documentation/tools.md

   1 # Tools
   2
   3 This section describes how to install and use the tools needed to:
   4
   5 - Build VimFx from source
   6 - Lint code
   7 - Sync locales
   8 - Prepare releases
   9
  10
  11 ## Installation
  12
  13 1. Install [Node.js].
  14
  15 2. Run `npm install` to download dependencies and development dependencies.
  16
  17 3. Optional: Run `npm install --global gulp` to be able to run [`gulp`][gulp]
  18    from the terminal.
  19
  20    If you prefer not to install `gulp` globally, you can use `npm run gulp`
  21    instead. For example, to create an .xpi file: `npm run gulp -- xpi`.
  22
  23 [Node.js]: http://nodejs.org/
  24 [gulp]: https://github.com/gulpjs/gulp
  25
  26
  27 ## Getting started
  28
  29 ### How to build and install the latest version from source
  30
  31 1. Follow the installation instructions above.
  32
  33 2. Run `npm run gulp -- xpi`.
  34
  35 3. [Open `build/VimFx.xpi` in Firefox][open-xpi].
  36
  37 Note that the built .xpi file is [unsigned].
  38
  39 [open-xpi]: installation.md#how-to-install-an-xpi-file-in-firefox
  40 [unsigned]: installation.md#what-is-a-signed-add-on
  41
  42 ### Development
  43
  44 First off, you need a Firefox version old enough to support _legacy_ extensions.
  45 See [README.md] for more information.
  46
  47 1. Create a new [Firefox profile] for development.
  48
  49 2. Install the [Extension Auto-Installer] add-on in your development profile.
  50
  51 An easy workflow is code, `gulp`, test, repeat. (Use `gulp -t` to also run the
  52 unit tests.)
  53
  54 [README.md]: ../README.md
  55 [Firefox Profile]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
  56 [Extension Auto-Installer]: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/autoinstaller
  57
  58
  59 ## Gulp tasks
  60
  61 [gulp] is a task runner, which is used to automate most VimFx tasks.
  62
  63 The tasks are defined in [gulpfile.coffee]. They are summarized in the following
  64 sub-sections.
  65
  66 (There are a few more tasks defined in [gulpfile.coffee], but they are only used
  67 internally by other tasks.)
  68
  69 [gulpfile.coffee]: ../gulpfile.coffee
  70
  71 ### Building
  72
  73 - `gulp build` creates the `build/` directory. It is basically a copy of the
  74   `extension/` directory, except some of the files have been compiled. For
  75   example, the .coffee files are compiled to .js.
  76
  77 - `gulp xpi` runs `gulp build` and then zips the `build/` directory into
  78   `build/VimFx.xpi` (an .xpi file is a renamed .zip file).
  79
  80 - `gulp push` (or just `gulp`) runs `gulp xpi` and then pushes `build/VimFx.xpi`
  81   to `http://localhost:8888`, which causes the [Extension Auto-Installer] to
  82   automatically install it. (No need to restart Firefox.)
  83
  84 - Use the `--test` or `-t` option to include the unit test files into the build.
  85   The output of the tests are `console.log`ed. Use the [browser console], or
  86   start Firefox from the terminal to see it.
  87
  88 - Use the `--unlisted` or `-u` option to append `-unlisted` to the extension ID.
  89   This is used when adding .xpi files to github releases.
  90
  91 - `gulp clean` removes the `build/` directory.
  92
  93 [browser console]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Tools/Browser_Console
  94
  95 ### Management
  96
  97 - `gulp lint` lints all .coffee files. There’s also `npm run addons-linter` to
  98   run [`addons-linter`] on a freshly built VimFx .xpi.
  99
 100 - `gulp sloc` prints comment and source code line counts.
 101
 102 - `gulp sync-locales` syncs locales. See the [“Syncing locales”][sync-locales]
 103   section below for more information.
 104
 105 [`addons-linter`]: https://github.com/mozilla/addons-linter/
 106 [sync-locales]: #syncing-locales
 107
 108 ### Helpers
 109
 110 - `gulp faster` compiles `gulpfile.coffee` to `gulpfile.js`. If you run `gulp` a
 111   lot and wish it ran faster, just tell it and it will! You’ll have to remember
 112   to re-run `gulp faster` whenever `gulpfile.coffee` is updated, though.
 113
 114 - `gulp help.html` dumps VimFx’s Keyboard Shortcuts help dialog into
 115   `help.html`. You can then open up `help.html` in Firefox and style it live
 116   using the Style Editor! You can even press the “Save” button when done to save
 117   your changes!
 118
 119 - `gulp hints.html` is like `gulp help.html` but for styling hint markers.
 120
 121 ### Release
 122
 123 See the [“Making a release”][release] section below for more information.
 124
 125 - `gulp release` tags things with a new version number.
 126
 127 - `gulp changelog` prints changelog entries from `CHANGELOG.md` as HTML to
 128   stdout.
 129
 130 - `gulp readme` prints `README.md` as HTML to stdout.
 131
 132 Tip: Add `--silent` at the end of the gulp command to suppress gulp’s standard
 133 progress output. This allows to pipe stdout to the clipboard, without getting
 134 unwanted cruft around the output.
 135
 136 [release]: #making-a-release
 137
 138
 139 ## Syncing locales
 140
 141 This is usually not done by translators, but by developers who change, add or
 142 remove features that involves localized text.
 143
 144 If you add, remove or reorder translations in a file, do so in _one_ of the
 145 locales (one that is easy for you to test—but always write new translations in
 146 English!). If you modified the en-US locale, run `gulp sync-locales --en-US` (or
 147 just `gulp sync-locales`). Substitute “en-US” with a locale of choice if needed.
 148 That rewrites all other locales so that:
 149
 150 - Old translations are removed.
 151 - New translations are added (in English).
 152 - All translations appear in the same order.
 153
 154 If you modify an existing translation in a file and want to update all other
 155 locales to use the new wording, add `UPDATE_ALL` at the end of it. `gulp
 156 sync-locales` will then use that translation in _all_ locales, replacing what
 157 was there before. It also removes `UPDATE_ALL` for you. However, if possible,
 158 edit all other locales by hand to save as much translated text as possible.
 159
 160 Note that `gulp sync-locales` requires every translation to be in a single line.
 161 In other words, do not line-wrap translations. Also don’t bother adding comments
 162 when translating locale files, since they will be removed by `gulp
 163 sync-locales`.
 164
 165 If you run `gulp sync-locales` with “en-US” as the base locale, a report is
 166 printed telling how complete all other locales are. Add `--sv-SE?` (note the
 167 question mark) to restrict the report to the “sv-SE” locale (you can of course
 168 substitute with any other locale). In that case, every line (including line
 169 number) that don’t differ compared to “en-US” is also be printed.
 170
 171
 172 ## Making a release
 173
 174 Before making a release, it might be wise to:
 175
 176 - Run `npm update` and/or `npm outdated` to see if there are any updates to
 177   dependencies. Investigate what’s new and test!
 178 - Run `gulp sync-locales` to make sure that no translation has been left behind.
 179 - Run `gulp lint` and `npm run addons-linter` to catch potential problems.
 180 - Run `gulp --test` to make sure the tests pass.
 181 - Inspect the `build/` directory to see that nothing strange has been included
 182   or generated by `gulp build`.
 183
 184 Steps:
 185
 186 1. Add a list of changes since the last version at the top of `CHANGELOG.md`.
 187
 188 2. Update the version in `package.json` and the minimum Firefox version (if
 189    needed).
 190
 191 3. Run `gulp release`, which does the following for you:
 192
 193   - Adds a heading with the new version number and today’s date at the top of
 194     `CHANGELOG.md`.
 195   - Commits `CHANGELOG.md` and `package.json`.
 196   - Tags the commit.
 197
 198 4. Run `gulp xpi` to rebuild with the new version number.
 199
 200 5. Try the just build version, just to be sure.
 201
 202 6. Publish on addons.mozilla.org. Add the release notes list as HTML. `gulp
 203    changelog` prints the latest changelog entry as HTML. `gulp changelog -2`
 204    prints the latest two (etc). The latter is useful if publishing a new version
 205    before the last published version had been reviewed; then the new version
 206    should contain both changelog entries.
 207
 208 7. Push to github. Don’t forget to push the tag! (It’s better to do this after
 209    the publish on addons.mozilla.org, because sometimes its validator complains.
 210    This saves some commits.)
 211
 212 8. Make a “release” out of the new tag on github, and attach an .xpi to it:
 213
 214    1. Create the .xpi by running `gulp xpi --unlisted`.
 215    2. Sign it on AMO.
 216    3. Attach to the release.
 217
 218 The idea is to use the contents of `README.md` as the add-on description on
 219 addons.mozilla.org. You can print it as HTML by running `gulp readme`.