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]: https://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 You need Firefox version 68 or higher (or a compatible fork) and [LegacyFox].
  45 Optionally, create a new [Firefox profile] for development.
  46
  47 To test a new verison, open the build directory in the browser and install the
  48 XPI from there. Sometimes, you'll have to restart Firefox after
  49 installation/upgrade.
  50
  51 [Firefox Profile]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-remove-switch-firefox-profiles
  52 [LegacyFox]: https://git.gir.st/LegacyFox.git
  53
  54
  55 ## Gulp tasks
  56
  57 [gulp] is a task runner, which is used to automate most VimFx tasks.
  58
  59 The tasks are defined in [gulpfile.coffee]. They are summarized in the following
  60 sub-sections.
  61
  62 (There are a few more tasks defined in [gulpfile.coffee], but they are only used
  63 internally by other tasks.)
  64
  65 [gulpfile.coffee]: ../gulpfile.coffee
  66
  67 ### Building
  68
  69 - `gulp build` creates the `build/` directory. It is basically a copy of the
  70   `extension/` directory, except some of the files have been compiled. For
  71   example, the .coffee files are compiled to .js.
  72
  73 - `gulp xpi` runs `gulp build` and then zips the `build/` directory into
  74   `build/VimFx.xpi` (an .xpi file is a renamed .zip file).
  75
  76 - Use the `--test` or `-t` option to include the unit test files into the build.
  77   The output of the tests are `console.log`ed. Use the [browser console], or
  78   start Firefox from the terminal to see it.
  79
  80 - Use the `--unlisted` or `-u` option to append `-unlisted` to the extension ID.
  81   This is used when adding .xpi files to github releases.
  82
  83 - `gulp clean` removes the `build/` directory.
  84
  85 [browser console]: https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/devtools-user/browser_console/index.html
  86
  87 ### Management
  88
  89 - `gulp lint` lints all .coffee files. There’s also `npm run addons-linter` to
  90   run [`addons-linter`] on a freshly built VimFx .xpi.
  91
  92 - `gulp sloc` prints comment and source code line counts.
  93
  94 - `gulp sync-locales` syncs locales. See the [“Syncing locales”][sync-locales]
  95   section below for more information.
  96
  97 [`addons-linter`]: https://github.com/mozilla/addons-linter/
  98 [sync-locales]: #syncing-locales
  99
 100 ### Helpers
 101
 102 - `gulp faster` compiles `gulpfile.coffee` to `gulpfile.js`. If you run `gulp` a
 103   lot and wish it ran faster, just tell it and it will! You’ll have to remember
 104   to re-run `gulp faster` whenever `gulpfile.coffee` is updated, though.
 105
 106 - `gulp help.html` dumps VimFx’s Keyboard Shortcuts help dialog into
 107   `help.html`. You can then open up `help.html` in Firefox and style it live
 108   using the Style Editor! You can even press the “Save” button when done to save
 109   your changes!
 110
 111 - `gulp hints.html` is like `gulp help.html` but for styling hint markers.
 112
 113
 114 ## Syncing locales
 115
 116 This is usually not done by translators, but by developers who change, add or
 117 remove features that involves localized text.
 118
 119 If you add, remove or reorder translations in a file, do so in _one_ of the
 120 locales (one that is easy for you to test—but always write new translations in
 121 English!). If you modified the en-US locale, run `gulp sync-locales --en-US` (or
 122 just `gulp sync-locales`). Substitute “en-US” with a locale of choice if needed.
 123 That rewrites all other locales so that:
 124
 125 - Old translations are removed.
 126 - New translations are added (in English).
 127 - All translations appear in the same order.
 128
 129 If you modify an existing translation in a file and want to update all other
 130 locales to use the new wording, add `UPDATE_ALL` at the end of it. `gulp
 131 sync-locales` will then use that translation in _all_ locales, replacing what
 132 was there before. It also removes `UPDATE_ALL` for you. However, if possible,
 133 edit all other locales by hand to save as much translated text as possible.
 134
 135 Note that `gulp sync-locales` requires every translation to be in a single line.
 136 In other words, do not line-wrap translations. Also don’t bother adding comments
 137 when translating locale files, since they will be removed by `gulp
 138 sync-locales`.
 139
 140 If you run `gulp sync-locales` with “en-US” as the base locale, a report is
 141 printed telling how complete all other locales are. Add `--sv-SE?` (note the
 142 question mark) to restrict the report to the “sv-SE” locale (you can of course
 143 substitute with any other locale). In that case, every line (including line
 144 number) that don’t differ compared to “en-US” is also be printed.
 145
 146
 147 ## Making a release
 148
 149 Before making a release, it might be wise to:
 150
 151 - Run `npm update` and/or `npm outdated` to see if there are any updates to
 152   dependencies. Investigate what’s new and test!
 153 - Run `gulp sync-locales` to make sure that no translation has been left behind.
 154 - Run `gulp lint` and `npm run addons-linter` to catch potential problems.
 155 - Run `gulp --test` to make sure the tests pass.
 156 - Inspect the `build/` directory to see that nothing strange has been included
 157   or generated by `gulp build`.
 158
 159 Run `./release` with argument `minor` or `patch`, which does the following for you:
 160
 161   - Updates the version in `package.json`.
 162   - Adds a heading with the new version number and today’s date at the top of
 163     `CHANGELOG.md`, and the summary of commits since the last version. Then
 164     opens an editor and waits to let you modify the changelog.
 165   - Commits `CHANGELOG.md` and `package.json`.
 166   - Tags the commit.
 167   - Lints the code and builds an xpi.
 168   - Opens the browser to help publish the release on GitHub, and to attach an
 169     .xpi to it.