go.dev: 404 error should include a link to instructions on how to add a missing module

[thepudds]

Some packages seem to show a 404 Not Found error, such as:

https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/natefinch/markbates

Sorry for the quick report. Seen via https://twitter.com/NateTheFinch/status/1223427948260347904

CC @natefinch

[heschi]

From https://go.dev/about:

To add a package or module, simply fetch it from proxy.golang.org. Documentation is generated based on Go source code downloaded from the proxy.golang.org/@.zip. New module versions are fetched from index.golang.org and added to the go.dev site every few minutes.

Nobody had ever downloaded it. It's on pkg.go.dev now.

[natefinch]

This is still a bug. If you go to the url, clearly the site should try to download it and generate the docs. Otherwise it just looks broken, which is why this bug was filed.

[thepudds]

Hi @heschik, what would you think about using this issue to track a friendlier message for this situation that points people in the right direction?

Might save some future bug reports, and probably ends up being friendlier.

[thepudds]

Or maybe the suggestion from @natefinch is better... though maybe a message is easier to change in near term...

[heschi]

@natefinch That may be clear to you but it is not clear to me. The repository you linked to is a two year old test, not exactly something I would expect people to need to find in search or read documentation for. Packages with actual usage are highly likely to already be populated. If you think that pkg.go.dev should fetch on demand, feel free to file an issue for that, perhaps with a more realistic example.

@thepudds Adding a pointer to the about page seems reasonable to me. I'll switch this over to that. cc @julieqiu.

[julieqiu]

Adding a link to go.dev/about#adding-a-package on the 404 page makes sense to me. I'll work on adding that.

[natefinch]

Eight years of people using godoc.org and it working exactly that way is why I think it should work that way. Also you assume that every package is widely used, many are hyper specific and may only be used by people that have a corporate proxy.... Until someone tries to view the docs here.

I just honestly don't know why you wouldn't just try to fetch it.

[mvdan]

@natefinch why not file the issue, as @heschik mentioned? I agree that the two issues are related, but this change is a step in the right direction, so I think we should let it happen.

[natefinch]

Yeah, sorry, was on mobile, doing that now.

[julieqiu]

Instructions link to go.dev/about#adding-a-package has been added.

Closing this issue.

[natefinch]

Just a note... these instructions aren't actually actionable:

To add a package or module, simply fetch it from proxy.golang.org. 

I don't know what "fetch it from proxy.golang.org" means or how to go about doing that. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Also, avoid putting "simply" or "just" in directions, because they trivialize a step which may actually not be trivial for the person attempting it. Like, me, trying to figure out how to fetch something from a go proxy. Remove the word and it reads exactly the same, except if I don't know how to do it, I don't feel like I've been talked down to.

[julieqiu]

Thanks for the input, @natefinch. Would you mind filing a separate issue for this, since it is related to updating content go.dev/about?

[natefinch]

sure

[hunterloftis]

@julieqiu, should I expect to see that link when I search for a package url and get no matches?

[julieqiu]

At the moment it only appear on the 404 page:
http://pkg.go.dev/github.com/doesnot/exist

We can add the link on the search results page too when there are no matches if you think it would be helpful.

[hunterloftis]

Thanks Julie! I believe it would improve the user experience by providing a possible next step for someone who has dead-ended in a search.

On Fri, Feb 7, 2020 at 11:16 AM Julie Qiu ***@***.***> wrote: At the moment it only appear on the 404 page: http://pkg.go.dev/github.com/doesnot/exist We can add the link on the search results page too when there are no matches if you think it would be helpful. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#36986?email_source=notifications&email_token=AACY7VLQ2XTAZICYZJKVP23RBWCMTA5CNFSM4KO3JAF2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOELDSQQI#issuecomment-583477313>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AACY7VJXYZ6JWXQXHTSN2VTRBWCMTANCNFSM4KO3JAFQ> .

-- - from mobile

[julieqiu]

This change is now live.