HACKING

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HACKING
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Coding style
------------

This project is programmed using the Linux kernel coding style, see
http://lxr.linux.no/linux/Documentation/CodingStyle for details.

Please use the same style for any code contributions, thanks!

In some exceptional cases deviations from the above coding guidelines are
OK (in order to meet Qt/C++ related guidelines, for example).


Contributions
-------------

 - Patches should be sent to the development mailinglist at
   sigrok-devel@lists.sourceforge.net (please subscribe to the list first).

   https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/sigrok-devel

 - Alternatively, you can also clone the git repository and let us know
   from where to pull/review your changes. You can use gitorious.org,
   github.com, or any other public git hosting site.


Random notes
------------

 - Consistently use g_try_malloc() / g_try_malloc0(). Do not use standard
   malloc()/calloc() if it can be avoided (sometimes other libs such
   as libftdi can return malloc()'d memory, for example).

 - Always properly match allocations with the proper *free() functions. If
   glib's g_try_malloc()/g_try_malloc0() was used, use g_free() to free the
   memory. Otherwise use standard free(). Never use the wrong function!

 - Never use g_malloc() or g_malloc0(). These functions do not return nullptr
   if not enough memory is available but rather lead to an exit() or segfault
   instead. This behaviour is not acceptable.
   Use g_try_malloc()/g_try_malloc0() instead and check the return value.

 - Use glib's gboolean / TRUE / FALSE for boolean types consistently.
   Do not use <stdbool.h> and its true / false, and do not invent private
   definitions for this either.

 - Consistently use the same naming convention for #include guards in headers:
   <PROJECTNAME>_<PATH_TO_FILE>_<FILE>
   This ensures that all #include guards are always unique and consistent.
   Example: PULSEVIEW_PV_VIEW_RULER_H

 - Consistently use the same naming convention for functions, if appropriate:

   Getter/setter function names should usually end with "_get" or "_set".
   Functions creating new "objects" should end with "_new".
   Functions destroying "objects" should end with "_destroy".
   Functions adding or removing items (e.g. from lists) should end with
   either "_add" or "_remove".
   Functions operating on all items from a list (not on only one of them),
   should end with "_all", e.g. "_remove_all", "_get_all", and so on.
   Use "_remove_all" in favor of "_clear" for consistency.

 - In Doxygen comments, put an empty line between the block of @param lines
   and the final @return line. The @param lines themselves (if there is more
   than one) are not separated by empty lines.


Release engineering
-------------------

See

 http://sigrok.org/wiki/Developers/Release_process

for a list of items that need to be done when releasing a new tarball.