<!> Mark completed items using the (./) symbol

Release Focus Areas

Detail
Person Responsible

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Packaging Team

Name
Email
Responsibility
Built?
Uploaded
Tim Sutton tim at linfiniti.com Release Manager
Jürgen E. Fischer jef at norbit.de Ubuntu Packages
Marco Pasetti marco.pasetti at alice.it Windows packaging
Otto Dassau otto.dassau at gmx.de openSUSE Packaging
William kyngchaos at kyngchaos.com OSX Frameworks Build
Niccolo Rigacci qgis at rigacci.org Debian Lenny
Douglas E. Warner silfreed at silfreed.net Fedora 8
Tom Elwertowski telwertowski at comcast.net OSX All in one bundle
Antonio Chay antonio.chay at gmail.com CentOS 5.x
Jeremy Spykerman jeremy.spykerman at gmail.com
Tim Sutton tim at linfiniti.com Source http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/src/

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Packages should be uploaded to upload.osgeo.org into the appropriate subdirs under:

  • /osgeo/download/qgis

After each package is uploaded, an entry can be created for it on the http://downloads.qgis.org using this url:

Then go to:

You need to have relevant accounts on the above servers.

Release Team

The following table provides a key for release responsibilities, as the release document that follows will be colour coded according to this key:

Tim Sutton
style="background-color:#e4e5ae;" Marco Hugentobler
style="background-color:#ff5339;" Otto Dassau
style="background-color:#bebdbf;" Anne Ghisla
style="background-color:#ffe74b;" Agustin Lobo
style="background-color:#e5aebf;" Richard Duivenvoorde
style="background-color:#aed0e5;" Maning Sambale
style="background-color:#95ff39;" Paolo Cavallini
style="background-color:#f4a100;" Release team all

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Two Month Release Timeline for QGIS

Item
Date / Completed?
Checked?
Small enhancements and bug fixes can continue in trunk
Set date for next release about two months into the future style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
X
Discuss with PSC & Developers which features should be merged into release (in future this will be trunk) style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
X
Update the splash screen (minor and major releases!) style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
X
Update top level CMakeLists.txt with release name and version style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
X

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Four weeks before - feature freeze 1 August 2009

Item
Date / Completed?
Checked?
Only bug fixes go into trunk from here forward, no new features
X
Complete merge of new features style="background-color:#e4e5ae;"
X
Optional: create preview build and make available for bug reports - see packaging helpers list above style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
Not Done
Call for document managers to update docs based on new features in SVN style="background-color:#ff5339;"
X
Check for changes in project file structure that needs to be handled style="background-color:#e4e5ae;"
Release team start writing press releases, making screenshots etc VisualChangeLog1.2.0 style="background-color:#e5aebf;"
X

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Two weeks before - string freeze [August 14 2009]

Item
Date / Completed?
Checked?
Bug fixes can continue in trunk but no more strings can be changed X
Ensure any new contributors have been added to AUTHORS along with their mugshot if available (reserved for SVN committers) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Ensure any new contributors have been added to CONTRIBUTORS (reserved for non SVN committers) style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
?
Ensure any new sponsors have been added to SPONSORS style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Update the ChangeLog with a list of changes implemented in this release (complete changelog section below) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Update index.html to reflect what's new, requirements, and documentation (see current index.html in ./doc of the source tree) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Update the whatsNew string in qgisapp.cpp to reflect changes (used to display in about box) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Check that INSTALL.t2t install docs are up to date style="background-color:#bee5ae;" Deferred
Update index.html to reflect GRASS and related lib versions in the win build (see current index.html in ./doc of the source tree) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Check that cmake is deploying all headers required to build apps using libqgis_* style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Apply any pending patches or mark them for a future release in the tracker (see bug tracker section below) style="background-color:#e4e5ae;" X
Apply fixes for any pending bugs or mark them against a future milestone (see bug tracker section below) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
String freeze announcement for UI style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Update and commit ts files using scripts/update_ts_files.sh (GUI Translation Team Lead) after announcement above style="background-color:#ff5339;" X
Call for translators to update translations and submit their ts files (see pro-forma email below) GUI Translation Team Lead style="background-color:#ff5339;" X

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One week before - branch & call for packaging 21 August 2009

Item
Date / Completed?
Checked?
Create branch
svn cp https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/trunk/qgis \
https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Release-1_2_0
X
Prepare source tarball
svn export https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Release-1_2_0 qgis-1.2.0
tar cfz qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz qgis-1.2.0/
mv qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz /osgeo/download/qgis/src/
md5sum /osgeo/download/qgis/src/qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz >/osgeo/download/qgis/src/qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz.md5
X
Source URLS
http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/src/
http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/src/qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz
http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/src/qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz.md5
X
No bug fixes, string changes etc. allowed in branch, only packaging related changes
X
Ensure all submitted translation updates have been applied (GUI Translation Team Lead) style="background-color:#ff5339;" X
Branch SVN and call for packaging (see branching notes below) and record revision here: r11478 style="background-color:#bee5ae;" r11478
Edit build_debian_package.sh and set dch -v X.X.X to the apropriate version number style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
Update the NSIS installer (win_build/qgis.nsis) to reflect the correct version style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Release team prepare press releases in various formats in anticipation of release (dont publish yet) style="background-color:#bebdbf;" X

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Day of release 1 September 2009

Item
Date / Completed?
Checked?
Close off release branch and announce release to the world
X
Tag the branch as final release (see tag section below) style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
Make tag and branch read only (see notes below) style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
Note the svn revision number for the tagged release here: style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
Generate API documentation and upload to download area (using doxygen) style="background-color:#bee5ae;"
Export the source code to a source tarball style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Upload release packages to download area (see checklist at the top of this page) style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
Release team announce to press and make packages available style="background-color:#f4a100;" X

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Post Release

Wiki Updates
Completed?
Update Release Checklists to mark the release as completed. style="background-color:#bfd3ff;"

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qgis.org Updates
Completed?
Update the 'Current Release' link on the main menu style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
Update the 'Download' link on the top menu bar style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
Add release newsflash style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
Current version page to be updated style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
svn download of tagged release updated style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
download page updated style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
screenshots updated style="background-color:#aed0e5;"

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Publicising (see announcing the release section below)
Completed?
http://freshmeat.net
http://kde-apps.org
http://qt-apps.org
http://freegis.org
http://apple.com
http://slashgeo.org/submit.pl
http://lxer.com/module/newswire/stories/add.php
http://www.freemacware.com/let-us-know
http://www.osnews.com/submit.php
http://directory.fsf.org/project/QGIS/

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Announcements on mailing lists
Completed?
freegis-list: http://intevation.de/mailman/listinfo/freegis-list style="background-color:#bfd3ff;"
grassuser: http://grass.itc.it/mailman/listinfo/grassuse style="background-color:#aed0e5;"
qgis-user: http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-user style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
qgis-developer: https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/qgis-developer style="background-color:#bee5ae;" X
pkg-grass-general: http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/pkg-grass-general style="background-color:#bebdbf;" X
osgeo-announce: style="background-color:#bebdbf;" Tyler
osgeo-discuss: http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss style="background-color:#aed0e5;" X
osgeo-africa: http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/africa style="background-color:#;"
ppgis: style="background-color:#;"
gav-talk: http://www.grass-verein.de/ml_irc.html (german) style="background-color:#ff5339;"
grass-de: http://www.grass-verein.de/ml_irc.html (german) style="background-color:#ff5339;"
viscom-de: http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/viscom-discuss-de (german) style="background-color:#ff5339;"
gfoss.it: http://www.faunalia.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gfoss (italian) style="background-color:#95ff39;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"
(spanish) style="background-color:#ffe74b;"

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Call for translators email

Hi All (and especially translators)

As of today please note that we are entering string freeze for the run up to the next release. If you are committing bug fixes please avoid changing any strings. Translation .ts files have been updated in SVN so please update your local svn checkouts. The period for translations will close MMMM-DD-YYYY (i.e. about one week from now) and then we will be branching for release. Any translations submitted to us after that time will only be included in the next release, so please submit what you have by then even if it is not complete.
As always you can track the release plans via the checklist at:
http://wiki.qgis.org/qgiswiki/ReleaseChecklistX.X.X
If you have any questions about the translation process, please see the following page which includes instructions on how to generate a .ts file for a new locale.
http://www.qgis.org/wiki/Gui_Translations
Many thanks to all the translators out there for the great work you do!
Regards,

Branching and Tagging Details

Branch the release using syntax below (update this with the actual commands you used to tag).

For unstable releases:

 svn cp https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/trunk/qgis \

https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Release-1_2_0

From the stable branch I made a release branch for version X.X.X

 svn cp https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Version-1_0 \
          https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Release-X_X_X

Bug Tracker System

All bugs that are intended to have been fixed in this release should have been marked as closed. All other bugs on the release branch should be marked for a future release. To do this:

  • create a new milestone and version e.g. we are releasing X.X.X now so create a new milestone in trac for X.X.X+1. Create the milestone here: https://trac.osgeo.org/qgis/admin/ticket/milestones - make the new milestone default so that any new tickets get filed against that milestone - milestone should be in the form:
 Version X.X.X+1

Now you need to visit each open bug on the branch and reset its milestone for the next release in the future. This can be done easily doing the following:

Visit the milestone page by following this direct link: https://trac.osgeo.org/qgis/milestone/Version%20X.X.X?action=edit or by clicking Roadmap Button -> Milestone Title -> Edit Milestone Info button. Now tick the completed checkbox and then the 'Retarget associated open tickets to milestone' checkbox and retarget the open tickets to the next milestone.

After this, add a link on the front of the Trac wiki which links to the current milestone

You can visit https://trac.osgeo.org/qgis/report/3 to get a report of bugs by milestone.

Create the source tarball

 cd /tmp
 svn export https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Release-X_X_X \
          qgis-X_X_X

Then use your favourite compression tool to create zip and .tar.bz2 archives.

Generate the changelog

Action
Revision
Note revision number of previous release 9801
Revision number of current release 10531

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Using command line and local SVN checkout (first no is svn revision of previous release, second is svn revision of this release):

 svn log -r9801:10531 > /tmp/log.txt
 or to be a little more fancy:
 svn log -r9801:10531 | grep -i '^[a-z][a-z]' | sed -e "s\^\- \1" > /tmp/log.txt

Another way /additional way to generate a changelog is to use trac to get a list of all closed bugs e.g.

 https://trac.osgeo.org/qgis/query?status=closed&milestone=Version+X.X.X&order=priority

Pro-forma call for packaging annoucnement:

Dear QGIS devs & packagers

--- Note to casual readers --- Please do not pre-announce this release - give the packagers and release team a chance to do their thing so that people hearing about the release have a fair chance of finding a package, reading all our press material etc. --- End note ---

Today I have branched QGIS 1.2.0 'Daphnis' for release. It would be great if you can assist by making packages for your preferred platform. The branch can be checked out at:

svn co https://svn.osgeo.org/qgis/branches/Release-1_2_0 qgis-1_2_0

Source tarballs can be obtained from here:

http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/src/qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/src/qgis_1.2.0.tar.gz.md5

Please do not commit anything to the release branch except packaging related tweaks.

If you make a package please be so kind as to send me an email with details of where I can download the package. Please make sure the package is wgettable since I do not have the bandwidth to first download all packages to my home pc and then up again to the download server.

If you are able to make packages for unlisted platforms / distros please let me know so that we can avoid duplication of effort.

I would like to make the release announcement around the 30th of August, so it will be great to have as many packages as possible ready by then.

SVN (Trunk) is open again for general commits - please seek guidance from Marco Hugentobler (PSC Code Manager) if you are planning any major code changes.

The timeline for our future releases is, as always, available here:

http://trac.osgeo.org/qgis/roadmap

Many thanks to all the developers, testers, bug fixers, bug reporters, document writers, translators and users that help to make QGIS a reality.

Lastly can I call on the release team to put together visual changelog, press announcements etc. ready for the release date? I will send you an email when the packages are ready and you can start broadcasting announcements.

Best regards

Announcing the release

Create an announcement template

An announcement template will save you retypping the same text at the various places of announcement. The following text can be used as a basis:

A Generic release subject

Announcing the release of QGIS 1.2.0 'Daphnis'(development release).

A generic 20 word summary

Quantum GIS is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows.

A mailing list announcement

We are very pleased to announce the release of QGIS 1.2.0 'Daphnis' the next in our development release series.

Our 'development' release series are provided to offer users a chance to try out new features as they make their way into the code base. We will not support these releases over a long term and they are aimed at people who don't mind if the user interface changes from release to release. We are dropping the term 'unstable' in favour of 'development' to label our non-long term support releases since it creates the incorrect impression that these releases are more crash prone. In reality the developer releases contain many bug fixes that should improve stability over previous releases.

Binary and source code packages are available at http://qgis.org/en/download/current-software.html

A visual changelog for the release is available here:

http://blog.qgis.org/node/137

Along with the release of QGIS 1.2.0, the QGIS Community Team is hard at work on an updated QGIS Users' Guide version 1.2. The guide will be available in the near future - we will post announcements when it is available.

QGIS is a completely volunteer driven project, and is the work of a dedicated team of developers, documenters and supporters. We extend our thanks and gratitude for the many, many hours people have contributed to make this release happen.

If you would like to make a donation or sponsor our project, please visit http://www.qgis.org/en/sponsorship.html . QGIS is Free software and you are under no obligation to do so.

Happy QGIS'ing!

A generic product description

Quantum GIS (QGIS) is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) that runs on Linux, Unix, Mac OSX, and Windows. QGIS supports vector, raster, and database formats. QGIS is licensed under the GNU General Public License. QGIS lets you browse and create map data on your computer. It supports many common spatial data formats (e.g. ESRI ShapeFile, geotiff). QGIS supports plugins to do things like display tracks from your GPS. QGIS is Open Source software and its free of cost.

A generic features list

  • Support for spatially enabled PostGIS tables
  • Support for shapefiles, ArcInfo coverages, Mapinfo, and other formats supported by OGR
  • Raster support for a large number of formats
  • Identify/select/label features
  • OGC Support (WMS, WFS)
  • Digitizing OGR/Shape and GRASS files
  • Edit/View/Search attribute tables
  • Export to Mapserver map file
  • GRASS integration including view, edit and analysis
  • Python bindings
  • On the fly projection
  • Georeferencing
  • Print Composer
  • Extensible plugin architecture