How to report a bug to the Serval Project

When reporting a bug to the Serval Project, please take the following steps:

1. Check if the bug is already known, by scanning the relevant issue lists:
   • All open issues in all repositories
   • All open Batphone issues – for bugs in the Serval Mesh app for Android
   • All open Serval DNA issues – for bugs in underlying services (dor experienced developers)
   • All open Serval Tools issues – for bugs in software development tools (only of concern to developers)
2. If the bug is already reported, please add a comment to the existing issue;
3. If the bug is not reported, please create a new issue;
4. In your comment or new report, please include the following information:
   • The version of the app you are using
   • The make and model of your Android phone or device
   • The version of your Android operating system
   • What you were trying to do with the app when the problem appeared
   • A detailed description of the problem, eg “File had not transferred after five minutes” is much better than “File transfer does not work”
   • Actions you took to remedy the problem, and your success if any

Since September 2012, the Serval Project has used GitHub Issues to report and track bugs. Each source-code repository in GitHub has its own issue list, so first you must choose the most suitable issue list for the bug:

• To report a bug in the Serval Mesh app for Android, please read about Serval Mesh bug tracking. This will direct you to the relevant issue lists.

• To report a bug in the Serval Maps app for Android, please Contact the Serval Project.

• For all other bugs, please Contact the Serval Project directly.

The Serval Project team is automatically notified of every new issue and new comment. Following your bug report, they may take any of the following actions:

• request more information
• close the issue (eg, as already fixed or unreproducible)
• merge it with another issue (eg, as a duplicate)
• assign it to a milestone
• assign it to a developer
• move the issue to another issue list and deal with it there

Please co-operate with our developers, as they have a lot of work to do, and remember that the Serval Project provides software free of charge thanks to generous donations from supporters and the hard work of team members and volunteers. Your good manners, patience and understanding will be appreciated.

The Serval Project used the Mantis Bug tracker from April to September 2012. MANTIS IS NOW DEPRECATED FOR ALL COMPONENTS. All issues originally reported in Mantis have been either closed or migrated to GitHub using sp-mantis2github.