Contributing Ebuilds

1. Getting Started

Create A Bugzilla Account 

Point your web browser to http://bugs.gentoo.org. This is the URL for the Bugzilla bug tracking database. In the list of links, one of the items reads "Open a new Bugzilla account". If you have not done so already (e.g. for submitting a bug), click on this link and create a new account.

Don't Submit CPAN Ebuilds 

Portage provides a tool called g-cpan.pl which installs a given CPAN module on your Gentoo system using Portage, storing the necessary information (such as dependencies, provided files, etc.) in the Portage database, just like it would when you install an ebuild. It is therefore not needed (nor recommended) to submit CPAN ebuilds.

For more information on g-cpan.pl, please consult its man page.

2. Submitting an ebuild

Create a new bug 

At the bottom of the main page or login page, there is a yellow box. Choose the New - Expert link. Or, you can just go to the URL http://bugs.gentoo.org/enter_bug.cgi. Either will bring you to the Enter Bug page.

Bugzilla can track multiple products. For example, in Gentoo, other products may include documentation or tools used to administrate the website. From the list of products, Ebuilds should always be submitted to Gentoo Linux.

Clicking on the Gentoo Linux product should bring up a new bug entry form.

Completing the bug form 

The first field on the form is version. If you know which version your package belongs in, set it here. Otherwise, select unspecified. Next, set the component. All ebuild scripts are of the component type Ebuilds.

The categories Platform, OS, and Priority do not need to be set for ebuilds.

The Severity field should be set to enhancement.

Leave the Assigned To field blank, but if you'd like to track the status of your ebuild, enter your email in the CC field.

Fill in the Summary field with a brief note of what package you are submitting and whether it's an update or a new submission. Something like the following is great: foo-bar-x.y.z.ebuild (New Package) or foo-x.y.z.ebuild (Update).

The Description field should be filled in as completely as possible. Here's an example from Bug Number 7:

Hi!

Please find attached gramps-0.7.0.ebuild and a patch so that it will 
compile against python-2.2

gramps is the Genealogical Research and Analysis Management Programming
System.  It is a very cool gnome/python app.  If you are in the US, you
can head over to http://www.familysearch.com/ and you can probably find a 
GEDCOM file for your family tree to import into gramps. (Mormons sure do like 
geneaology)

I suggest app-misc/gramps Also, this ebuild depend on Imaging and ReportLab
previously submitted

tod

Once the summary is complete, click Commit.

Attaching the Ebuild Script 

After clicking submit on the Enter Bug page, you will go to the Posting Bug page. Take note of the bug number.

Toward the bottom of this page, there is a link to Create a new attachment. Click on this link.

Select the file using the text entry box or the Browse dialog. In the Description field, type the name of the ebuild file, much the same as you did in the Summary section of the last page.

Make sure that the content type is set to "text/plain", and that the radiobutton for select from list is marked.

There are no other required fields on this form. Click Submit and you are done!

3. Multiple Ebuilds

Dependencies 

In cases where you might submit multiple ebuilds, and some of them depend on others, it is very helpful if these dependencies are noted. Viewing the bug again should allow you to enter another note. Please add dependancy information here.