Reporting bugs
Firstly, the most important question we have to ask is if you're sure it's a bug? A bug is a flaw in a computer program that can cause irritating glitches, or program failure. OpenX is thoroughly searched and tested for bugs before it is released for use, but occasionally some small bugs can slip through the net.
Features are sometimes called bugs because the user is not sure why something different has happened from what they expected.
If you are not sure if something is a feature or a bug, it's always best to follow these steps.
Step 1: Is it a feature?
Have a look through the Documentation for OpenX and a search through the FAQ to see if your bug is a normal step of using the software. This is helpful to determine if your bug is a feature. Sometimes the software may take a different step on doing things and not what you expect, this could be a normal part of OpenX.
Step 2: After Step 1, I am still sure it's a bug
The next step is to take a look on the Community Forum. Someone else may have problems similar to your bug, then reported it, and has found a solution to cure it. Some bugs may not be with OpenX but with certain server configurations, and server software versions which are not compatible with OpenX.
Step 3: I'm sure it's a bug with OpenX
If you are sure it's a bug with OpenX, it's time to tell us about it. You can report your bug on our Community Forums where there is a link to our Bug section. We love to fix bugs but need your help to let us see what's going on. Here is a quick guide on how to create a really efficient bug report.
- Tell us about your server. We would like to know what server platform you are using, what software, and what versions of PHP, MySQL, and OpenX you have. If you had to modify your server a little to be compatible with OpenX, please let us know what you did.
- Have you modified the OpenX software? It's great to know if you have made any modifications to OpenX however minor. Sometimes they can have metaphorical ripple effect on the functioning of the software.
- Please describe what's happening. Please try to avoid phrases such as 'it doesn't work' or 'I get an error'. Let us know in as much detail as you need to describe what steps you take to get your bug, and if it is always there, or comes up at a specific time, with a certain option selected, or any other combination of actions to create it. If you get any error messages, tell us what they say.
- Provide any supporting evidence. If you have logs, error messages, or a link to a domain then please let us see it.
- Once reported, please give us a little time. Your bug is important to us. Sometimes there is a bug that we know about which is the same as your bug. We will let you know this, and tell you where you can get more information on the bug. Sometimes your bug will be brand new and not seen. We look at your report and try to create this bug as we can see what is going on in the code. We will always let you know that we have seen your bug, and tell you what we are doing with it.
We have more extensive document on how to report bugs in our bugs section. Please have a read of this as it helps us help you.