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</noinclude>{{TeamHeader|BugSquad}}{{TOCright}}
[[Category:HowTo]]
[[Category:Testing]]
[[Category:Sugar on a Stick]]
</noinclude>
== How to file a ticket ==
== How to file a ticket ==
If you're using [[Sugar on a Stick]] and find something specific you think could be improved - maybe something isn't working the way you think it should work, or you have an idea for how something could be better - you can file a '''ticket.''' A ticket is a way to suggest to the developers that they should work on something.
If you're using [[Sugar on a Stick]] or another [[Supported systems|distribution of Sugar]] and find something specific you think could be improved—maybe something isn't working the way you think it should work, or you have an idea for how something could be better—you can file a '''ticket.''' A ticket is a way for anyone to suggest to the software or project development community that they should work on something.
Tickets are used by [[Development Team|core developers]], [[Activity Team|Activity authors]], organized [[BugSquad/Testing|testers]], and [[Sugar Labs/Getting Involved|anyone]] who wants to help the greater effort!
The first thing you'll have to do is log into our '''ticket system.''' This is a piece of software that keeps track of all our tickets for us. There are many different types of ticket systems; we use [http://trac.edgewall.org/ Trac]. Our instance of Trac is at http://bugs.sugarlabs.org - go ahead and click that link.
=== Log in to GitHub ===
The first thing you'll have to do is log in to GitHub, which Sugar Labs uses as its '''ticket system.''' [https://github.com/sugarlabs/sugar/issues]. If you do not have an existing GitHub account, you can create one by visiting [https://github.com/join]
=== Create a summary for the ticket ===
=== Create a summary for the ticket ===
You'll notice that the first text box is for a '''Summary''' of the ticket. Sometimes the '''Summary''' is also called the '''Title''' of the ticket. This is an important part of the ticket - in fact, some people say it is the ''most'' important part - because reading the title of a ticket is how a developer decides that he or she is going to work on it.
You'll notice that the first text box is for a '''Summary''' of the ticket. Sometimes the '''Summary''' is also called the '''Title''' of the ticket. This is an important part of the ticket—in fact, some people say it is the ''most'' important part—because reading the title of a ticket is how someone decides if he or she is going to work on it.
Write a ticket summary/title that describes your idea. Try to write it so that a developer reading the title of your ticket will go "oh, I know what I have to work on, and why this is important - I will read more about this ticket and maybe try to fix it."
Write a ticket summary/title that describes your idea. Try to write it succinctly, so that those reading the title of your ticket will go "oh, I know what I have to work on, and why this is important - I will read more about this ticket and maybe try to fix it."
A good ticket is in many ways like a good newspaper headline.
A good ticket is in many ways like a good newspaper headline.
Similarly...
Similarly...
'''Good ticket titles:''' (taken from http://dev.sugarlabs.org as of the day of this writing)
'''Good ticket titles:''' (taken from http://bugs.sugarlabs.org as of the day of this writing)
* Frame: Battery icon does not update when battery is removed/replaced
* Frame: Battery icon does not update when battery is removed/replaced
=== Describe the ticket ===
=== Describe the ticket ===
'''This section has not yet been written. If you can help, please write it!'''
* Include specifics on your hardware & software versions, if you know them.
* Describe what happens and what you expected to happen.
* Include steps to reproduce the situation so others can confirm and investigate your issue.
* Embed links to mailing list posts, blogs, videos, or other descriptions of the issue or problem, if appropriate.
* Please, please, please cross-reference with links to related tickets, perhaps in http://dev.laptop.org.
==== Attach files ====
* Check the 'I have files to attach to this ticket' box or, on an existing ticket, the [Attach file] button.
* See [[BugSquad/Get Logs]] for how to review and attach log files.
* Sometimes screen shots of a problem will help explain it. Pressing <Alt> + 1 in Sugar captures the screen and stores a screen shot in the Journal.
=== Categorize the ticket ===
=== Categorize the ticket ===
The first section (highlighted in purple) is the ticket '''type.''' There are two types of tickets: '''defects''' and '''enhancements.''' Defects are things you think are broken. If you can't get something to work, that's a defect, and you should choose the "defect" option. Enhancements are ideas on how to make something that ''isn't'' broken better - maybe you have an idea for a new feature that will let you do things that you can't do with the software right now. If your ticket is an enhancement, choose the "enhancement" option.
The first section (highlighted in purple) is the ticket '''type.''' There are two types of tickets: '''defects''' and '''enhancements.''' Defects are things you think are broken. If you can't get something to work, that's a defect, and you should choose the "defect" option. Enhancements are ideas on how to make something that ''isn't'' broken better - maybe you have an idea for a new feature that will let you do things that you can't do with the software right now. If your ticket is an enhancement, choose the "enhancement" option.
The next sections we need to look at (highlighted in green) are the '''component''' and '''distribution/OS''' sections. Tickets specify '''components''' to tell us which part of the software we should look at, and who might want to look at it. For instance, if we were working on a bicycle, you might report a bug in the "handlebar" component - that way, we know to just look at the handlebar when we're fixing things, and the people who only want to work on tires know they don't have to worry about that problem. '''For [[Sugar on a Stick]], the component is ''SoaS''.'''
The next sections we need to look at (highlighted in green) are the '''component''' and '''distribution/OS''' sections. Tickets specify '''components''' to tell us which part of the software or project that we should look at, and who might want to look at it. For instance, if we were working on a bicycle, you might report a bug in the "handlebar" component - that way, we know to just look at the handlebar when we're fixing things, and the people who only want to work on tires know they don't have to worry about that problem. '''For [[Sugar on a Stick]], the component is ''SoaS''.'''
As you file and review bugs, you can help triage bugs by finding duplicates and sharing questions and comments with the reporters and maintainers to help advance the work.
=== Create the ticket ===
It's a good idea to preview your ticket before you file it, in order to see what it will look like - click the '''Preview''' button first. You may notice formatting or other problems in the description, so take the time to review your submission because once you create the ticket, the original description can't be modified (only the Summary/Title can be changed). You can always add replies and comments that are tracked chronologically along with other field changes.
The last thing you should do is click the green '''Subnit New Issue''' button.
You're almost there! If you want to preview your ticket before you file it, in order to see what it will look like, you can click the '''Preview''' button first.
You're all done for now - congratulations, and thanks for your help!
=== Follow up ===
The ticketing system only works if reporters, triagers, maintainers, authors, developers, and the community follow up to clarify the information and work needed and record its status.