# How to prepare a Ghostscript release

## Table of contents

> - Introduction
> - Servers
>   - Development sources and bug reports
>   - Distribution
> - Release numbering
> - Making distributions
>   - Preparing the source code
>   - Testing
>   - Making the source distribution
>   - Testing on Windows
>   - Building the Windows distribution
>   - Finishing up
>   - Beta distributions
>   - Public releases
> - After releasing
> - GNU Ghostscript releases
>   - GNU code
>   - After releasing (GNU)
> - Fonts

For other information, see the Ghostscript overview and the instructions on how to build Ghostscript.

## Introduction

This document describes the process that artofcode LLC, the copyright holder of Ghostscript, uses for making new Ghostscript releases. Please note that while the the license allows anyone to prepare and distribute releases in accordance with its terms and conditions, this document is really meant only to document the process used by artofcode LLC. However, the eventual purpose of this document is to describe Ghostscript release procedures in enough detail that someone who knows little about Ghostscript but is generally familiar with the platform on which the procedure is being carried out can execute the procedures correctly. So if you add or changing anything to/in this document, be sure to specify all command lines, file names, etc. in explicit detail.

The release process for the GPL and AFPL branches are similar, though there are some differences in terms of policy and release locations. See the section on GNU releases below for information specific to GNU Ghostscript.

File names below that don't include an explicit subdirectory name are in the `src` subdirectory.

If you do plan to make your own distribution, please be aware of some items you will want to change.

- If you make any significant changes, please edit `gscdef.c` to change `GS_PRODUCTFAMILY` and `GS_PRODUCT` from "AFPL Ghostscript" to something else, in order to avoid confusion with artofcode's releases.
- In the same file, you may also want to edit `GS_COPYRIGHT` to add your own copyright notice (although you must not remove any notice that is there).
- You will almost certainly want to edit `version.mak` to change the revision date, `GS_REVISIONDATE`.
- If you want to change the release number, you must change it in all the places listed under "Release numbering" below.

## Servers

The GNU and AFPL Ghostscript files are maintained on sites accessible to the public. One specific site hosts the active CVS repository for code, data, and documentation, and the bug report data base; several sites offer distributions with release numbers, intended for wider distribution.

### Development sources and bug reports

The primary repository for GNU and AFPL Ghostscript is ghostscript.com. Please check there first for any news about releases or current work, and for information about where to download ghostscript and how to access the mailing lists. CVS access is through cvs.ghostscript.com.

It may also be helpful to read the SourceForge AFPL Ghostscript home page (http://sourceforge.net/projects/ghostscript/).

### Distribution

Stable, beta, and development releases are all available from

> http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1897

Stable releases are also distributed from

> ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/ or
> ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/gnu/

Development releases are also distributed from

> ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/test/

## Release numbering

Ghostscript uses a two-part (major.minor) release number. The second part of the release number is a 2-digit decimal fraction: it counts 00, 01, 02, and so on through 99.

- Release numbers N.0x and N.5x indicate stable versions.
- Successive increments generally indicate bug fixes and minor enhancements.
- Development, testing and beta releases generally begin with a minor release number that is a multiple of ten and increment from there.

Release numbers appear in the following places in the Ghostscript files:

- In `lib/gs_init.ps`, as an integer (release number x100) at the beginning of the file just after the initial comment blocks.
- In `src/version.mak`, split into 3 lines.
- In `doc/News.htm`, in the two headers and their labels and at the very end in the copyright footer.
- At the foot of most documenation files. However, these are updated mechanically from the value in `News.htm` as part of the release process and do not need to be maintained directly.

### Before a release

The current release number in the development code must be set to the desired value. The increment from just after the previous release (see below) is sufficient for minor updates. In the case of major changes or a new stable release, the number will need to be bumped; this is generally done as the first step of preparing a new release.

### After a release

After making a release the release number in CVS is incremented. Thus versions built from cvs are always marked with a future (or unused) release number to avoid confusion.

Additionally, After an N.00 or N.50 stable release, a branch is made in cvs so that development can continue independently of changes to the stable series. When this happens, the minor release number is incremented by 10 (or 20) on the development branch (and by 1 on the new stable branch, as above) to avoid collisions.

While incrementing the release number after making a release may seem counter-intuitive, it ensures that, at any given time, the version number alone is sufficient to distinguish between the current CVS state and a numbered release.

## Making distributions

This document only discusses source distributions. Source distributions currently can only be made on GNU/Linux systems (but it probably wouldn't take much work to support other Unix systems). Ghostscript as distributed also often includes executables or other packages for the Windows and MacOS environments, but artofcode does not always produce these, and this document does not discuss them. For more information about Windows packages, please contact `bug-gswin@ghostscript.com`; for more information about MacOS packages, please contact `mac-gs@ghostscript.com`.

To make a source distribution, you will need the scripts and data files in the `toolbin/` directory. The instructions below generally assume that you're invoking the relative to the top level of the source tree. To run the scripts, you will need reasonably current versions of Tcl, freely available from Scriptics (`http://www.scriptics.com`), and Python, freely available from `http://www.python.org`.

The instructions below also refer to some files that are deliberately omitted from the public distribution, because they are not freely redistributable. You will need to provide similar files for your environment.

>     data/*/*.ps (PostScript files) - needed for smoke testing

### Preparing the source code

If necessary, update the release number by incrementing it as described in Release numbering above.

Update references to the date for release:

- In `version.mak`, the numeric date.
- In `doc/News.htm`, in two places, skipping the Id: line. That is, in parentheses after the `VERSION X.YY` heading, and in the copyright footer both the year and the release date.

We recommend using a UTC release date to avoid timezone skew.

Also in `doc/News.htm`, update the number of the highest closed bug and the list of open bugs.

Check in `gscdef.c` that the definition of `GS_PRODUCT` includes the appropriate one of "DEVELOPMENT RELEASE", "BETA RELEASE", or neither, and does not include "CVS PRE-RELEASE".

Run the source-consistency checks from the test suite:

>     toolbin/tests/check_all.py --gsroot=.

Where the argument of --gsroot is the path to the top level of the source tree. Fix any problems it indicates, and commit them to cvs.

Check for patched configuration parameters, `#define TEST`s, version/date inconsistencies, and mismatches between the working directory and the CVS repository by running:

>     toolbin/pre.tcl

This program compares the result of various greps against a check file, writing the results of grep on one output file and the differences from the check file on another. See the source code for the default file names. The important one is the check file, `toolbin/pre.chk`. `pre.tcl` also verifies that the right information is in the following places:

- release number in `man/*.1`, `doc/*.htm`, `version.mak`, `doc/gs-vms.hlp`, `lib/gs_init.ps`
- revision date in `man/*.1`, `doc/*.htm`, `version.mak`, `doc/gs-vms.hlp`
- copyright year (if necessary) in `gscdef.c`
- third-party library version number in `*.mak`

If necessary, run

>     toolbin/pre.tcl update

to update the version and revision date in the doc files, and then run

>     toolbin/pre.tcl

again. To confirm that everything is updated. You may have to commit to cvs after the update to satify the script that all the dates are correct.

Check the consistency of the source code with the makefiles by running:

>     toolbin/gsmake.tcl check

This script assumes the top level makefile is named '`makefile`'.

Fix any problems and commit to cvs.

### Testing

Edit your top-level the Makefile to set

>     FEATURE_DEVS=$(FEATURE_DEVS_ALL)
>     COMPILE_INITS=1

This will help catch compilation problems.

Run

>     rm obj/*
>     make -j2 >& make.log

and look for warnings and errors in the log file.

Do a smoke test, updating the example paths as necessary:

>     unset GS_DEVICE GS_FONTPATH GS_LIB GS_OPTIONS
>     ./bin/gs -I./lib -I./fonts -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH toolbin/smoke.ps
>     ./bin/gs -I./lib -I./fonts -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -sDEVICE=bitcmyk\
>       -sOutputFile=/dev/null -r600 -dBufferSpace=100000 toolbin/smoke.ps

This reads files named

>     data/misc/*.ps
>     data/ps/*.ps
>     data/psl2/*.ps
>     data/psl3/*.ps

(Edit `toolbin/smoke.ps` to use other test sets.) Watch for crashes, unusual error messages, or anomalous displayed output. If there are any problems, start over from the beginning of the process.

Undo the `FEATURE_DEVS` and `COMPILE_INITS` edits.

Run

>     cvs commit

to ensure the repository is up to date.

Execute either (for the main HEAD branch)

>     toolbin/cvs2hist.py -j <previous_tag> -r '-b' -v <new_version> > doc/Changes.htm

or (for a non-HEAD branch)

>     toolbin/cvs2hist.py -j <previous_tag> -r '-r<branch_tag>' -v <new_version> > doc/Changes.htm

e.g.

>     toolbin/cvs2hist.py -j gs7_20 -r '-b' -v 7.21

This consolidates all the CVS logs since the previous release in a readable format. Note: the cvs2hist.py tool currently in the distribution is not very branch-aware (nor is the 'cvs log' command it depends on) so the extra complication of the -j and -r options are required when generating the Changes for a non-HEAD branch of Ghostscript. Note that the -r option should be an empty '-b' when generating logs for the cvs main branch due to variations in naming.

Run

>     toolbin/makehist.tcl

This updates `doc/History#.htm` from `doc/News.htm` and `doc/Changes.htm`. Then run

>     cvs commit

again to check in the Changes and history files.

### Making the source distribution

First, tag the versions of the files in cvs with the release version number.

>     cvs tag gs#_##

If you've already tagged this release (e.g. in making an earlier release candidate) you'll need to add the `-r` and `-F` options after 'cvs tag' to force moving the tag to the new revisions of changed files.

Pull a fresh copy for distribution from the cvs repository:

>     cvs -z3 -d <ghostscript cvsroot> export -r gs#_## -d ghostscript-#.## gs

Generate the text versions of the README and PUBLIC documents:

>     cd ghostscript-#.##
>     lynx -dump -nolist doc/Readme.htm > doc/README
>     lynx -dump -nolist doc/Public.htm > doc/PUBLIC

For the unix source distributions only, generate the configure scripts. From the top level directory, run

>     ./autogen.sh
>     make distclean

This should create links to `configure.ac` and `Makefile.in` in the top level directory and invoke autoconf to create the `configure` script.

Also, run `autoconf` in the ijs subdir to create the configure script for that package.

Move back to directory containing the distribution code and make the source archives with:

>     tar cvzf ghostscript-#.##.tar.gz ghostscript-#.##/*
>     zcat ghostscript-#.##.tar.gz | bzip2 -c > ghostscript-#.##.tar.bz2

This creates the files

>     ghostscript-#.##.tar.gz (main archive)
>     ghostscript-#.##.tar.bz2 (main archive)

The important issue is that the tarballs unpack into a directory of the same name, and that the code be a pristine copy without build or CVS housekeeping files.

It is also customary to make a `gs###src.zip` archive for the convenience of windows developers. See below.

### Testing on Windows

For Windows testing, you will need, in addition to the files listed under "Preparing the source" above:

>     toolbin/makewin.tcl

The following procedures rely on a large number of MS-DOS batch scripts that are not discussed here: they are unlikely to be generally useful.

Mount the Windows partition on `/c`, and create the `/c/work` directory if needed.

Make the zip archive of all files needed for a Windows build, and copy it to the Windows partition:

>     toolbin/makewin
>     cp gs###.zip /c/work

Boot into Windows. Unpack the archive:

>     cd \work
>     unzip -oq gs###.zip
>     gs###

The `gs###.bat` script creates some necessary directories, sets up `PATH` and `GS_LIB` for testing, and makes the `gs#.##` directory current.

Build with the Borland compiler:

>     config bcwin32
>     copy /y /b ..\gs\makefile
>     erase obj\*.*
>     make > bc.log

Smoke test the executables (both `gswin32` and `gswin32c`), as described above for source distributions. Then build with the Microsoft compiler:

>     config msvc32
>     copy /y /b ..\gs\makefile
>     erase obj\*.*
>     nmake > msvc.log

Smoke test these executables too.

Building with the Watcom compiler doesn't work, because the `wmake` or `wmakel` program runs out of memory. However, if it did work, this is how to do it:

>     config watcw32
>     copy /y /b ..\gs\makefile
>     erase obj\*.*
>     wmake -u > watc.log

Boot back into GNU/Linux. If testing in Windows revealed problems, edit the source files as necessary, and go back to "Preparing the source code."

### Building the Windows distribution

Extract the sources from `ghostscript-N.NN.tar.gz` then repackage in a zip file as follows:

> `zip -r temp.zip gsN.NN/doc gsN.NN/examples gsN.NN/icclib gsN.NN/ijs gsN.NN/lib gsN.NN/src`

Unzip converting the line endings to CRLF:

> `unzip -a temp.zip
> del temp.zip`

Then finally zip up the sources to the distribution file:

> `zip -9 -r gsNNNsrc.zip gsN.NN`

This method is reasonably portable, and does not convert binary files such as `examples/annots.pdf`.

Unzip `gsNNNsrc.zip`. The directory must be named `gsN.NN`.

Extract the AFPL fonts `ghostscript-fonts-std-6.0.tar.gz` or GNU fonts `gnu-gs-fonts-std-6.0.tar.gz` into a directory `fonts` adjacent to the `gsN.NN` directory. The fonts are needed in this location for building the distribution archive later.

You will need the command line Info-Zip zip program available from http://www.info-zip.org/pub/infozip/ Alternatively, the command line version of WinZip (`wzzip.exe`) can be used by replacing the Info-Zip command line options `-9 -r` with `-ex -P` in `winint.mak`.

You will need WinZip Self-Extractor for building the self extracting archive. This is commercial software. You may need to update the path `WINZIPSE_XE` in `winint.mak`.

Unzip the jpeg, libpng and zlib libraries, then make ghostscript as documented in Make.htm.

Run the command `nmake archive`. This builds the distribution archive `gsNNNw32.exe` and an ordinary zip file `gsNNNw32.zip` in the parent directory. If you do not have WinZip Self-Extractor, you can use `nmake zip` to make `gsNNNw32.zip` only.

### Finishing up

Upload `ghostscript-#.##.tar.*` to SourceForge (by anonymous FTP to `upload.sourceforge.net`, directory `/incoming`), and then post it using the "File Release" facility in the AFPL Ghostscript project. If this is a stable AFPL release put it in the `ghostscript` module. If this is a GNU release, put it in the `gnu-gs` module. If this is a test release or beta release, put it in the `gs-devel` or `gs-beta` module, respectively. If you are adding executable builds or source archives for other platforms to an existing source release, please use the same release date as the source release, not the current date.

If `doc/C-style.htm` has changed, put it on `ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/C-style.htm`.

### Beta distributions

Do the steps for distributions in general.

Upload `ghostscript-#.##.tar.*` to `ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/test`.

Send an email announcement to the `gs-test` list announcing the new release.

### Public releases

Do the steps for distributions in general.

Create a directory at `ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/gs###/`. In that directory, store the following files:

- Standard distribution files:

  >     ghostscript-#.##.tar.gz
  >     ghostscript-#.##.tar.bz2

- MS Windows source and executables:

  >     gs###src.zip
  >     gs###w32.exe
  >     gs###w32.zip

- Third-party libraries, as links (upload these if not installed), where `$$$` et al. refer to the version number of the library, which should be the latest compatible release of the library and should be consistent with the values of and version numbers specifically listed in the makefiles.

  >     jpegsrc.v$$.tar.gz -> ../../3rdparty/jpegsrc.v$$.tar.gz
  >     libpng-$.$.$.tar.gz -> ../../3rdparty/libpng-$.$.$.tar.gz
  >     zlib-$.$.$.tar.gz -> ../../3rdparty/zlib-$.$.$.tar.gz
  >     jpegsr$$.zip -> ../../3rdparty/jpegsr$$.zip
  >     lpng$$$.zip -> ../../3rdparty/lpng$$$.zip
  >     zlib$$$.zip -> ../../3rdparty/zlib$$$.zip

  In any case, the names of the links in the distribution directory should reflect the original name of the upstream file.
- Fonts, where `$.$$` refers to the most recent version number of the fonts:

  >     ghostscript-fonts-other-$.$.tar.gz -> ../fonts/ghostscript-fonts-other-$.$.tar.gz
  >     ghostscript-fonts-std-$.$.tar.gz -> ../fonts/ghostscript-fonts-std-$.$.tar.gz

(Note that the link names are somewhat inconsistent: some of them retain the version number of the file being referenced, and some of them use the Ghostscript release number. This is a historical artifact that might be changed someday.)

E-mail the release announcement using:

>     To: gs-announce

Edit the Web pages in cvs and commit to reflect the new release. The Wisconsin server should update automatically.

## After releasing

Update the release number by incrementing it as described in Release numbering above.

In `gscdef.c`, edit the definition of `GS_PRODUCT` to include "CVS PRE-RELEASE".

Edit `doc/News.htm` to remove all the content.

## GNU Ghostscript releases

artofcode LLC re-releases each stable AFPL Ghostscript branch under the GPL--as GNU Ghostscript--when the next major stable AFPL release comes out, or after one calendar year, whichever comes first.

### GNU code

To make a GNU Ghostscript release from AFPL Ghostscript, update the LICENCE file to reflect the new status of the code. In general there can be no recipe for this as it depends on the niceties of ownership and permisison attached to each piece of code. However, a previous GNU release can serve as a guide.

There are also generally some portions of code (usually drivers) which are limited to GNU Ghostscript only. These may want porting to the new version before release.

Once the license change is complete and the codebase has been updated to satifaction, follow the release process as described for AFPL Ghostscript above to test and package the new version. The distribution methods are parallel to those for the AFPL, with the GPL releases generally going under a separate header. For example, on the wisc ftp site upload the file to `ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/gnu/gs###/`.

### After releasing (GNU)

E-mail the full URL and the `md5sum` of the new archive(s) to `ftp-upload@gnu.org`.

It may also be helpful to have the Free Software Foundation review the code before release to see whether it meets their standards for distribution from the gnu.org website.

## Fonts

artofcode LLC distributes a package of the base 35 PostScript fonts, and a package of other miscellaneous fonts. As with the Ghostscript code, each package is released both with the AFPL and with the GPL; however, unlike the Ghostscript code, artofcode releases these versions simultaneously rather than with a one-version delay.

To make the font packages, run the command

>     toolbin/makefonts #.##

This creates the following files:

>     ghostscript-fonts-std-#.##.tar.gz
>     ghostscript-fonts-other-#.##.tar.gz
>     gnu-gs-fonts-std-#.##.tar.gz
>     gnu-gs-fonts-other-#.##.tar.gz

The first two of these use the AFPL, and should be uploaded to `ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/AFPL/fonts/`. The other two use the GPL, and should be uploaded to `ftp://mirror.cs.wisc.edu/pub/mirrors/ghost/gnu/fonts/`. For the GNU release, also see "After releasing (GNU)".

Copyright © 1999-2002 artofcode LLC. All rights reserved.

This software is provided AS-IS with no warranty, either express or implied. This software is distributed under license and may not be copied, modified or distributed except as expressly authorized under the terms of the license contained in the file LICENSE in this distribution. For more information about licensing, please refer to http://www.ghostscript.com/licensing/. For information on commercial licensing, go to http://www.artifex.com/licensing/ or contact Artifex Software, Inc., 101 Lucas Valley Road #110, San Rafael, CA 94903, U.S.A., +1(415)492-9861.

Ghostscript version 8.01, 30 January 2004