- Koha-devel - lists.koha-community.org

Proposed changes to our Patch Submission and QA workflows
by Ian Walls 25 Oct '11

25 Oct '11

Everyone, In an effort to make patch submission and quality assurance easier on everyone for this next release cycle, I've got some proposals to run by you all. 1. In Bugzilla, move the Koha Bugs List from being the Default QA Contact to a Global Watcher. This has two advantages: 1. It frees up the QA Contact field for use by the QA Team 2. It guarantees that the Bugs List always gets included on the changes; with the current set up, someone could in theory remove the Bugs List as QA contact, preventing the list from getting updates. 2. To reduce email traffic, I propose we stop sending SIGNED OFF patches to the patches list. We've got Bugzilla lists (which can be connected to RSS and daily croned emails) which will inform the QA team on what patches are ready for QA. I did not use the patches list much this last release cycle to direct my QA work; it was all based of the Bugzilla statuses 2a. Ideally, I'd like to set up Bugzilla to automatically send the patches to the listserv for us, or to be able to accept patches sent to the listserv as attachments. This is going to take some custom coding, so it's probably not practical for right now. 3. Now that I'm not the only QA person for the release cycle, I'd like to formalize our rules about making sure that any submitted patch doesn't get processed solely by one company. I felt uncomfortable every time I passed a patch both written and signed off by ByWater teammates, because while I was sure it was good code, I knew I had a bias (often times, the code was fixing an issue one of our partners had reported). My strategy for 3.6 was to acknowledge the bias, and ask if anyone had any objections. With 3.8, I can pass anything that I write, or that is written/signed-off by ByWater alone, to Marcel or Jonathan for QA testing. Here're the rules I'd like to see in place: 1. A patch may not be written and signed off by the same person (existing rule) 2. The QA team consists of the Release Manager, the Quality Assurance Manager, and the Quality Assurance Assistants. This team has the right to move a patch through QA. 3. The QAM delegates the QA work between himself and the QAAs, in accordance with the rules. 4. A patch may not be written and QA'ed by the same person 5. A patch may not be written, signed off and QA'ed by any group of people in the same institution 6. A patch MAY be signed off and QA'ed by the same member of the QA team, but the RM may challenge this if he feels the patch needs more testing. Rule 5 still applies in this case. Comments? Ideas? Counter-proposals? -Ian -- Ian Walls Lead Development Specialist ByWater Solutions Phone # (888) 900-8944 http://bywatersolutions.com ian.walls(a)bywatersolutions.com Twitter: @sekjal

2 2

Cleaning up import tables and action log
by Marcel de Rooy 25 Oct '11

25 Oct '11

Hi, Is anyone of you using code to periodically purge records from import_records, import_biblios, import_batches and/or action_logs ? If so, would it be an idea to include such code into cleanup_database.pl in misc/cronjobs ? Thanks for sharing, Marcel

3 2

Koha 3.6 is out, starting Koha 3.8 !
by Paul Poulain 25 Oct '11

25 Oct '11

Hello happy hackers, As Koha 3.6 has been released on saturday, it's time to start officially Koha 3.8 I don't have all doors opened yet, but chris is in a plane back to NZ and will grant all access I need and explain some things he did as RM once he has recovered from his trip. === Bugzilla === In the meantime, I've started some work on bugzilla : * all ENH that are "needs signoff" and/or "signed off" have been switched to Rel_3_8 version. * I've added a "Koha 3.8 patches" shared query that you can add to your footers if you want. * i'll also investigate ENH that are "failed QA" and either bump them to 3.8 or close the bug as "abandonned" if it seems it's abandonned. Of course, the author will always be welcomed to reopen it and submit an acceptable patch. I'll decide looking at the age of the patch, how far is it to be acceptable, how active is the patch original author, how interesting is it to have this ENH. * looking at all ENH, I see there are 920 that are open. A large part of them have had no activity for more than 1 year. A few of them maybe good ideas, but they are not sponsored. I do the following proposition : "i'll close all ENH bugs that are not sponsored and have had no activity for more than nine months. For sponsored entries that have more than 9 months, i'll add a comment to ask wether we should wait for a patch or close the bug". If you disagree, please argue. If it's OK, I'll add this rule to the wiki. === Koha roadmap === I plan to start a wiki page with the roadmap. I'll store on this page : * what *will* be in Koha 3.8 = features/patches that have been validated and are already merged into master * what *should* be in Koha 3.8 = features/patches that have been submitted * what *could* be in Koha 3.8 = features/patches that have been announced, should be submitted in time, but you know, sometimes you don't do what you would like to do... I'll mark "could/should" only important things. I'll add in "will" everything (like what chris did with http://koha-releasemanagement.branchable.com/ ). I'll add in "could/should" only "important" things (ie : not a minor improvement to display a missing field, or add a link/control/...) I also plan to split the roadmap in 2 parts : * functionnal => for patches that are interesting for librarians. * technical => for patches that are interesting for developers I'll submit in the next days a first draft of all changes we could do in the next months (year(s) ?). That will be ambitious, of course that will be a 1st draft to discuss from what you want , my main goal being to have a clear visibility of where we would like to go and who want to endorse what. You won't probably be surprised by what will be in this list, as it's things we already have speaking of. -- Paul POULAIN http://www.biblibre.com Expert en Logiciels Libres pour l'info-doc Tel : (33) 4 91 81 35 08

4 4

utf-8 handling in Koha
by Dobrica Pavlinusic 24 Oct '11

24 Oct '11

In our migration to new koha, we hit bug 6554. We are having similar problem, but in our case we don't use localized templates but have utf-8 characters inside MySQL which get double utf-8 encoded before they are sent to browser. 1: http://bugs.koha-community.org/bugzilla3/show_bug.cgi?id=6554 Below is short summary of changes from patch: This patch tries to clean up utf-8 handling in Koha. In current implementation (mostly commented out in this patch) uses heuristic to guess which strings need decoding from utf-8 to binary representation and doesn't support utf-8 characters in templates and has problems with utf-8 data from database. With this changes, Koha perl code always uses utf-8 encoding correctly. All incomming data from database is allready correctly marked as utf-8, and decoding of utf8 is required only from Zebra and XSLT transfers which don't set utf-8 flag correctly. For output, standard perl :utf8 handler is used removing various "wide character" warnings as side-effect. I would love to hear your thoughts on this approach. So far, I know that it breaks CGI::Session (which is documented as known bug in it's documentation) so after first reload library names, shelfs and other data returned from session isn't encoded correctly. I would also need to check if this change affect LDAP, Z39.50 encoding and SIP server, but before I start down this road do you see any reasons not to persueue it? Compatibility with older perl versions might be one reason. I'm running perl v5.10.1 from Debian squeeze. -- Dobrica Pavlinusic 2share!2flame dpavlin(a)rot13.org Unix addict. Internet consultant. http://www.rot13.org/~dpavlin

1 0

Authority data import fail (UTF-8)
by Partha Mukhopadhyay 24 Oct '11

24 Oct '11

2 2

Database Developmnet Project -ACKU
by Ali Basharyar 23 Oct '11

23 Oct '11

Dear Sir /Madam, We are a Digital Library in Kabul Afghanistan, currently we are using Greenstone Database for our online library management system. ( <http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod/cgi-bin/library?a=p&p=about&c=acku&l=en&nl=1%3E > http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod/cgi-bin/library?a=p&p=about&c=acku&l=en&nl=1%3E) , our current database cannot support many features that can play very vital role in our activities like: Serial Control and Copy cataloging, Therefore, it has been a high concern for our management to sort this issue out by a professional and very standard solution. Please find the attached for our new database wish list. we are looking for a company that can help us develop a new database (KOHA) which should properly run on English and two Afghan languages (Dari and Pashto), therefore, we have already shared our wish list with some developers. some were ready to help us on English part but did not seem to be interested in two of our local languages, Dari and Pashto. however, according to our basic research there are some instances of KOHA running on Farsi (Dari) which shall be helpful. Depending on our wish list, Kindly enlighten us by your kind suggestions and recommendations and your interest if you would like to do this project. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any query! Kind Regards Ali Basharyar IT-ACKU ali.basharyar(a)acku.edu.af +93 (0) 799 707 667 www.acku.edu.af

1 0

Koha 3.6.0 released
by Chris Cormack 22 Oct '11

22 Oct '11

It is with great plesure that I announce the release of Koha 3.6.0. This is major feature release, containing 85 enhancements and 356 bugfixes. A total of 728 patches have been included from 60 developers in this release. A big thanks goes out to all of them, plus all the other people involved in this release. You can download this release at http://download.koha-community.org/koha-3.06.00.000.tar.gz or you can wait a couple of days for the packages to appear at http://debian.koha-community.org. Release notes are available below. RELEASE NOTES FOR KOHA 3.6.0 - 22 October 2011 ======================================================================== Koha is the first free and open source software library automation package (ILS). Development is sponsored by libraries of varying types and sizes, volunteers, and support companies from around the world. The website for the Koha project is http://koha-community.org/ Koha 3.6.0 can be downloaded from: http://download.koha-community.org/koha-3.06.00.tar.gz Installation instructions can be found at: http://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Installation_Documentation OR in the INSTALL files that come in the tarball Koha 3.6.0 is a major feature release. New features in 3.6.0 ====================== ACQUISITIONS * When deleting an order, items are deleted and if applicable the biblio also (if no holds, subscriptions etc are attached) * Add Basket number and Invoice number search * Control view of baskets for vendor with a sys pref (own/branch/all) * Control confirmation when closing a basket with a sys pref ADMINISTRATION * New permission for overdues report CATALOGING * Z3950 results highlighting * Easy Analytics support * Improve controls for cloning and deleting MARC subfields * Capability to blank subfields in Batch Modification * UNIMARC field 225 plugin: allow $a value data entry * Adjust default values for MARC21 authority Fixed-Length Data Elements * Update UNIMARC plugins * Adding option to "attach another item" when finished attaching items CIRCULATION * Added a checkin tab to the patron search screen * Added enumchron field to the place holds screen * Better hold information on the staff biblio detail screen * Added a checked out from colum to list of checked out items (syspref controlled) * Add link to fast add framework while circulating, if a barcode is not found * Automatically check out fast add item after cataloging it * Add shelving location to checkin results screen OPAC * Paging on the opac detail page, allowing the user to move through search results * Recent comments view * Added a powered by Koha footer * Show a warning if placing a hold incurs a charge * Added user customisable html block under the facets in search results * Added customisable html block under OpacNav and patron account links * Profile pictures in the OPAC next to review authors * Show number of comments on the "Comments" tab in OPAC PATRONS * Log membership renewal * Allow patron update script (on OPAC) to send email using the from address of the patron * Extended attributes display much improved * Partial fine payments * If a patron search returns one result, redirect to patron details page MESSAGING * Improved the email checking when sending "Hold filled" notices. * Add today's date on checkin/checkout notices REPORTS * Added links to the schema and reports library * Record localuse statistics, when returning items not on issue * Control for which branch renewals are recorded with a sys pref SEARCHING * Added ISBN filter to advanced * Analytic links search on full phrase title * Control order in which facet categories display SIP * Add Support for the Fee Paid Message ENHANCED CONTENT * Add integration for EBSCO's Novelist Select service * Enable Koha to fetch book covers from Open Library STAFF INTERFACE * Improved styling of the table pager * Add autocomplete="off" to borrowernumbers and barcode forms * Improved the tinymce editor on the Koha news page INTERFACE * Added crystal icon set * Nicer style for "clear screen" button * Added capability to limit the RSS results INTERNATIONALIZATION * Tons of fixes to the translation tools * Add German translation for purchase suggestion mails * Spanish translation for SQL files INTERNALS, PACKAGING AND PERFORMANCE * Simplified system preferences for the web installer * Create and update the manual pages for the koha-* scripts. * Automated backups of data and config * Improve configurability of package building scripts COMMAND LINE UTILITIES * cron script to allow easy anonymisation of patron circulation data BUGFIXES * Longer userid fields * Clean up guided reports dictionary entry process * Circulation restrictions working when other withdrawn reasons are used * Fixed LDAP username case issues Plus 356 more bugfixes System Preferences ====================== The following system preferences are new in 3.6.0: * numSearchRSSResults * OpacRenewalBranch * ShowReviewerPhoto * BasketConfirmations * MARCAuthorityControlField008 * OpenLibraryCovers * OPACResultsSidebar * RecordLocalUseOnReturn * OpacKohaUrl * NovelistSelectEnabled * NovelistSelectProfile * NovelistSelectPassword * NovelistSelectView * EasyAnalyticalRecords * OpacNavBottom * AcqViewBaskets * OpacShowRecentComments System requirements ====================== Changes since 3.4: * Perl 5.10 is required Documentation ====================== As of Koha 3.2, the Koha manual is now maintained in DocBook. The home page for Koha documentation is http://koha-community.org/documentation/ As of the date of these release notes, only the English version of the Koha manual is available: http://manual.koha-community.org/3.6/en/ The Git repository for the Koha manual can be found at http://git.koha-community.org/gitweb/?p=kohadocs.git;a=summary Translations ====================== Complete or near-complete translations of the OPAC and staff interface are available in this release for the following languages: * Chinese (Taiwan) * Danish * English (USA) * English (UK) * French (France) * German * Italian * Portuguese (Brazil) * Spanish Partial translations are available for various other languages. The Koha team welcomes additional translations; please see http://wiki.koha-community.org/wiki/Translating_Koha for information about translating Koha, and join the koha-translate list to volunteer: http://lists.koha-community.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/koha-translate The most up-to-date translations can be found at: http://translate.koha-community.org/ Release Team ====================== The release team for Koha 3.6 is Release Manager: Chris Cormack <chrisc(a)catalyst.net.nz> Documentation Manager: Nicole C Engard <nengard(a)gmail.com> Translation Manager: Frédéric Demians <frederic(a)tamil.fr> QA Manager: Ian Walls <ian.walls(a)bywatersolutions.com> Bug Wranglers: MJ Ray, Marcel Roy, Paul Poulain, Mason James Release Maintainer (3.4.x): Chris Nighswonger <cnighswonger(a)foundations.edu> Release Maintainer (3.6.x): Chris Nighswonger <cnighswonger(a)foundations.edu> Credits ====================== We thank the following libraries who are known to have sponsored new features in Koha 3.6: * Los Gatos Public Library * NEKLS * East Brunswick Public Library * Athens County Public Libraries * Horowhenua Library Trust * Halton Borough Council * South Taranaki District Council We thank the following individuals who contributed patches to Koha 3.6.0. Nuño López Ansótegui Alex Arnaud Larry Baerveldt Greg Barniskis D Ruth Bavousett Steven Callender Jared Camins-Esakov Colin Campbell Fernando L. Canizo Frédérick Capovilla Galen Charlton Tomas Cohen Arazi Chris Cormack Jeremy Crabtree Christophe Croullebois Elliott Davis Frédéric Demians Stéphane Delaune Ricardo Dias Marques Jonathan Druart Nicole C. Engard Magnus Enger Katrin Fischer Amit Gupta Mason James Srdjan Jankovic Janusz Kaczmarek Ulrich Kleiber Henri-Damien LAURENT Owen Leonard Frère Sébastien Marie Francois Marier Julian Maurice Meenakshi.R Matthias Meusburger Sophie Meynieux Joy Nelson Chris Nighswonger Maxime Pelletier Paul Poulain Dobrica Pavlinusic MJ Ray Liz Rea Thatcher Rea Marcel de Rooy Juan Romay Sieira Brice Sanchez Jean-André Santoni John Seymour Robin Sheat Fridolyn SOMERS Zeno Tajoli Jane Wagner Ian Walls Ward van Wanrooij Jesse Weaver Brett Wilkins Salvador Zaragoza Rubio We regret any omissions. If a contributor has been inadvertantly missed, please send a patch against these release notes to koha-patches(a)lists.koha-community.org. Revision control notes ====================== The Koha project uses Git for version control. The current development version of Koha can be retrieved by checking out the master branch of git://git.koha-community.org/koha.git The branch for Koha 3.6.x (i.e., this version of Koha and future bugfix releases) is 3.6.x. The next major feature release of Koha will be Koha 3.8.0. Bugs and feature requests ====================== Bug reports and feature requests can be filed at the Koha bug tracker at http://bugs.koha-community.org/ Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini

2 1

Error in the cataloging module
by Christian Calle Jahuira 21 Oct '11

21 Oct '11

Dear. When you start cataloging in Koha-3.04.05.000 version of a book store I get the following error can anyone help please. Can't call method "fields" on an undefined value at /usr/share/koha/lib/C4/Biblio.pm line 2103. thanks -- Christian Jhonny Calle Jahuira TUTOR ELEARNING - UMSA Consultor Sistemas de Informacion de Bibliotecas de la UMSA Email: christianjcj(a)gmail.com Cel: 73017301 - 65151595 Cochabamba-La Paz / Bolivia

5 4

Koha uninstalled by Debian Linux "update"
by Hartman, David W. - GBTS Library 21 Oct '11

21 Oct '11

Hello, Just a heads up that a recent “update” by Debian Linux removed the application Koha – my apache and data files apparently are fine. Does anyone know how to reinstall Koha without damaging the data files … If anyone has any experience with this, please let me know. If you see the red “burst” in the upper right hand corner, only do the safe install .. or else…

3 3

Koha uninstalled by Debian Linux "update"
by Hartman, David W. - GBTS Library 20 Oct '11

20 Oct '11

Just a heads up that a recent "update" by Debian Linux removed the application Koha - my apache and data files apparently are fine. If anyone has any experience with this, please let me know. If you see the red "burst" in the upper right hand corner, only do the safe install .. or else... David W. Hartman Global Business Technology Strategy Library Team Disney 336N 407 828 4250 (8-222) FAX 407 828 4868 FOLLOW MY RESEARCH on Backlot<http://backlot.disney.com/> & Yammer<http://www.yammer.com/>! Learn about our research partners in the 2011 IT Research Competency Center <http://tink.corp.disney.com/?i=n7a> GBTS CAST can click to request AV Equipment<http://tink.corp.disney.com/?i=jbo>, Books<http://tink.corp.disney.com/?i=jbp>, & Research<http://tink.corp.disney.com/?i=jbn> WATCH the GBTS Library (Video) Update<http://tink.corp.disney.com/?i=2f0> ! CLICK for the GBTS VIRTUAL LIBRARY<http://tink.corp.disney.com/?i=1wn>portal site!! "This communication is confidential, intended only for the named recipients above and may contain trade secrets or other information that is exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication by anyone other than the named recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify us by calling (407) 828-4250. Thank you." [cid:image001.gif@01CC8F17.D435D7E0]Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this e-mail [cid:image001.gif@01CC8F17.D435D7E0] Think Environmentality! Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!

1 0