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GExperts Developer FAQ
- Do you accept code contributions from
users?
We love to see users getting involved with GExperts
development. Please join the mailing
list and review this FAQ for an introduction to
our development process.
- Where can I get the latest source code?
We recommend you learn to use CVS (see
below for a quick start) and access the source
repository directly. If this is not an option, you can
download daily
snapshots of the GExperts CVS source. If you are
looking for source to an older version of GExperts,
see the download
page. Please do not make modifications to old
versions of the source and send them into us for
inclusion in the official GExperts releases - always
apply your changes to the latest CVS source.
- How do I use CVS to download the latest source
code?
Make sure you have CVS installed.
Windows users can download cvs.exe
and Linux users can find RPMs at rpmfind.net. Then,
execute these two commands from the command line in
the directory where you want to download the GExperts
source code (just press enter when prompted for a
password): cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs.gexperts.sf.net:/cvsroot/gexperts login
cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs.gexperts.sf.net:/cvsroot/gexperts co gexperts If
you begin to use CVS more, you might want to check out
some more complex but nicer looking GUI CVS clients
such as WinCVS,
TortoiseCVS,
jCVS, tkCVS,
Pharmacy,
LinCVS, gCVS,
Cervisia,
etc. Also see the SourceForge
CVS documentation.
- Why is GExperts using CVS?
CVS isn't the most modern or friendly version
control system, but it is standard, reliable, and
well-maintained by the SourceForge administrators.
- How can I interactively debug GExperts?
See the debugging
tips in the GExperts User FAQ.
- How should I publish my changes to GExperts for
others to use?
After you complete and test your changes, you
should post a notice to the GExperts
Discussion mailing list and explain the changes
you made. Include a link to a zip archive of the
changed source files (include a binary if you want
to). If you don't have access to a web site, you can
use the GExperts
file area for the mailing list. Other GExperts
developers and users can then download, test, and
comment on your modifications. To dramatically
increase the chances of getting your changes into the
main GExperts distribution, remember to base your code
contributions on the latest CVS source, instead of
older versions of GExperts.
- I want to help fixing bugs or adding features,
what can I do?
Consult the mailing
list or the mailing
list archives for projects that may need help. You
can also check the latest Readme.txt
to see any known bugs or plans for future features.
- What guidelines should I follow when making
changes to the source code?
- Format your code similar to the existing
GExperts source code. We generally follow Borland's
VCL/RTL source style and the Econos
Delphi Coding Standards.
- Review the existing general utilities in
Src/Utils/ to see what helper functions are
available to make your coding easier.
- Use comments where your code is incomplete or
unclear.
- Avoid making changes to DFM files unless
absolutely necessary. All DFMs should be saved in
text format.
- All visual development of forms should be done
with the "Small Fonts" Windows Display Adapter
setting.
- Remember as you code that GExperts supports
several versions of Delphi, C++Builder, and Kylix.
- Look at the SampleExperts directory if you need
help creating a new expert.
- Thoroughly test your code before submitting it
to us for review.
- The mailing
list can help you with any other issues.
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