PATCH(1)                                                 PATCH(1)

     NAME
          patch - simple patch creation and tracking system

     SYNOPSIS
          patch/create name email files ... [ < description ]

          patch/list [ name ... ]

          patch/diff name

          patch/apply name

          patch/undo name

          patch/note name [ < note ]

     DESCRIPTION
          These scripts are a simple patch submission and tracking
          system used to propose additions or changes to Plan 9.
          There is no guarantee that any patch will be accepted, nor
          that it will be accepted verbatim.  Each patch has a name
          (lowercase letters, numbers, dash, dot, and underscore only)
          and is stored in /n/sources/patch/name.

          Patch/create creates a new patch consisting of the changes
          to the listed files from the distribution, reading a
          description of the patch from standard input: please provide
          an explanation of what the change is supposed to do, some
          context, and a rationale for the change.  Test data or
          pointers to same to verify that the fix works are also wel-
          come.  When sending a patch, follow these guidelines:

          •  Before preparing the patch, run replica/pull and base
             your patch on current distribution source code.

          •  If this is a bug fix, explain the bug clearly.  Don't
             assume the bug is obvious from the fix.

          •  If this is a new feature, explain it clearly.  Don't
             assume it is obvious from the change.

          •  Make the new code look as much like the old code as pos-
             sible: don't make gratuitous changes, and do follow the
             style of the old code.  See style(6) for the canonical
             Plan 9 coding style.

          •  If your patch changes externally-visible behaviour,
             update the manual page.

          The email address, if not `-', will be sent notification

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     PATCH(1)                                                 PATCH(1)

          messages when the patch is applied, rejected, or commented
          on.  If rejected, the e-mail will contain a note explaining
          why and probably listing suggested changes and encouraging
          you to resubmit.

          Patch/list displays information about the named patches, or
          all currently pending patches if none are specified.

          Patch/diff shows a patch as diffs between the original
          source files and the patched source files.

          Patch/apply applies the patch to the current source tree.
          It is intended to be run by the Plan 9 developers with pie
          as their root file system.  If the source has changed since
          the patch was created, apply will report the conflict and
          not change any files.  Before changing any files,
          patch/apply makes backup copies of the current source tree's
          files.  The backups are stored in the patch directory.

          Patch/undo will copy the backups saved by patch/apply back
          into the source tree.  It will not restore a backup if the
          file being replaced is not byte-identical to the one created
          by patch/apply.

     EXAMPLES
          Propose a change to pwd, which you have modified locally:

               % patch/create pwd-errors user@host.dom /sys/src/cmd/pwd.c
               Fix pwd to print errors to fd 2 rather than 1.
               ^D
               %

          Then the developers at Bell Labs run

               patch/diff pwd-errors

          to inspect the change (possibly viewing
          /n/sources/patch/pwd-errors/pwd.c to see the larger con-
          text).  To make the change, they run

               patch/apply pwd-errors

          Otherwise they run

               % patch/note pwd-errors
               Pwd should definitely print errors to fd 1 because ...
               ^D
               %

          to add a note to the /n/sources/pwd-errors/notes file.

     FILES

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     PATCH(1)                                                 PATCH(1)

          /n/sources/patch

     SOURCE
          /rc/bin/patch

     SEE ALSO
          diff(1)
          http://plan9.bell-labs.com/wiki/plan9/How_to_contribute

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