Upstream source and build techniques

Below just the most basic things you need for your daily work with mozilla upstream sources/builds. A good page with more detailed info can be found at [http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Configuring_Build_Options]

Initial CVS checkout

1. checkout mozilla/client.mk from the branch you want to work on

   # firefox trunk
   # cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs-mirror.mozilla.org:/cvsroot -q -z 3 co mozilla/client.mk
   
   # firefox 2
   # cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs-mirror.mozilla.org:/cvsroot -q -z 3 co -r MOZILLA_1_8_BRANCH mozilla/client.mk
   
   # firefox 1.5
   # cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs-mirror.mozilla.org:/cvsroot -q -z 3 co -r MOZILLA_1_8_0_BRANCH mozilla/client.mk

2. checkout the project you are interested in

   # cd mozilla/
   
   # get firefox
   # make -f client.mk checkout MOZ_CO_PROJECT=browser
   
   # or get thunderbird
   # make -f client.mk checkout MOZ_CO_PROJECT=mail
   
   # or get xulrunner
   # make -f client.mk checkout MOZ_CO_PROJECT=xulrunner
   
   # or get sunbird/lightning
   # make -f client.mk checkout MOZ_CO_PROJECT=calendar
   
   # or get minimo
   # make -f client.mk checkout MOZ_CO_PROJECT=minimo

Pull latest changes from CVS

# cd mozilla/
# make -f client.mk checkout MOZ_CO_PROJECT=... (like what you initially checked out)

Doing a Debug Build

1. extract upstream source or checkout from CVS

2. create .mozconfig file in top-level directory (mozilla/):

   . $topsrcdir/browser/config/mozconfig
   
   ac_add_options --enable-debug
   ac_add_options --disable-optimize

3. build firefox

   # make -f client.mk build

4. start your build

   # cd dist/bin; ./firefox

Development Tools

1. Eclipse-CDT Environment

2. Distributed Compilation with distcc

3. Debugging Mozilla Projects with Eclipse-CDT and GDB

Under Construction. Please add stuff if you know what you are doing.

CategoryMozillaTeam