Submit a Report
WordPress and GitHub both use a method for bug reporting. APL uses both.
Before submitting a bug or an idea. Have you check out the Wiki or FAQs? Or perhaps even the Milestones?
WordPress offers more of a makeshift forum, and it is more community driven towards WordPress. This is also more open for others in the WordPress community to respond to support threads. This is very useful with topics that are outside of APL, like style and design techniques or WP functions.
WP offers a great median between the developers and users. However, there are some drawbacks, and with WordPress Trac features being disabled for majority of Plugin & Theme developers (there's a story to this one as to why), it has made the development environment seem very limited.
- Go to APL's Support Forum in Wordpress.
- Check to see if anyone else has posted the same topic.
- At the bottom, there is a Post Form.
- Create a Title that is specific and short if possible.
- Select the WordPress version the platform is currently using.
- Compose a Message.
- You can also use the preferred FORMAT.
- (Optional) Add Tags to help others find the thread.
- Once finished. Click the Post button.
Majority of the development activity has been on GitHub, and this is because GitHub offers a great way for handling bug reporting and organizing. Which can be very helpful for planning and carrying out development.
This is for the more advanced and in-depth type of support like error reporting, specific defects, enhancements, etc..
- Go to the Issues tab on GitHub.
- Check to see if anyone else has submitted the same issue.
- At the top-right, click the New Issue button.
- Add a title. As specific as possible, but try to keep it short.
- Compose a Message using Markdown.
- Follow the preferred Format
- once finished. Click the Submit new issue button.
- WordPress Version: 3.4.2
- Plugin Version: 0.3.0
- (Optional) PHP Version: 5.3
- (Optional) MySQL Version: 5.5
- (Optional) List of Installed Plugins/Dependencies: bbPress, BuddyPress, GD Custom Posts and Taxonomies Tool, etc..
Title A short summary or specific description of the Defect.
Description A full description of what the intent and defect is (expected & actual results). May include code, links describing or relating to the issue, examples of the output, etc.. If possible, label any references as [reference_number], for example [1], or [2], and so-on. These are just a few ideas, but for the most part, you are free to write anyway you prefer.
How to (Possibly) Reproduce
- It is best to place the scenario where most people can reference to as a starting point.
- Describe step by step how to reach the error.
- (Final Step) This is usually where the problem occurs at. Add any resulting data like a PHP Error, a error log, or anything that may help in pinpointing the problem.
(Optional) List the actions attempted or a workaround (if readily available)
This part just helps to either prevent the same attempt, or look further into a possible lead. This can either have a list of references, related topics, or actions attempted.
(Optional) References, Links, and/or Files
- [1] Title/Link - Summary of the information gathered.
- Title/Link - Summary of other links included.
- Filename-01.txt - Summary of the file being included, which lets others know the contents of the download.
Title A short summary or specific description of the Idea/Enhancement.
Description A full description of what is intended as the end result and where the plugin lacks. May include code, examples of its use, links describing or relating to the issue, examples of the output, etc.. These are just a few ideas, but you are free to write to any preference.
(Optional) References, Examples, and/or Links
- [1] Title/Link - Summary of the information gathered.
- Example-of-doing-something - Summary of the information gathered.
- Title-and-link - Summary of other links included.
Title
[Question]/[How-to]/[Wiki]: Usually want to keep this part brief. Could either present it as a question, scenario, or a project/task.
Description Typically where most of the directions are, if any. Also helps to see where improvements can be made.
(Optional if applicable) NA/How-to/Objectives
Typically where most of the directions are. If you have some or all the steps, or the course of actions, then it is best to list here. Also helps to see where things are hanging up at.
(Optional) Answer/Solution/Conclusion
If an Answer is available, add a paragraph or two. Generally used as a short summary to conclude with.
Similar to WordPress Trac
An issue's priority indicates its relative importance.
Priority: An issue's priority indicates its relative importance.
- P1 Blocker - Highest priority (reserved for admins). Declares that the issue is first in order.
- P2 Critical - Declares that the issue is causing a failure and requests urgent attention.
- P3 Major - Declares that the issue has a substantial impact. Usually issues that are easily noticed.
- P4 Minor - Declares that the issue has a comparatively minor impact. Usually issues that are barely noticed.
- P5 Trivial - Lowest priority (reserved for admins). Declares that the issue is unknown and may receive the least amount of attention until more information is made available.
Type: Indicates what type issue the report is. The types are listed below.
- Defect - An error or problem that impairs the plugin's functionality
- Possible Defect - Also seen as a possible enhancement or feature.
- Enhancement - Request for an improvement an existing feature, or an idea for a new feature.
- Support/Question - Request an area that illustrates a how-to instruction, answers to a technical question, or documentation to a particular component.
- Task - An activity or to-do list that needs to be done relating to a feature, enhancement, update, or support/wiki.
Resolved/Closed Tags: An issue can be resolved in many ways, but there's a few basic labels to indicate why an issue was closed.
- Duplicate - The issue is a duplicate of an existing issue.
- Fixed/Added - A fix for the bug has been developed and tested, a request has been completed, or a response to the support task has been completed.
- Rejected - The request will be rejected for various reasons.