***** FORUM RULES • PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING HERE! *****

Discussion particular to FoFiX, its development, and themes
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***** FORUM RULES • PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING HERE! *****

Postby jstump91 » Mon May 18, 2009 3:25 pm

All rules that apply for the rest of the forum apply here too. The following rules apply in addition so that this forum can be more efficient in coordinating development-related stuff.

I acknowledge that the rules have become a bit on the longer side. So that "tl;dr" is not an excuse, we present this summary of the rules, with the full original rules in a spoiler tag below. If you need clarification, hit the spoiler and look for the rule that matches your question. If you think even this is too long, and you ignore these rules, then we're most likely going to ignore you.

  1. Read the stickies.

  2. Don't ask us...
    • ...for help on setting up to run from Git (setting up Git, Python, and the Python modules)
    • ...when a specific issue will be fixed. Instead, star it on Google Code so we know you want it.
    • ...when the next alpha, beta, RC, or full release will be.
    • ...Python programming questions. As a matter of policy, the developers will not answer them. If you want to contribute, you are expected to know enough about Python that you can find your own way around the code.

  3. Don't release or ask for unofficial pre-built packages. We won't help you if you use one, and you can expect quick deletion and a nasty warning if you post one. Note that this explicitly includes posting scripts to automatically configure the environment for running from Git.

  4. Tell us what exact version you are running (e.g. "3.120 beta 1" or "commit 9df0171").
    • Never leave the "beta [#]" (or similar) part off mentions of a beta or any other pre-release version, lest n00bs think that the version it is leading up to has been released already.
    • Never say you are on "the latest" of anything - give the exact version or commit-hash you are running.
    • If you're using Git, run "git rev-parse HEAD" and include the first seven characters or so of the output. This is the commit-hash, and it identifies the exact revision of the code you are using.
    • Avoid referring to the current Git as just "4.0" because it makes people think that 4.0 has been stable released!

  5. Don't tell us mediafire isn't working. Try again later. (In any case, it has nothing to do with us)

  6. Know your config file. It's called "fofix.ini". It's either in your game folder or:
    1. in Windows: "%AppData%\fofix" (copy/paste it into an explorer address bar)
    2. in GNU/Linux: ~/.fofix
    3. in Mac OS X: ~/Library/Preferences

  7. Know your log file. It's called "fofix.log". It is here:
    1. in Windows: Your game folder
    2. in GNU/Linux: ~/.fofix
    3. in Mac OS X: ~/Library/Logs.
    Always post it whenever you are reporting an error. Use a spoiler, collapse or code tag, because it's often long. Don't cut it down unless you know exactly what you're doing - too many users seem to like to cut it down to just the most recent traceback and everything after it. Just post the entire thing inside an appropriate tag. The long, infinitely-looping errors of old times (which I consider to be the only time when cutting down the logfile is ever acceptable) should no longer be able to occur now.

    Once again... "Logfile" does not mean "most recent traceback in the logfile." Post the entire thing.

  8. Post a copy of the log right after you get the error. If the game runs fine, then you post it, the log won't have any errors in it.

  9. If your error says "see fofix.exe.log", then post both that and fofix.log.

  10. Make sure you have filenames right. Don't assume "fofix.log" is called "fofix.txt" because it opens in notepad, for example

  11. Don't PM the developers just to draw more attention to your thread. Either post or PM, but unless you have a compelling reason why the discussion needs to be private, you are probably going to be told to post a thread instead if you do go the PM route, so do everyone a favor and just post a thread from the get-go.

  12. Don't use the "shotgun" method of fixing things. Try something, see if it works, then try something else. On a similar note, don't try random fixes; make sure they actually relate to your problem.

  13. If you see an error that says "ImportError: No module named ..." Re-read the RunningUnderPython26/RequiredSourceModules page on the FoFiX wiki - whichever one you used to set your environment up. We most likely will ignore you if you post this error.

  14. If a feature is missing, make sure it's actually present in the version you are running and not a newer Git commit, alpha, beta, RC, or final release. (See #4)

  15. If shaders aren't doing anything when you try to enable them, make sure your video card and its driver actually support shaders. (There will be a line in the logfile saying that the required OpenGL extensions are not supported if the support isn't there.)

  16. Try using the Megalight (or Megalight GH3) theme. If your problem goes away, it's a theme problem and you need to post in the thread of the theme that crashed.

  17. If you tried everything above, and you're sure it's a FoFiX bug, post an issue on google code. You should include:
    1. what version/commit-hash you are using (see #4)
    2. what you did to get the error
    3. your log file (see #7-10)
    4. your OS
    5. the latest version that didn't have the error. (See #4)

  18. The stickied general discussion thread is for general chat and questions about FoFiX, and it where we'll announce new versions

  19. DO NOT post problems related to running FoFiX from Git anywhere but on the FoFiX subforum.

  20. Themes go in /data/themes, mods go in /data/mods. Don't get them mixed up. They're very different things. True mods for FoFiX (as opposed to themes) practically don't exist.

  21. Post bugs and problems in new threads (or existing related ones) so they don't get lost in the development thread. Feeble attempts to stop questions posted in the development thread from getting buried (especially self-quoting) will be summarily deleted.



  • Check the stickied posts first to see if your question belongs in one of those areas.

  • Do not ask for help on how to install Subversion or Python. The steps are clearly laid out at Google Code and elsewhere. Be sure you have followed those steps exactly before asking for assistance! (Consider it a test of whether you have enough general computer knowledge to make running from Subversion work for you.)

  • Do not ask when the next beta or release is coming out. We will let you know when it is ready. Trust us: you really, really, really don't want us to release it before it's ready.

  • Do not post or request binaries built from a Subversion checkout, scripts to set up the Python environment, or packages containing the required packages. We expect everybody who runs from Subversion to have set their environment up by hand from scratch so that they know exactly what they are running. At some point in the future, the code may be modified such that binaries built directly from SVN but used outside the environment they were built from will warn the user accordingly (but still work) when they are run.

  • When you're talking about a beta or RC, such as "3.120 RC 1", please don't forget to say "beta [#]" (or "RC [#]"), every single time you mention the version number. A beta or RC isn't a stable release - omitting the "beta [#]" part makes it unclear what release you really meant once the next beta/RC/final of that version is out, and it makes noobs hound us for code that doesn't exist. ("I heard you guys finally released 4.0.0; where is it? All I can see is something called "svn".")

  • If you are trying to set up the required Python modules and one from a MediaFire folder fails to download, try again at least 15 minutes later before you post about it. Occasionally a file from a MediaFire folder has given somebody an error downloading, and as quickly as they could post about it here, it worked again.

  • Do not ask us when we will fix X issue or tell us which issue you think is the most important. We are doing this for free in our free time, so the issues we pick will be the ones we are most interested in. You can voice your support on Google Code by starring an issue - issues with lots of stars are the ones that might catch our eye when we are roving for new issues to tackle.

  • Know your config file. It's called fofix.ini and can be found in the folder you are running the game from or in %AppData%\fofix on Windows, ~/.fofix under GNU/Linux, or ~/Library/Preferences under Mac OS X. We may need it to investigate problem reports.

  • Know your log file. It's called fofix.log and can be found on Windows in the folder you are running the game from, on GNU/Linux in ~/.fofix, or on Mac OS X in ~/Library/Logs. It often contains helpful information about how we can fix the error. Do not post a bug report without it! (If it's long, use the [spoiler] tag so as not to vertically stretch the page.) Posts that simply say "My game is broken please help" are not even a little bit helpful. Please don't do that.
    • When copying your logfile, be aware that the game starts a new logfile every time it is started, erasing the old contents. Please make sure that you encountered the problem you are reporting during your most recent play session. (This just means that if you have restarted FoFiX since, make sure that the problem happens again before you quit if you still have yet to copy and paste the logfile contents.)

  • If you get an error that refers to a file named FoFiX.exe.log, post the contents not only of that file but also of the main log. (Also read the note on binaries in this thread.)

  • When referring to files, please be sure you are using the correct filenames. For example, it irritates the developers to no end when Windows users refer to fofix.log as "fofix.txt" just because the .log extension isn't being shown, it has the same icon as a .txt file, and it opens up in Notepad when double-clicked.

  • Do not try to fix your problems by the "shotgun" method. This means trying everything you can find in the hopes that it will work, not stopping to see whether the problem still exists after each operation you do. This method almost invariably makes the problem worse.

  • On a related note, if you see a fix for a specific problem and you have a different problem, don't do the fix hoping that it will solve your completely unrelated problem too!

  • Do not post errors ending with "ImportError: No module named ..." unless you are absolutely, positively, 100% sure that you read all the way through either RequiredSourceModules or RunningUnderPython26 (depending on which Python version you're running) and did everything it told you to do. If it worked before but suddenly started giving you such an error, please check whether we added a new dependency since you set up your environment (in which case we will post about it in the development thread and update the wiki pages).

  • If you are not running from Subversion and you are puzzled by the absence of a certain feature, make sure the feature was actually completed in the beta or release you are on before posting about it. For example, do not post questions about the lobby if you are running 3.100 final.

  • Make sure your problem is not your theme: try using MegaLight (or, for things exclusive to Guitar Hero-like themes, MegaLight GH3). If that works, report the problem to the theme's creator. Some functionality is exclusive to Rock Band-like or Guitar Hero-like themes; if you can't get a certain feature to work, try a theme from the opposite category.

  • If you've checked all of the above and your problem has not been reported, make a new topic for each issue. If you've created a Google Code issue for it, change the topic name to reflect the issue and link it in your post. Please include:
    1. what version/revision you are using
    2. what you did to get the error
    3. your log file (see above)
    Additional helpful information would be your OS, and what revision the problem appeared in (if you are running from svn).

  • The stickied general discussion thread would be the place for questions about using the game itself and whatever else you may have to say about the game. This is where we'll post major news and updates.

  • DO NOT post problems related to running from Subversion anywhere on the forum except for this subforum.

  • Themes are not mods, and mods are not themes! (Mods, in the truest sense of the word, are practically nonexistent in the realm of FoFiX.) Clearing up the confusion between them on this board starts with you. If you are creating a theme, don't call it a mod. If you're talking about a theme, don't call it a mod. If it doesn't go in /data/mods, don't call it a mod. Themes cannot add functionality to the game - only support or not support functionality already implemented in the game and make the game look different.

  • The goal of this forum is to help organize the bugs so they don't get lost and buried in the conversation of the old development thread - not to stop you from posting. This system will (hopefully) help to alleviate stress for both us (the devs) and you!



These rules are subject to change without notice.

Enjoy!

Hint: you can quickly and easily link to an issue on FoFiX's issue tracker using the [fi] BBcode tag and the issue number.
Example:

Code: Select all

[fi]419[/fi]
gives FoFiX issue 419.
Thanks to raph666 for implementing this.
jstump91, a.k.a. john.stumpo, a.k.a. stump
jstump.com | stump's blog | FoFiX development | My own code
Can't find a Windows build of the Python module you need? Try my mediafire!
Don't say "Python can't do [insert task here]." Python can do anything with the right modules - said modules may just not have been written yet.
"Python - why settle for snake oil when you can have the whole snake?" --Mark Jackson
Did you search before you posted? Did you read the rules for the subforum you are posting in?

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