diff --git a/Contributing-To-LOOT.md b/Contributing-To-LOOT.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..298b764 --- /dev/null +++ b/Contributing-To-LOOT.md @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +This page will guide anyone wishing to contribute to LOOT directly through the process of getting set up and making their first contribution. You don't need to be a project member to join in! + +### Getting Set Up + +LOOT uses Git repositories on GitHub to help manage the changes made to its files, so you'll need a GitHub account, and a Git client. Any client should do, but [GitHub's own client](http://windows.github.com/) is probably the simplest on Windows for those new to Git. This guide will assume that you're using it (and abbreviate its name as GfW). + +A text editor such as [Notepad++](http://notepad-plus-plus.org/) is highly recommended for working on LOOT's files. + +### Forking a Repository + +If you're not a member of the LOOT team, you won't be able to make changes to the official code repositories directly. Instead, you can take advantage of GitHub's Forking system, which is briefly described [here](http://guides.github.com/overviews/forking/). + +Once your pull request has been accepted and merged into the official repository you forked, we'd recommend deleting your fork. Then, if you want to submit any more changes in the future, just create a new fork. This avoids having to keep your fork [up to date](https://help.github.com/articles/syncing-a-fork). + +Forking is a great way to get to know the project and contribute to it without worrying about making a mistake and breaking something, because someone always has to check your changes before they get included into the official repositories. Make good pull requests and you'll probably be asked to join the team! + +### Making Changes + +What the above forking guide doesn't explain is where the files to edit are put on your computer. GfW puts all your local repositories in your `My Documents\GitHub\` folder, so you can either go there using Windows Explorer, or if you already have the repository open in GfW, you can open it directly in Windows Explorer by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the window and choosing "open in explorer". + +Open the file you want to edit (eg. the repository's `masterlist.yaml`) in your favorite text editor and make any changes you want. Once you're done, save the file, and switch back to the GfW window. Then you can make a commit, sync and create a pull request as described in the guide. + +If you're editing a masterlist, see the [[Masterlist Editing|Masterlist-Editing]] page for information on how to go about making changes to the masterlists. The [Metadata Syntax documentation](http://loot.github.io/docs/dev/LOOT%20Metadata%20Syntax.html) details the actual format and syntax used by the masterlists. + +### Contributing as a Team Member + +As a team member, contributing becomes a little different to the above - instead of forking a repository and cloning your fork, you can clone the official repository and make changes to it directly. The process is much the same, but because there are other people who also make changes to the same repository, it becomes a little bit more complicated. + +1. It is vitally important that you make sure that your local repository is in sync with the online repository before and after you make any changes. +2. If you're not sure about some changes you're making, or they need to be made in several commits before they're finished, make them in a separate branch, and merge them in when you're finished and you're sure that the changes don't break anything. +3. If you have committed changes to your local repository, and someone else synced their changes to the online repository after you last synced, then you may need to manually merge the changes. You'll know if you have to do this because GfW will give you an error message when you try to sync, in which case see [[Resolving Conflicts|Resolving-Conflicts]]. +4. You should also have a read of the [[Guidelines|Guidelines]] page to familiarise yourself with the recommendations and team policies detailed there. + +### Getting Help + +If you have any problems or questions regarding anything relating to LOOT, feel free to ask current members questions. We can all be contacted by PM - the [[Team Members|Team-Members]] page lists all current members and their usernames on Bethsoft, Nexus and GitHub. + +Technical questions are best sent to WrinklyNinja, as he's responsible for LOOT's coding. This includes questions relating to things like how LOOT works, the masterlist syntax, etc. + +Metadata questions are best sent to members that contribute to the masterlist you are asking about. This includes questions like "what do you think about making X load after Y?" and "Alice said that C should be loading after D, but C has a load of patches, so won't that break something?". \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/New-Members-Getting-Started.md b/New-Members-Getting-Started.md deleted file mode 100644 index 489ee2b..0000000 --- a/New-Members-Getting-Started.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,55 +0,0 @@ -First of all, thanks for volunteering to help develop/maintain LOOT! This page will guide you from having just volunteered all the way through to getting set up and making your first contribution. - -### Registering on GitHub - -LOOT uses Git repositories on GitHub to help manage the changes made to its files by the LOOT team members, so you'll need a GitHub account. Sign up for one then send the LOOT team admin you initially contacted your GitHub username. - -### Installing a Git Client - -To work with the Git repositories, you'll also need a Git client. Any client should do, but [GitHub's own client](http://windows.github.com/) is probably the simplest on Windows for those new to Git. This guide will assume that you're using it. - -A text editor such as [Notepad++](http://notepad-plus-plus.org/) is highly recommended for working on LOOT's files. - -### Setting Up GitHub for Windows - -After you install it, GitHub for Windows (GfW) will open for the first time, and ask you to log in to your GitHub account in a dark grey panel. If you click outside the panel, it may disappear, but you can reach it again by clicking the "log in" option on the left side of the GfW window. - -Once you've logged in, Click the "tools" icon at the top middle of the GfW window, choose "options", and fill in your GitHub username in the first text box under "configure git" if it isn't already filled in. - -### Cloning Repositories - -Before you can start working on the LOOT files, you need to 'clone' their repositories. This means exactly what it suggests - you take a complete copy of an online repository and put it on your computer. - -On the left side of the GfW window, you'll see an entry for the loot organisation. Clicking on it will display a list of all the repositories belonging to that account online. To clone a repository, mouse over it in the list and click on the "CLONE" button that gets displayed. - -Once the repository has been cloned, you can double-click on its entry in the list to go to the repository page. You can't make any changes to the files in the repository here, but this page is used to 'commit' changes (ie. save them to your repository), sync your repository to the online one, and view the history of changes, among other things. - -### Syncing Repositories - -It is vitally important that you make sure that your local repository is in sync with the online repository before and after you make any changes. - -In the repository's page in GfW, there's a "sync" button in the upper right corner of the window, with an icon of two arrows following each other. Syncing repositories is often as simple as just clicking this button. - -However, if you have committed changes to your local repository, and someone else synced their changes to the online repository after you last synced, then you may need to manually merge the changes. You'll know if you have to do this because GfW will give you an error message when you try to sync, in which case see [[Resolving Conflicts|Resolving-Conflicts]]. - -### Making Changes - -GfW puts all your local repositories in your `My Documents\GitHub\` folder, so you can either go there using Windows Explorer, or if you already have the repository open in GfW, you can open it directly in Windows Explorer by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the window and choosing "open in explorer". - -Open the file you want to edit (eg. the repository's `masterlist.yaml`) in your favorite text editor and make any changes you want. Once you're done, save the file, and switch back to the GfW window. - -On the left side of the GfW window, above the history list, you'll see it now says "uncommitted changes". Clicking on the "show" button there will display a box in which you can write a short commit message and optionally include some more detailed information. The short message should be a maximum of 50 characters (GfW will grey out any text that goes beyond this limit to let you know). Once you've written the message(s), click the tick button below them to commit your changes to your local repository. - -Now remember to sync your repository! - -### Further Reading - -Before continuing, see the [[Guidelines|Guidelines]] page to familiarise yourself with the recommendations and team policies detailed there. The [[Masterlist Editing|Masterlist-Editing]] page gives more information on how to go about making changes to the masterlists, while the [Metadata Syntax documentation](http://loot.github.io/docs/dev/LOOT%20Metadata%20Syntax.html) details the actual format and syntax used by the masterlists. - -### Getting Help - -If you have any problems or questions regarding anything relating to LOOT, feel free to ask current members questions. We can all be contacted by PM - the [[Team Members|Team-Members]] page lists all current members and their usernames on Bethsoft, Nexus and GitHub. - -Technical questions are best sent to WrinklyNinja, as he's responsible for LOOT's coding. This includes questions relating to things like how LOOT works, the masterlist syntax, etc. - -Metadata questions are best sent to members that contribute to the masterlist you are asking about. This includes questions like "what do you think about making X load after Y?" and "Alice said that C should be loading after D, but C has a load of patches, so won't that break something?". \ No newline at end of file