PackageGreasemonkeyScripts

Summary

The Launchpad greasemonkey scripts project is a collection of greasemonkey scripts that modify Launchpad.net and can assist people performing bug triage. However, there is no package to install these scripts and when they are installed updating them is cumbersome. The greasemonkey scripts should be distributed in an Ubuntu package available in a PPA.

Release Note

The Launchpad greasemonkey scripts are a collection of greasemonkey scripts that modify Launchpad.net. They specifically enhance a bug report to help a Launchpad bug triager manage bug reports more efficiently and effectively. These scripts have now been packaged for easy installation and updating. They are available at the gm-dev-launchpad PPA. Please refer to [insert wiki doc] for more information on how to install the scripts.

Rationale

It is challenging to install the greasemonkey scripts. One has to install greasemonkey, then browse the source code for the project and click the right icon in loggerhead to have the script detected and installed by greasemonkey. Alternatively, people could checkout the code for the project and then manually install the scripts via a shell command. This experience could be improved by distributing the scripts as packages.

In addition to the difficulty of installing the scripts, it is also problematic to update them. The user has to monitor the project for updates then install the new version of the particular script. By having the scripts packaged users would be notified of updates and they'd be easily installable.

User stories

Logan wants to help make Ubuntu better by triaging bug reports. He'd like to benefit from the shared knowledge of the Bug Squad and utilize the standard responses greasemonkey script. He installs the package containing this functionality and can now triage bugs more efficiently using the same tools and language as the rest of the Bug Squad.

Kayla is a happy user of the bug tagging script until one day when, as occasionally happens, the Launchpad bug page layout changes. Now Kayla's tagging script no longer functions. She runs update-manager and discovers a new version of the package is available. She installs it and can quickly and easily tag bugs again.

Implementation

The most useful greasemonkey scripts1 found at http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~gm-dev-launchpad/launchpad-gm-scripts/master/files will be packaged.

Code Changes

The most useful greasemonkey scripts will be compiled into Firefox extensions using a service like http://arantius.com/misc/greasemonkey/script-compiler. These extensions will then be packaged following the Mozilla team's instructions. The packages will then be uploaded to the gm-dev-launchpad team PPA.

Depending on the quantity of packages created it might be easier to merge most of the greasemonkey scripts into one that can then be compiled into a single Firefox extension.

Some of the greasemonkey scripts (lp_stock_replies at least) use functions specific to greasemonkey. The extensions that include these scripts should be thoroughly tested to ensure that they have feature parity with the greasemonkey script. In the event they don't, a decision regarding packaging them should be made. If they are packaged, the feature differences should be documented.

Documentation Changes

A new wiki page will written outlining each extension, its corresponding greasemonkey script and the functionality that they provide. There will also be documentation regarding installing the extensions from the gm-dev-launchpad PPA. There may also be documentation about how to install the greasemonkey scripts directly as this way they are more easily modified.

Test/Demo Plan

  1. Follow instructions at [insert wiki doc] to test the scripts are successfully installed from the gm-dev-launchpad PPA.

    1. Test each of the packaged scripts are working - See the README for a description of what each script should do.

  2. Also test update notifications and that updates are also successfully installed.
    1. Test each of the packaged scripts are working following the update.

Unresolved issues

The lp_stock_replies script uses some specific greasemonkey features to allow one to add their own stock replies. This may not be compatible with a compiled extension. However, the Bug Squad xml standard replies file should be sufficient for most people.

  • 2009-07-09 - Adding your own replies works fine in the extension


CategorySpec

  1. most useful greasemonkey scripts
    * lp_karma_suffix
    * lp_buttontags
    * lp_stockreplies
    * lp_patches
    * lp_reporter_comments
    * lp_question_comment (1)

QATeam/Specs/PackageGreasemonkeyScripts (last edited 2009-07-09 22:29:26 by c-24-21-43-9)