# Submitting a Bug Report for PCGen

The purpose of this document is twofold:

1. To provide a walk through of how to properly submit a bug report at Source Forge for PCGen
2. To explain what *IS* a Bug and what is a Feature Request.

## Defining a Bug vs. a Feature Request

A bug is an error in the program or list files that prevents actual execution of the program or the feature you are attempting to use. The distinction can be a little tricky, as sometimes a class may not function correctly because all the features that make up that class may not have been implemented into the list files or the code just yet. If a portion of the program worked before, but is now no longer working, there are a number of steps you can follow to decide whether it is a bug or a missing feature.

1. Make sure you have the correct versions of Java (1.5.x is recommended) and PCGen installed (http://sourceforge.net/projects/pcgen/ for the latest version)
2. Make sure you have the desired Source Materials Loaded
3. If you are not sure or can not load the Source Material, please see Part 1 of this FAQ.

Once the Source Materials are loaded, can you duplicate the problem every time? If you can duplicate it every time, does an "Error Window" appear? (Please note what the error says as it will help in diagnosing/fixing your problem). If there is no "Error Window", make note of the exact steps you used to duplicate the problem.

If something is missing from the list files, whether it be a class, a feat, or a piece of equipment, THIS IS NOT A BUG. A Feature Request (FREQ) is what is needed (See Submitting a Feature Request) to get the missing information entered into the list files.

Check to make sure that this is not something that may be missing from a list file, If you are unsure how to do this, you can ask for help at the PCGen Yahoo Group message boards (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pcgen), there are any number of people who can tell you what the status of a certain list file may be.

Once you have determined that this is NOT a missing feature from a list file or coding standpoint, the next step is to delete and re-install PCGen. If you have custom Source Material set up, please remember to backup this material in a safe directory.

Once you re-install PCGen, try to duplicate the error. If after a fresh install, the problem still persists, then it's time to enter a Bug Report into Source Forge.

## Submitting your Bug

1. Go to http://sourceforge.net/projects/pcgen/ and go to Bugs (Either at the top of the screen or scroll down slightly to see "Bugs".

2. Search through the listed bugs at (http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=25576&atid=384719), making sure that Assignee, Category, and Group are set to "Any", that Status is set to "Open", and that Sort By is set to "ID", to see if your problem is already submitted. If it is, add a message at the bottom of the bug report detailing your information as well. This will let us know that this is a recurring problem that needs some serious attention.

3. If it does not exist, select "Submit New". Make sure you select the appropriate Category, Group, and make a concise summary of the problem.

4. In the Detailed Description, please include the following information:

   - Your system configuration (Operating System, total RAM, Version of Java)
   - Any Error messages that were returned to you
   - Information from the Debug Console
   - Any/All steps to reproduce the error

5. If the problem is a character file (.pcg) please attach the file so that others can test it and duplicate the problem to fix it.

6. Finally, hit submit.

## Tracking your Bug

You can go and visit your happy little item any time you please and check on its status. Please note that the item may have been moved to a different tracker group within pcgen (say maybe to data or output sheets).