Site Notes

RTH Bug Reporting

By Ryan Danks
Published December 14, 2009

As RTH editor Ryan McGreal posted earlier, RTH has updated the backbone code that runs the site with the intention of improving user functionality while also making the site easier to maintain.

However, in any new software there will inevitably be bugs and glitches that weren't caught during beta testing and it will be up to the community to inform the editors of any problems that are discovered.

This can be done either through email, or if you have a github account (it's free) you can post issues directly to the site's bug database.

Now that you know where to report problems, the question is what sort of information needs to be included in a report. Basically, when writing the report you should do your best to answer the following questions:

  1. What are the effects of the error?
    • Don't exaggerate or understate the effects.
    • Be as specific as possible.
  2. What was I doing leading up to the error?
    • If possible write out a clear list of the steps needed to cause the error as well as any possible prerequisite conditions (eg. did you just post a comment and try to jump to it, did you just up-vote a comment then navigate away, etc)
    • Be specific! The tester needs to know how to reproduce the error or else (s)he won't have a starting point to investigate the problem.
  3. Is the error repeatable?
    • Does the error happen every time you execute the steps listed in question 2, or is the problem intermittent?
    • Does the problem persist if you close down your browser and retry the steps from question 2?
    • Don't send a report unless the error proves to be more than a one-time occurrence.
  4. What browser were you viewing the page with when the error occurred?
    • Were you using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.?
    • What is the version number of your browser? (This can normally be found by clicking on "Help", then "About" in your browser window.)

Remember, the less information you provide, the more difficult it is to address the problem. Simply saying "It doesn't work..." will not lead to a solution. Also, once your report has been submitted, it may take some time for the issue to be resolved so don't submit the same problem repeatedly. Be patient and watch for updates to the issue in the database.

If there are any further questions/comments regarding error reporting feel free to post them below.

Ryan Danks is a Project Engineer for a wind engineering consulting company. After living in Stoney Creek for many years he and his fiancée are now enjoying all Ward 2 has to offer.

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