Contributing to the IDE

[Monte Goulding]

> On 20 Apr 2018, at 6:29 pm, Geoff Canyon via use-livecode <use-livecode at lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
> Two questions:
> 
> 1. Are older versions closed to changes? If I find a bug in LC 8.1.8 (or
> some update to it) is it pointless to fix the bug and submit a pull request?

If it is still present on the maintenance release branch (currently develop-9.0) then fix against that and it will be in the next maintenance release.

> 2. Is it fair to submit IDE pull requests the same way I might for the
> documentation? I.E., GitHub was perfectly happy to fork https://github.com/
> livecode/livecode-ide/edit/develop/Toolset/palettes/menubar/revmenubar.
> livecodescript for me, so it seems that if I update it, I could submit a
> pull request for it, without having built anything. Obviously that beheads
> a significant fraction of git's functionality, but it gets the job done,
> correct?

I’m fairly sure Bernd implements stuff using his current install of LC locally then then makes a patch with that using the github web ui. Am I right Bernd? I think the web interface is significantly harder and more confusing to use personally but that could be just me. It’s also not possible to do things like fix up commit messages.

Cheers

Monte

> 
> Thanks,
> 
> gc
> 
> On Fri, Apr 20, 2018 at 1:08 AM, Mark Waddingham via use-livecode <
> use-livecode at lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
>> On 2018-04-17 03:44, Geoff Canyon via use-livecode wrote:
>> 
>>> Are there instructions available somewhere on how to set up the IDE in
>>> GitHub so I can make changes and submit pull requests?
>>> 
>> 
>> Not in the way you are trying to - no.
>> 
>> Pretty much all our documentation is centered around the initial step
>> which is getting the entire LiveCode system (engine and IDE) to build from
>> source first. The main docs for that start in the LiveCode repo README -
>> https://github.com/livecode/livecode/blob/develop/README.md.
>> 
>> What you are asking for is slightly different: "How do I make it so that I
>> can modify the IDE in a pre-built distribution and submit patches/PR from
>> that".
>> 
>> The main issue here (and perhaps the only issue) is that the HEAD versions
>> of the version branches (release-* branches for specific releases,
>> develop-* for the frontier of maintenance releases and develop for the next
>> release) in the three main community repositories are all mutually
>> dependent to a greater or lesser degree. Whilst you can try and use the
>> develop HEAD version of the IDE with an engine built from develop-9.0 or
>> earlier, the reality is that it might not work.
>> 
>> Whilst it would be really really nice to have the IDE completely
>> independent of a given engine version, that is still a dream we are quite a
>> way from realizing.
>> 
>> In order to submit a PR which has any chance of being accepted, you have
>> to make sure it is submitted against the HEAD of the appropriate branch.
>> Whilst you can certainly checkout just the IDE repository, and then
>> redirect the Toolset folder from within a LiveCode distribution to use it -
>> you might find it does not work as the engine version required to run that
>> version of the Toolset (from the HEAD of the branch) might be 'newer' (and
>> as-yet unavailable as a built distribution to download) than that which you
>> have.
>> 
>> To cut a long story short: right now I'd strongly advise against thinking
>> of the engine and IDE as separate things if you want to contribute to the
>> LiveCode project because for the most part they are too mutually dependent.
>> As it stands, you really need to build the LiveCode repo from source on
>> your chosen development platform - as that's the only way you can guarantee
>> that you can submit patches against the current HEAD of any of the branches.
>> 
>> Warmest Regards,
>> 
>> Mark.
>> 
>> --
>> Mark Waddingham ~ mark at livecode.com ~ http://www.livecode.com/
>> LiveCode: Everyone can create apps
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> use-livecode mailing list
>> use-livecode at lists.runrev.com
>> Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your
>> subscription preferences:
>> http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> use-livecode mailing list
> use-livecode at lists.runrev.com
> Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences:
> http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-livecode