Reformatted "Linux Kernel Patch Submission Format", to wrap at 80 chars and underline headings.
Signed-off-by: Ben Minerds <[email protected]> --- .../patches/Patch-Submission-Format.txt | 86 ++++++++++++++++------ 1 file changed, 64 insertions(+), 22 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/development-process/patches/Patch-Submission-Format.txt b/Documentation/development-process/patches/Patch-Submission-Format.txt index 44a1eb9..5c86ef5 100644 --- a/Documentation/development-process/patches/Patch-Submission-Format.txt +++ b/Documentation/development-process/patches/Patch-Submission-Format.txt @@ -1,39 +1,66 @@ Linux Kernel Patch Submission Format ==================================== -Most Linux kernel submissions are merged into the kernel source code repository by script. These instructions describe the proper format for emailed kernel patch submissions, to ensure that submittors and maintainers waste a minimum amount of time on these details. -1. Email subject format +Most Linux kernel submissions are merged into the kernel source code repository +by script. These instructions describe the proper format for emailed kernel +patch submissions, to ensure that submittors and maintainers waste a minimum +amount of time on these details. -The email subject has a precise format, communicating several pieces of information. +1. Email subject format +======================= +The email subject has a precise format, communicating several pieces of +information. [PATCH $version $n/$total] $subsystem: one-line summary "[PATCH": constant prefix $version: kernel version against which this patch was generated - $n/$total: when a change encompasses more than one patch, $n indicates the order of this patch in the series, and $total indicates the total number of patches in the series. - $subsystem: area of the kernel, or device driver, to which this patch applies. - one-line summary: summarizes the change this patch makes. This summary is copied directly into the SCM (i.e. git) changelog, so make sure that your summary is descriptive. Ensure that $subsystem uniquely identifies the subsystem or driver being modified. "update to latest CVS" or "fix bug in probe" is not specific enough about what portion of the code is being modified. + $n/$total: when a change encompasses more than one patch, $n indicates the + order of this patch in the series, and $total indicates the total number + of patches in the series. + $subsystem: area of the kernel, or device driver, to which this + patch applies. + one-line summary: summarizes the change this patch makes. This summary is + copied directly into the SCM (i.e. git) changelog, so make sure that your + summary is descriptive. Ensure that $subsystem uniquely identifies the + subsystem or driver being modified. "update to latest CVS" or "fix bug in + probe" is not specific enough about what portion of the code is + being modified. Keep your overall subject line under 65 characters or so. -The scripts will strip all the text inside the brackets ("[PATCH ...]"), and replace it "[PATCH]". +The scripts will strip all the text inside the brackets ("[PATCH ...]"), and +replace it "[PATCH]". Example: [PATCH 2.6.9-rc1-mm2 1/2] 8139cp: fix PCI DAC mode -The "$n/$total" may be omitted if there is only one patch in the series. Writing "1/1" is not necessary. +The "$n/$total" may be omitted if there is only one patch in the series. +Writing "1/1" is not necessary. + 2. Email body contents: description +=================================== +At the beginning of your email, use as many lines as you wish to describe the +patch. This text is copied directly into the SCM (i.e. git) changelog. -At the beginning of your email, use as many lines as you wish to describe the patch. This text is copied directly into the SCM (i.e. git) changelog. +Include comments and other data (such as diffstat) you don't wish to be in the +kernel changelog following a "---" terminator line. The terminator must be on a +line by itself. -Include comments and other data (such as diffstat) you don't wish to be in the kernel changelog following a "---" terminator line. The terminator must be on a line by itself. 3. Email body contents: patch +============================= +Sub-Rule Number One: Patches must be reviewable in a standard Linux email +client. This means in particular, no compression and no base64 encoding. +Attachments are discouraged, but some corporate mail systems provide no other +way to send patches. -Sub-Rule Number One: Patches must be reviewable in a standard Linux email client. This means in particular, no compression and no base64 encoding. Attachments are discouraged, but some corporate mail systems provide no other way to send patches. - -Sub-Rule Number Two: Patch must be apply-able by a script that has no knowledge of [MIME] encoding. You must make sure your mailer does not escape standard US-ASCII characters, wrap long lines, or encode plaintext patches in base64 (or any other encoding). +Sub-Rule Number Two: Patch must be apply-able by a script that has no knowledge +of [MIME] encoding. You must make sure your mailer does not escape standard +US-ASCII characters, wrap long lines, or encode plaintext patches in base64 (or +any other encoding). -Sub-Rule Number Three: Patch must be rooted one level above a standard kernel source tree. i.e. +Sub-Rule Number Three: Patch must be rooted one level above a standard kernel +source tree. i.e. --- a/drivers/scsi/megaraid/megaraid_mm.c 2004-08-31 04:05:10 -04:00 +++ b/drivers/scsi/megaraid/megaraid_mm.c 2004-08-31 04:05:10 -04:00 @@ -43,11 +70,17 @@ or in other words, the patch must be apply-able using patch -sp1 < foo.patch 4. One patch per email +====================== +This cannot be stressed enough. Even when you are resending a change for the +5th time, resist the urge to attach 20 patches to a single email. If you do +send multiple emails, make sure the second and subsequent emails are sent as +replies to the first, to keep them all together in a thread. -This cannot be stressed enough. Even when you are resending a change for the 5th time, resist the urge to attach 20 patches to a single email. If you do send multiple emails, make sure the second and subsequent emails are sent as replies to the first, to keep them all together in a thread. 5. Sign your work - -The sign-off is a simple line at the end of the explanation for the patch, which certifies that you wrote it or otherwise have the right to pass it on as a open-source patch. The rules are pretty simple: if you can certify the below: +================= +The sign-off is a simple line at the end of the explanation for the patch, +which certifies that you wrote it or otherwise have the right to pass it on as +a open-source patch. The rules are pretty simple: if you can certify the below: Developer's Certificate of Origin 1.1 @@ -80,10 +113,19 @@ then you just add a line at the end of your patch description, saying Signed-off-by: Random J Developer <[email protected]> 6. Avoid attachments and MIME +============================= +Attachments make it more difficult to review and comment on your patches. MIME +(the mechanism by which files are attached to an email) has historically +created a problem for patch import scripts. Some unfortunate email programs +insist upon base64 encoding for all attachments, which completely shrouds the +patch to some scripts and mailers. -Attachments make it more difficult to review and comment on your patches. MIME (the mechanism by which files are attached to an email) has historically created a problem for patch import scripts. Some unfortunate email programs insist upon base64 encoding for all attachments, which completely shrouds the patch to some scripts and mailers. 7. Follow these instructions even when resending - -Quite often, when a patch receives comments, the patch author will (deep in an email thread) include a revised version of their patch but omit the email subject one-line summary, and overall patch description. This isn't script friendly, and requires the patch description to be hand-edited. - -For more details, read Documentation/SubmittingPatches and Documentation/SubmittingDrivers in the kernel source tree. \ No newline at end of file +================================================ +Quite often, when a patch receives comments, the patch author will (deep in an +email thread) include a revised version of their patch but omit the email +subject one-line summary, and overall patch description. This isn't script +friendly, and requires the patch description to be hand-edited. + +For more details, read Documentation/SubmittingPatches and +Documentation/SubmittingDrivers in the kernel source tree. -- 1.8.1.2 -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to [email protected] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
