From owner-freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Dec 22 09:32:39 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 18B8116A4FF for ; Wed, 22 Dec 2004 09:32:39 +0000 (GMT) Received: from mail.iinet.net.au (mail-08.iinet.net.au [203.59.3.40]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 84DB543D49 for ; Wed, 22 Dec 2004 09:32:37 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from outsidefactor@iinet.net.au) Received: (qmail 22712 invoked from network); 22 Dec 2004 09:32:36 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO tyr) (203.217.67.1) by mail.iinet.net.au with SMTP; 22 Dec 2004 09:32:35 -0000 From: "Chris Martin" To: Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 20:31:42 +1100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.6353 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 Thread-Index: AcToCQti6QaiJ99LTk+1VlAD5gbTKg== Message-Id: <20041222093237.84DB543D49@mx1.FreeBSD.org> Subject: Problem resolution techniques X-BeenThere: freebsd-newbies@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Gathering place for new users List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 09:32:39 -0000 Hi, I was just looking for some general advice on tracking down issues with compiled software. I am trying to put together a set guidelines for people in my organisation and our partners over escalation and to help establish when issues are not going to be resolved in house in an efficient amount of time. For example, application 'A' is built from ports. It compiles and installs properly, but core dumps on start. Basic resolution steps could be: 1) uninstall, re-download the distfiles and compile again 2) repeat step 1 after checking/removing any make.conf settings that very from those included in generic 3) check an dependant libraries or applications by testing them with other applications What is a good next step, and at which point do we bug the questions mailing list or the code maintainers? Is there a way for non-developers to get useful information about the dump themselves, saving them bothering the developers with yet another "it don't work, here are my system settings and installed apps, please help" e-mails? Thanks, Chris Martin