Pull requests

This section describes the steps that are needed to contribute a new package, packages, or changes to existing code.

If not done previously: create a fork of the Macaulay2 repo

• If you have never done so before, on github, you need to create your own copy ("fork") of the Macaulay2 repository on github:
  • go to github.com/Macaulay2/M2
  • Use the drop-down menu arrow button to the right of Forks at the top right side of the page
• Now on your computer:

  • clone this repository, e.g. git clone [email protected]/USERNAME/M2.git, where USERNAME is your git user name.

  • change directory into the new repository on your computer, and check out the development branch with git checkout development.

On your computer:

• Suppose that the Macaulay 2 repo is called foo/M2. Change to that directory.

Move to your own development branch and update it

• Type git branch to see your branches. If you see one called "development", but it is not starred, do
  • git switch development to change to it. If you do not see a development branch, you can get one with
  • git fetch development
  • git switch development
• Make sure your development branch is up to date with Macaulay2',
  • do this by going to github.com/USERNAME/M2 (where USERNAME as above is your github name)
  • change to the development branch (drop-down menu with the branch name)
  • then use the drop down "Sync fork" button, to sync with Macaulay2's development branch.
  • on your machine, in the directory "foo/M2", do git pull to get the latest version into your computer's local repository.

Prepare the pull request (These steps are done in the M2 repo on your computer)

• Add a "Keywords" option to the call to newPackage, e.g.,

    newPackage("MyPackage",
      ...
      Keywords => {"Foo"},
      ...)

  You can find a list of existing keywords at the packages provided with Macaulay2 documentation page.
• Make sure that the DebuggingMode option to newPackage is either removed or set to false.
• Move your new package(s) or changes to the directory foo/M2/M2/Macaulay2/packages where foo/M2 is the top level of your M2 repository.
  • Use git add [FILES], followed by git commit -m "some comment about your changes"), where FILES is the list of files you are adding or changing
  • Also, add a line to the file foo/M2/M2/Macaulay2/packages/=distributed-packages with the name of each new package on its own line, add newline character too at the end, and git add M2/Macaulay2/packages/=distributed-packages, git commit -m "editing =distributed-packages"

At github.com/USERNAME/M2:

Make the pull request .

• initiate the pull pull request using the dropdown Contribute menu and selecting Open Pull Request. A new box will open.
• Change the base branch of new pull requests to development if necessary.
• Add a title and some comments about the package(s) or changes.
• Click on the Create Pull Request button.

Go to "github.com/Macaulay2/M2/pulls.

• The system will check your spelling and run all the Documentation and the TESTs on various systems. If errors are found, fix them. Make the necessary changes to your files on your machine in foo/M2/M2/Macaulay2/packages.
  • Do git add, git commit, and git push as above. The system will automatically restart the pull request and the tests.

(these steps are done at github.com/USERNAME/M2)