How to report Open Rails Bugs - A quick guide on what essential info to include
This is to provide some general guidelines how to go about reporting bugs. In this post, only a checklist sort of guide will be written up, with the whole actual info included in a TXT file, attached to the bottom of the post for download.
This info will also be included in the manual and the Open Rails Wiki soon!
INTRODUCTION
When you have an issue with Open Rails (ORTS), no matter what it is, the development team is always thankful for reports of possible bugs. Of course, it is up to the developers to decide if something is a real bug, but in any case you reporting it is an important step in helping the development team to improve Open Rails.
CHECKLISTS
Maybe-Bug:
New topic in appropriate sub-forum
Topic Title: "Open Rails V<version> Bug: <description>"
Description of problem, supplemented by screenshots etc.
Content used (Route, Activity, Path, Consist, Locomotive & Rolling Stock; choose applicable); Freeware / Payware?; Package name & download location / download link
Narrative of actions shortly before & at time of problem, supplemented by screenshots etc.
Attach log file (Desktop: OpenRailsLog.txt)
Add further info only in additional posts
Be patient
Decided Bug:
Report to Bug Tracker only if asked to do so
https://bugs.Launchpad.net/or/ (Registration required) -> "Report a bug"
"Summary": Description from the topic title of the Maybe-Bug report
Look for similar, already reported bugs
Condense whole Maybe-Bug thread into "Further information" field
Add link to original Maybe-Bug report
Re-upload and attach OpenRailsLog.txt & explanatory screenshots etc.
Add further info only in additional posts
Be patient
BUG TYPES OVERVIEW
The development team uses two ways of keeping track of bugs:
So called "Maybe-Bugs" are reported in a simple forum post in the Open Rails Discussion section (if there is no specific Open Rails Bugs Discussion section) of any forum the Open Rails developers are checking regularly. This is done in order to give developers a chance to filter out problems caused by circumstances the development team cannot control such as corrupted content.
Decided Bugs are issues a developer has looked at and has found to be a real issue in the program code of Open Rails. They are reported at our Bug Tracker at https://bugs.Launchpad.net/or/ (registration required).
The complete guide for download as a TXT file
BugReportGuide.txt
Cheers, Markus
This info will also be included in the manual and the Open Rails Wiki soon!
INTRODUCTION
When you have an issue with Open Rails (ORTS), no matter what it is, the development team is always thankful for reports of possible bugs. Of course, it is up to the developers to decide if something is a real bug, but in any case you reporting it is an important step in helping the development team to improve Open Rails.
CHECKLISTS
Maybe-Bug:
New topic in appropriate sub-forum
Topic Title: "Open Rails V<version> Bug: <description>"
Description of problem, supplemented by screenshots etc.
Content used (Route, Activity, Path, Consist, Locomotive & Rolling Stock; choose applicable); Freeware / Payware?; Package name & download location / download link
Narrative of actions shortly before & at time of problem, supplemented by screenshots etc.
Attach log file (Desktop: OpenRailsLog.txt)
Add further info only in additional posts
Be patient
Decided Bug:
Report to Bug Tracker only if asked to do so
https://bugs.Launchpad.net/or/ (Registration required) -> "Report a bug"
"Summary": Description from the topic title of the Maybe-Bug report
Look for similar, already reported bugs
Condense whole Maybe-Bug thread into "Further information" field
Add link to original Maybe-Bug report
Re-upload and attach OpenRailsLog.txt & explanatory screenshots etc.
Add further info only in additional posts
Be patient
BUG TYPES OVERVIEW
The development team uses two ways of keeping track of bugs:
So called "Maybe-Bugs" are reported in a simple forum post in the Open Rails Discussion section (if there is no specific Open Rails Bugs Discussion section) of any forum the Open Rails developers are checking regularly. This is done in order to give developers a chance to filter out problems caused by circumstances the development team cannot control such as corrupted content.
Decided Bugs are issues a developer has looked at and has found to be a real issue in the program code of Open Rails. They are reported at our Bug Tracker at https://bugs.Launchpad.net/or/ (registration required).
The complete guide for download as a TXT file
BugReportGuide.txt
Cheers, Markus