[Zope] Design question for a problem tracking Systems using Z
ope
Terrel Shumway
tshumway@epicor.com
Fri, 8 Oct 1999 13:20:25 -0700
>1. user management
>==================
For managing users, I like the idea of using LDAP authentication. You can
store just anything you want in the directory (and typical directories
already store the email and phone numbers for users).
>2. Bunch of DTML Documents + Factory methods vs. SQL database
>=============================================================
>I know how to do the SQL thing, but the
>document thing seems nice to me. But is it possible using Zope?
Very possible. This is my next project.
Bug Tracking is exactly a set of linked documents.
ZODB + ZCatalog is a much better match than a relational DBMS.
<insert here all of the well-known problems with mapping objects to rows,
and managing semi-structured data, which are solved immediately by using
an Object Database>
3. What Objects should exist?
=============================================================
Here is my take for a Bug Tracking System design:
each "Change Request" has these important sections:
Identification
Status
Workflow
Attachments
Related Documents
Disscussion
Identification
doc# (for cross references)
summary/title
description
product/module/version/build
type { Bug, Feature, ... }
severity { show-stopper, critical, has-workaround, cosmetic, who-cares,
...}
reproduciblity
reporter
Status
owner
status { new, assigned, ..., resolved }
priority
target fix date/build
visibility (public/securty-issue/private)
<rant>
I have a major gripe with this one wrt Open Source projects:
everything should be public, unless there is a major security
issue involved. I find the Zope collector very annoying in
this respect. If DC wants help fixing the bugs, people have
to know what the bugs are.
This field is important for closed projects.
</rant>
Workflow can be as simple or as complex as you want it.
It should probably include a change history for at least the Status
section.
Attachments
screen shots, test cases, etc.
Related Documents
Other change requests
requirements docs
design docs
test plans/test cases
version control info (e.g. when was the fix checked in?, what checkin
broke it?)
Discussion
Confera works nicely for the Discussion section: simply create a Topic
within the document.
An email gateway would also be nice.
The "Product Tree" has meta data about where things go. It knows about what
products/modules/sub-modules are being developed and who is responsible
for them (manager, developer, reviewer, QA, ...)
--------------------------
I have seen at least three people mention this application on the list.
I believe DC might have one in the works. I think this would be a good
open-source project. I am willing to work on this one.
-- Terrel
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p.s.: sorry for the slow reply. Keeping up with this list is a major task.