How to report problems
GNUPro Toolkit Documentation
How to report problems    

When you have problems installing or  using the tools with the GNUPro Toolkit software, and you must use the Cygnus Problem Report Management System (PRMS) to update reports of problems to Cygnus technical support staff, see the following documentation. Please also see How to report problems in Getting Started with GNUPro Toolkit in the GNUPro Toolkit documentation. Cygnus will soon provide its Web Support site.

We’ve tried to make GNUPro Toolkit as trouble-free as possible. If you do encounter problems, however, we’d like to diagnose and fix the problem as quickly as possible. If you find a problem in this release (also known, more familiarly, as a bug), please report it to Cygnus. Use the Cygnus bug-report form to ensure that we can respond to your problem as quickly as possible.

Some things that might go wrong

The following discussion shows some warning messages for some  installation problems and the solutions to manage the problems.
No access to /usr/cygnus
If you can't sign on to an account with access to write in '/usr' or '/usr/cygnus', use the '-installdir=directory' option to Install to specify a different installation directory to which you can write.
For example, if all the other installation defaults are right, you can execute something like the following example's input (where mydir is the directory path to which you initially installed).
 
    No customer ID for send-pr
      Make sure the send-pr program for the Problem Reporting Managment System (PRMS) knows your customer ID. Contact Cygnus at +1 408 542-9601 if you do not know your customer ID. Install your customer ID with install-sid, as in the following command (customer-ID is your assigned customer number). 
        install-sid customer-ID
    If you install the GNUPro Toolkit into a location other than the default, and don't set up symbolic links pointing to the real installation location, use the '--install-dir' option to install-sid as in the following directive.
      install-sid --install-dir= install-dir-prefix customer-ID
    install-dir-prefix points to the top level of the directory into which you install.
    After rebuilding from source, rerun install-sid in order to reset your customer-id in send-pr. Previously, the default value was the value in the send-pr program in your path at the time of configuration.
 

Some error messages from Install

The Install script checks for errors and inconsistencies in the way its arguments are used. If you get one of the following  messages and can't use the recommended solution, call the Cygnus support hotline, +1 408 542 9601, or send email to: bugs@cygnus.com.
gcc: cannot exec cpp
If you've installed the binary distribution of GNUPro Toolkit software in a non-standard location, set the environment variable, GCC_EXEC_PREFIX, accordingly. See Running the programs.
 
...This is a problem.
    Cannot cd to installdir
    I do not know why I cannot create installdir
    hello.c fails to run
    test-ioctl.c fails to run
These errors (the first covers anything that ends in '...This is a problem') are from paranoia checks; they are issued for situations that other checks should cover, or for unlikely situations that require further diagnosis. If you get one of these messages, contact Cygnus.

Reporting problems for Unix systems

Unix users use a script, send-pr, to send Cygnus problem reports (PRs). send-pr is configured by the Cygnus Problem Report Management System (PRMS) to update reports of problems to Cygnus technical support staff.

send-pr invokes an editor on a problem report form (after filling in some fields with reasonable default values). When you exit the editor, send-pr sends the filled out form to the PRMS at Cygnus. You can use the environment variable, EDITOR, to specify which editor to use (the default is the vi text editor). Emacs users will find PRMS especially easy to use.

Filling out a problem report for Unix users

Use send-pr for both questions and bug reports. send-pr ensures that questions and bug reports are tracked and routed directly to the appropriate person (Cc: the assigned Cygnus engineer, if you know who that is; do not email the engineer directly, since the most reliable means to get a response is to send the report to bugs@cygnus.com). Include the category and PR number in the Subject line of your email, such as gcc/13844.

Problem reports have a structure so that a database program can manage them. When you fill out the form, remember the following guidelines:

To see a synopsis of the possible commands for PRMS, send a query message like the following on the To: line: query-pr@cygnus.com. Then, on the Subject: line, use the command, --help . A list of possible commands will display.

You can interrogate non-confidential bug reports in the Cygnus Problem Report Management System ( prms ) by electronic mail. Send mail to 'query-pr@cygnus.com' with query parameters in the 'Subject:' line of your mail header. (The message body is ignored.) For example, to inquire about problem reports numbered 4020 and 5004, send mail including the following input lines in the To: header.

You can also include many command line options to request information on bugs in a particular state, or a particular category; for instance, the following header's example input requests a list of all open g++ bugs that are not confidential. If you do not include a '--state=' specification in your subject line, the mail server uses the following statement (showing all the various input for State:). Confidential bug reports are not available using the mail query server. You can request the status of your confidential PRs by contacting Cygnus technical support by phone (408-542-9601).

Confidential information in reports for Unix users

There has been some confusion about where to put confidential information in problem reports sent with send-pr. If you submit a problem report to Cygnus, and you want its detailed contents to remain confidential, set the '>Confidential:' field to 'yes'.
 
However, the 'Subject:' line in the mail header and the '>Synopsis:' field in the body of the PR are not treated as confidential information. They are used when Cygnus compiles reports of fixed problems (see Valid categories for problems for a list by category of the bugs and their descriptions). Do not put confidential information in these fields.
Any code samples, machine descriptions, problem details, and so on, remain, of course, strictly confidential in any problem report marked as such in the report.
The mail query server for problem reports never reports any information from confidential bug reports.

Reporting problems for Win95/NT systems

The following documentation is available for printing to submit for reporting problems for WIN95/NT users.
  

USING SEND-PR TO REPORT PROBLEMS FOR WINDOWS 95/NT
 
The following fields appear in the send-pr interface. 
 
Use this example and these descriptions to to inform us 
 
of any problems you encounter.
 
In a Windows NT/95 system, clip the text from Problem Report Fields 
 
in the following example and paste it into your email window. 
 
Where a line begins with ">" (greater-than mark), there should 
 
be no more than than one in your email transmission. If there is 
 
more than one ">", we can't process your report efficiently, 
 
which may delay our response to you.
 
Then consult the following pages for instructions.
 
THE FULL PROBLEM REPORT SCREEN
 
                        E-Mail Header Fields
 
To:       bugs@cygnus.com
 
Subject:  <problem description>
 
From:     <yourname@youraddress.com>
 
                        Problem Report Fields 
 
---------------------------------Cut Here----------------------------
 
> Submitter-Id:    <identifier assigned by Cygnus salesperson>
 
> Originator:      <Your full name>
 
> Organization:    <Your company name>
 
> Confidential:    <[ yes | no ] (one line)>]
 
> Synopsis:        <synopsis of the problem (one line)>
 
> Severity:        <[ non-critical | serious | critical ] (choose one)>
 
> Priority:        <[ low | medium | high ]  (choose one)>
 
> Category:        <name of the product 
 
                   (chose one from ">Category:" field  See bfd binutils build.)>
 
> Class:           <[ sw-bug | doc-bug | change-request | support ] (one line)>
 
> Release:         <the release you are reporting on, such as 97r2>
 
> Environment:     <machine, os, target, libraries (multiple lines)>
 
                   Architecture: <machine-architecture>
 
                   System        <operating system>
 
> Description:     <precise description of the problem (multiple lines)>
 
> How-To-Repeat:   <code/input/activities to reproduce the problem 
 
                   (multiple lines)>
 
> Fix:             <how to correct or work around the problem, if known 
 
                   (multiple lines)>
 
---------------------------------Cut Here----------------------------
 
The following text describes each field and the information you need
 
to include in each one. 
 
Prompts in the Problem Report are surrounded by quotes.  For example, 
 
where a prompt item appears in the following description, it is 
 
surrounded by quotes, as in the first prompt, ">Submitter ID:"
 
Please Note: Seven critical fields are underlined in the following 
 
text. They begin with ">" and end with ":".  They are:
 
     "> Submitter-ID: "
 
     "> Category: "
 
     "> Release: "
 
     "> Description: "
 
      > Environment:     <machine, os, target, libraries (multiple lines)>
 
                    Architecture:  <machine-architecture>
 
                    System:         <operating system>
 
The last two fields in the ">Environment:" field do not use the ">"  character.
 
If you no not fill out these fields, your problem report may be  delayed.
 
THE E-MAIL HEADER FIELDS
 
"To:" bugs@cygnus.com
 
     Send your problem report to this e-mail address.
 
" Subject: "
 
     Describe your problem here briefly, in one line.
 
" From: "
 
     Your email address.
 
THE PROBLEM REPORT FIELDS
 
"> Submitter-Id: "
 
     Critical information. 
 
     If you know your Submitter ID enter it here. If you do not 
 
     have a contract with Cygnus, contact Cygnus Sales at 
 
     sales@cygnus.com for information on support contracts.
 
"> Originator: "
 
     Full name of the submitter.
 
"> Organization: " 
 
     The name of the originator's company or parent organization.
 
"> Confidential: "
 
     Cygnus changes this to "no" only when information is no 
 
     longer sensitive for the customer, or if the sender does 
 
     not have a support contract.
 
     yes is the default
 
"> Synopsis: "
 
     This should reflect the Subject: field and be a single line.
 
"> Severity: "
 
    Use one of the following values:
 
    "non-critical"    The product, component or concept is working 
 
                      in general, but lacks features, has irritating 
 
                      behavior, does something wrong, or doesn't 
 
                      match its documentation.
 
    "serious"        The product, component or concept is not 
 
                      working properly. Problems that would otherwise 
 
                      be considered "critical" are rated "serious" 
 
                      when a workaround is known.
 
    "critical"        The product, component or concept is completely 
 
                      non-operational or some essential functionality 
 
                      is missing. No workaround is known.
 
     The default is "serious."
 
"> Priority: "
 
     How soon the originator requires a solution. Use one of the 
 
     following values:
 
    "low"             The problem to be solved in a future release.
 
    "medium"          The problem to be solved in the next release,
 
                      if possible.
 
    "high"            A solution is needed as soon as possible.
 
The default is "medium."
 
"> Category: "
 
     Critical information. 
 
     Choose from the table of valid categories.
 
     bfd         binutils    build 
 
     byacc       config      diff 
 
     doc         dos         expect 
 
     flex        g++         gas 
 
     gcc         gcov        gdb 
 
     glob        gprof       help-request 
 
     id-request  info        info-request 
 
     install     ld          libc 
 
     libg++      libiberty   libm 
 
     make        makeinfo    mgmt 
 
     netware     other       patch 
 
     query-pr    readline    send-pr 
 
     sim         shipping    tcl 
 
     test        testsuites  texindex 
 
     texinfo 
 
"> Class: "
 
     The class of a problem uses one of the following subjects 
 
     as input:
 
    "sw-bug"           A general product problem. 
 
                       ("sw" stands for software.)
 
    "doc-bug"          A problem with the documentation.
 
    "change-request"   A request for a change in behavior, etc.
 
    "support"          A support problem or question.
 
     The default is "sw-bug".
 
"> Release: "
 
     Critical information.
 
     Provide release or version number of the product, component 
 
     or concept-for example, "gnupro-98r1" or, for custom 
 
     contracts, "chipname-yymmdd".
 
"> Environment: "
 
     Description of the environment where the problem occurred: 
 
     machine architecture, operating system, host and target 
 
     types, libraries, pathnames, etc.
 
"Architecture"
 
     For example, "solaris 2.5.1"
 
"System"
 
     For example, "sun4".
 
"> Description: "
 
     Critical information. 
 
     Provide a precise description of the problem.
 
"> How-To-Repeat: "
 
     Example code, input, or activities to reproduce the 
 
     problem. The support organization uses example code both to 
 
     reproduce the problem and to test whether the problem is 
 
     fixed. Include all preconditions, inputs, outputs, 
 
     conditions after the problem, and symptoms. Include any 
 
     additional important information, such as all the details, 
 
     however obvious, that would be necessary for someone else 
 
     to recreate the reported problem. Sometimes seemingly 
 
     arbitrary or obvious information can point the way toward a 
 
     solution.
 
"> Fix: "
 
     How to work around the problem, if known.
 

Valid categories for problems

The following list describes valid entries for the >Category: field for reporting problems.
bfd
GNU binary file descriptor library.
 
 binutils
GNU utilities for binary files (ar, nm, objcopy, objdump, size ...).
 
bison
GNU parser generator.
build
Cygnus software re-building.
byacc
Free parser generator.
config
Cygnus software configuration and installation.
diff
GNU diff program.
doc
Documentation and manuals.
flex
GNU lexical analyzer.
g++
GNU C++ compiler.
gas
GNU assembler.
gcc
GNU C compiler.
gdb
GNU source code debugger.
info
GNU info hypertext reader (non-critical PRs only).
ld
GNU linker.
libc
Cygnus C Library (use newlib for more expedient and accurate fixes).
libiberty
GNU libiberty library.
libm
Cygnus Math Library (use newlib for more expedient and accurate fixes).
make
GNU make program.
makeinfo
GNU utility to build info (online help files) from Texinfo documents (non-critical PRs only).
newlib
Cygnus C and Math Libraries.
other
Anything which is not covered by the previous categories.
patch
GNU bug patch program.
send-pr
GNU Problem Report submitting program.
test
Category to use when testing send-pr.
texindex
GNU documentation indexing utility (non-critical PRs only).
texinfo
GNU documentation macros (non-critical PRs only).
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