
153 actually happen. Something like:
155 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
158 The 2.3x branch has now been created:
160 git clone git://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git -b binutils-2_3x-branch 2.3x
162 A snapshot of the sources is also available here:
164 https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/snapshots/binutils-2.3x.90.tar.xz
166 Please could all patches for the branch be run by me.
167 The rules for the branch are:
170 * Target specific bug fixes are OK.
171 * Generic bug fixes are OK if they are important and widely tested.
172 * Documentation updates/fixes are OK.
173 * Translation updates are OK.
174 * Fixes for testsuite failures are OK.
176 Ideally I would like to make the release happen in two weeks time,
177 i.e. Saturday 27th Jan. Which I hope will be enough time for everyone
178 to get their final fixes in.
179 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
181 11. Build various different toolchains, test them and nag
182 maintainers to fix any testsuite failures for their
186 When the time comes to actually make the release....
189 20. Make sure that the branch sources still build, test and install
190 correctly. Make sure that the sources are clean, without any
191 patch files (.reg .orig *~) left over.
196 21. Update the release number in bfd/version.m4 on the release
197 branch to a whole new minor version number, without a point
198 value. Eg "2.29.90" becomes "2.30". Change bfd/development.sh
199 to set all values to "false". Regenerate the configure and
200 makefiles. And *info* files. Add ChangeLog entries for the
201 updates and add a "this-is-the-2.3x-release" comment and
204 22. Check that your file creation mask will create the
205 correct file permissions. Eg:
210 Remove any spurious autom4te.cache files left over from the
213 % find . -depth -name autom4te.cache -exec rm -r {} \;
215 23. Note - check to see if any new files have been added to the top
216 level of the source directory, but which are not in the
217 DEVO_SUPPORT variable in the src-release.sh script. If they are
218 needed then add them.
220 Create the release tarballs:
222 ./src-release.sh -b -g -l -x binutils
224 24. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
227 25. Sanity check the release on x86_64-pc-linux-gnu by building and
228 running the testsuites (gas, gold, binutils and ld). Make the
229 source directory read-only before building. Also test
230 "make install". If necessary fix any problems.
232 26. Tag the branch with the new release number:
234 git tag -a binutils-2_3x
235 [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
236 git push origin binutils-2_3x
238 NB/ If you do sign the binaries make sure to use a key
239 that has been published with the FSF.
241 27. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
243 gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-2.3x.tar.*
245 The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
247 Check for an email response from the upload. If necessary
250 28. Upload the tarballs (and signatures) to sourceware.org:
253 cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
254 put binutils-2.3x.tar.*
255 chmod 644 binutils-2.3x.tar.*
258 FIXME: Should the signatures (created by the gnupload script in
259 step 29) be uploaded as well ?
261 29. Update web pages. For sourceware.org:
263 Create a new documentation folder on the sourceware.org web
264 pages as /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils/docs-2.3x.
267 cd /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils
270 mkdir as bfd binutils gprof ld
274 Update the (local copy of the) index.html file to point to the
275 new documentation and mention the new version and then upload it.
280 Make the html documentation locally with the "make html" command
281 and then upload and rename the directories as needed. (sftp
282 does not appear to support recursive uploads however, so the
283 directories had to be made by hand, as shown above).
286 lcd <build-dir>/gas/doc/as.html
289 lcd ../../../bfd/doc/bfd.html
292 lcd ../../../binutils/doc/binutils.html
295 lcd ../../../gprof/gprof.html
301 Edit the top level binutils index.html file to change the links
302 to the new documentation.
312 Check that the new web page is correct.
314 For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
315 and ask them to make the change(s).
317 30. Send emails to binutils@sourceware.org, info-gnu@gnu.org and
318 David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
319 Sign the email and include the checksum:
321 md5sum binutils-2.3x.tar.*
323 (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
324 social media). Something like this:
325 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
328 We are pleased to announce that version 2.3x of the GNU Binutils project
329 sources have been released and are now available for download at:
331 https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
332 https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
336 This release contains numerous bug fixes, and also the
337 following new features:
339 <extract info from the NEWS files>
341 Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
342 present, for helping to make this release possible.
344 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
346 31. Clean up the source tree:
350 32. Edit bfd/development.sh on the branch and set the development flag
351 to "true". (Leave the experimental flag set to "false"). Also bump
352 the version in bfd/version.m4 by adding a trailing .0, so that the
353 date suffix keeps the version lower than the trunk version.
354 Regenerate files. Commit these changes.
356 33. Email the binutils list telling everyone that the 2.3x branch
357 is now open for business as usual and that patched no longer
358 need special approval.
360 34. Examine the bfd/config.bfd file and move any pending obsolete
361 targets into the definitely obsolete section. Create a
362 changelog entry and commit.
364 -------------------------------------------------
365 How to perform a point release.
366 -------------------------------------------------
368 A point release is easier than a normal release since a lot of the
369 work has already been done. The branch has been created, the
370 translations updated and the documentation uploaded. So the procedure
373 0. Decide that a point release is necessary.
375 Usually this only happens when a sufficient number of serious
376 bugs have been found and fixed since the previous release, and a
377 new official release is not imminent.
379 1. Tell the community that a point release is happening. Ask
380 maintainers to ensure that their ports are up to date on the
381 release branch. Ask the community if there are any bug fixes
382 which are missing from the branch. Allow some time for the
383 responses to this step.
385 2. Make sure that the branch sources build, test and install
388 2.5 Prepare a list of the bugs which have been fixed. This
389 will be needed for step 8.
391 3. In the branch sources:
393 a. Update the minor release number in bfd/version.m4.
394 b. Edit bfd/development.sh, set "development=false".
395 c. Regenerate the configure files.
396 c.1. Remove spurious autom4te.cache files:
398 find . -depth -name autom4te.cache -exec rm -r {} \;
400 d. Commit the updates along with a "this-is-the-2.3x.y-release"
401 note in all of the changelogs.
402 e. Tag the branch with the new release number:
404 git tag -a binutils-2_3x_y
405 [optional: add "-u XXXXX" to sign with a gpg key]
406 git push origin binutils-2_3x_y
408 f. Check that your file creation mask will create the
409 correct file permissions. Eg:
413 g. Create the release tarballs:
415 ./src-release -b -g -l -x binutils
417 h. Check that the files in the tarballs have the correct
420 i. Edit bfd/development.sh and set "development=true".
421 j. Commit this change into the git repository.
423 4. [If paranoid - upload the tarballs to one of the FTP servers and
424 ask people to test it before going on to step 5].
426 5. Upload the tarballs to ftp.gnu.org.
428 gnupload --to ftp.gnu.org:binutils binutils-2.3x.y.tar.*
430 The gnupload script is in the gnulib/build-aux directory.
432 6. Upload the tarballs to sourceware.org:
435 cd /sourceware/ftp/pub/binutils/releases
436 put binutils-2.3x.y.tar.*
437 chmod 644 binutils-2.3x.y.tar.*
440 It is OK to upload the signatures as well.
442 7. Update web pages. For sourceware.org:
444 * Log on to sourceware.org
445 * Go to /sourceware/www/sourceware/htdocs/binutils
448 For the www.gnu.org site you have to email webmasters@gnu.org
449 and ask them to make the change(s).
451 8. Send an emails to the binutils list, info-gnu@gnu.org and
452 David Edelsohn <dje.gcc@gmail.com> announcing the new release.
453 (The email to Davis is so that he can update the GNU Toolchain
454 social media). Something like this:
456 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
459 We are pleased to announce that version 2.3x.y of the GNU Binutils
460 project sources have been released and are now available for download at:
462 https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils
463 https://sourceware.org/pub/binutils/releases/
465 This is a point release over the previous 2.3x version, containing bug
466 fixes but no new features.
468 Our thanks go out to all of the binutils contributors, past and
469 present, for helping to make this release possible.
471 Here is a list of the bugs that have been fixed:
476 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
477 9. Clean up the source tree.
481 10. Edit bfd/development.sh on the branch and set the development flag
482 to "true". Commit this change.
485 Copyright (C) 2017-2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
487 Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
488 are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
489 notice and this notice are preserved.