Making contributions to Fminus

The F- discussion group

If you have ideas for or questions about F-, our discussion group is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fminus

You can join by subscribing to: fminus-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

After subscribing, any messages sent to fminus@yahoogroups.com will be sent to everyone in the group.

Using Sourceforge

There is a CVS at http://sourceforge.net/projects/fminus
A CVS (Concurrent Versions System) is a tool used by many software developers to manage changes within their source code tree. The program TortoiseCVS is used to upload (commit) and download (update on your harddisk) the CVS.

Here is how you can join us at the CVS to improve F-:

  1. You must be a developer on the Fminus project.
    To become a developer:
    - you must create an account at sourceforge http://sourceforge.net/account/newuser_emailverify.php
    - request to be a developer to one of the current project administrators. or mail us at fminus@yahoogroups.com

  2. Get puttygen for Windows, if you haven't got it already, because you need to generate a public and a private key for SSH (secure shell) use. Download it from here: http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/puttygen.exe
    Run it and create a key. Follow the instructions, write down your pass phrase, and save the private key on your local hard drive. Copy the public key text to the clipboard (highlight and <ctrl-C>) for the next step, since you'll have to paste it into a CGI form.

  3. Update SF and tell it about your SSH keys:
    Login using SSL to www.sourceforge.net (top left), then click on the "My SF.NET" tab on the top line. You should get "Personal Page For: yourusername".
    Click on "Account
    Options" underneath the tabs, and then scroll all the way down to the bottom.
    Click on "Edit SSH Keys for Shell/CVS", then paste your PUBLIC KEY (not your private key!) into the text box, and press Update.
    Wait 5 hours. Seriously!

  4. Now you must get and run pageant.exe from here; http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/pageant.exe and add your PRIVATE KEY (not your public key!).
    You may want to start pageant every time your PC boots; add it into your startup folder.

  5. Download and install TortoiseCVS from http://www.tortoisecvs.org

    Getting CVS set up and working is quite easy. You need to follow these steps (note that you can install to any directory you want; I am just using "C:\forth\FM" as an example

    1. Get Tortoise CVS at http://www.tortoisecvs.org/ and install it.
    2. Create the C:\forth\FM directory (or whatever dir you want to install to)
    3. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the parent of that directory (C:\forth) and right-click
    4. You should see an item CVS Checkout on the context menu... select it
    5. Fill in the form with appropriate values.

    The "appropriate values" are:
    Protocol: Secure shell (:ext:)
    Server: fminus.cvs.sourceforge.net
    Repository folder: /cvsroot/fminus/
    User name: yourusername
    Module: fminus

    So the CVSROOT: is:ext:yourusername@fminus.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/fminus
    Press OK. Now you will be able to use the CVS system.

    Fine --- so how do I use the system? Also very easy:
    1.Right-click inside the C:\forth\FM directory (using Explorer) and select CVS Update when prompted for a password, say "yourpassword"
    2.Make sure your edits are on your machine and you are using the newest version.
    3.When done with your edits, just right-click in the directory and say CVS Commit

  6. Subscribe to fminus-cvs@lists.sourceforge.net at : https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/fminus-cvs to monitor the newest changes in the CVS.

Download CVS instructions anonymous:
Run TortoiseCVS. The CVSROOT: is: pserver:anonymous@fminus.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/fminus
The module name is: fminus
Note: is also possible to use: ext:yourusername@fminus.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/fminus

Updating the homepage at http://fminus.sourceforge.net

When you are a developer you can update it. Be sure you are able to use your SSH key at sourceforge.
See the first 4 steps of the section: "Here is how you can join us at the CVS to improve F-"

We like to be informed about new developments, so there is a copy of http://fminus.sourceforge.net in the CVS.
First Checkout TortoiseCVS with a new module:

  1. Create a new directory on your PC EG: c:\fm4web

  2. Click right on c:\fm4web

  3. Choose CVS Checkout...

  4. The module name is: fm4web
    Note: The CVSROOT is still: ext:yourusername@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/fminus/

  5. Press OK. Now you will be able to use the CVS system.
    When the operation is succesfull the new module will be seen under the Previous CVSROOTS in TortoiseCVS.

Then:

  1. Download and install WinSCP from http://winscp.net/eng/download.php

  2. Create a new session:

  3. The Hostname is: shell.sourceforge.net

  4. Port number: 22

  5. Private Key file: Your private_key.pkk file

  6. Protocol: SFTP

  7. The path to our home page content is: /home/groups/f/fm/fminus/htdocs/
    Note after loggin in with the WinSCP you can change ANY other unprotected homepage at SF, too.
    So make sure that you only change the files in the home/groups/f/fm/fminus/htdocs/ directory !
    With <CTRL+B> you can add a bookmark to /home/groups/f/fm/fminus/htdocs/

    Please check the rights of the uploaded or changed files and folders.
    Make sure that the group fminus is able to overwrite it! ( rwxrwxr-x )

It is important that the CVS and http://fminus.sourceforge.net have the same content.

So:
1. Make your changes and upload them to the CVS using TortoiseCVS
2. Upload your changed files to the webspace using WinSCP.