Finishing Up With 0.1

To all those embarking on the journey of adding to open source projects, be warned, there is a steep learning curve.

I have faced adversity in many forms leading up to committing my first ticket fix branch. Some of which included finding an appropriate bug to start on, installing a linux partition on an HP laptop, installing all the necessary software to build the project and tests, finding out that just because you fork the main repository that it doesn't mean it will be bug free (see missing test suite), and submitting the issue fixes to your repo properly.

All of which I have discussed except the last one. I mistakenly made my changes on the original development branch, commited, and pushed that to my repo. Along with a merge error of some sort involving a folder, it turns out you create a separate branch to put your changes on so as not to disturb the current development branch. Once your fix gets put into the main development branch and double checked, that's when your changes get put it.

Anyways aside from that, it's been an interesting experience. Hours upon fours of IRC chats discussing issues, finding out opinions of the best way to go about things, and learning about other projects being used by their actual creators. It's awesome that the community helps each other out so willfully, otherwise I would have my doubts in open source software succeeding. As I learn, I too will field any questions that I have the capability to answer; almost like a knowledge karma situation.

Regarding the actual issue, it was more of a suggested change to Gladius than an actual issue. That's what I'm being told Gladius is doing mostly right now anyways; repositioning and restrategizing on what direction the team wants to take it. I am proud to say I have been apart of this process even though I feel my task was seemingly insignificant. I guess the more you participate, the more you learn and the more you can contribute; just takes time.

I feel like I've already learned quite a bit and hope to continue to do so. As soon as the fix for the test suite is put up I plan on testing my fix and making sure I didn't break anything, but for now I can start my second task. I feel like this time I'll have a better handle and be able to commit to a much larger issue.

Cheers and Happy Hacking,

crgosselin

Of Course the Test Suite is Broken

So my code compiles, awesome.

Now I need to find out if I broke anything that uses math.js so I can switch it to engine.math.function from math.function.

I get node.js working, I compile all the data, and of course... the test suite is broken.

I've been working with JSilver999 (another classmate) on fixing the test suite. He made a fix on his computer but trying to replicate it without just updating from git has been a pain.

It'd be nice to get the test suite running tonight so I can check my code before I commit anything to my repo... it's midnight so I might just go to sleep since I have an 8:00am class.

Testing Road Block

So I changed all the code around to what I think it should be and I went to test it but of course I'm missing node.js.

After getting node.js to build the gladius tests etc., node.js tells me I don't have a proper cxx compiler.

Digging around I find a nice stackoverflow page that shows me I have to:

yum groupinstall "Development Tools"

yum install openssl-devel

To install all the proper compilers etc.

Now I can install node.js so I can 'make' gladius and check the tests to see what I broke.

Fedora should really come with some of this stuff standard.

Changing way Math.Js is loaded

Finally got to ack again to clarify some of the questions I had.

It's come down to defining math.js to be required instead of keeping it as a variable. This way the actual engine will encapsulate math and be used throughout the engine more efficiently. Gladius-src.js is in charge of saying what is and isn't required. So I have to remove the basic script tag add for math.js in gladius.js and make it required within gladius-src.js. This is going to cause some errors since the calls to math.js are currently just using math.FUNCTION due to the way it is currently declared. I'll just have to use the test functions to see where the errors occur and switch it to engine.math.FUNCTION.

Seems easy enough but that's usually how it starts. I'll write another blog post once I run into more problems or hopefully switch it over on my first try.

Breaking Down Math.js

After receiving my task from ack and trying to start working on it, I came to the realization I needed to ask for some more help understanding how Require.js works and how Gladius gets built.

I logged onto IRC and had a nice long chat with jrburke who is the creator of Require.js.

He was able to help field some of the questions I had about how to go about implementing math.js is a way to make it require-able as well as build-able.

Now I understand that Require.JS has the capability to combine modules based on a set path.

Time to do some further digging into gladius.js, gladius-src.js, and Gladius' make file as ack suggested earlier.

Back to Gladius

After sticking around in the IRC channel for Gladius for awhile, I found the perfect issue and was assigned it by ack.

My job is to integrate the math library stuff into gladius. So working on Gladius.math and getting it to build using Require is my primary goal for the moment.

Second Thoughts On Emscripten

After looking at a lot of the emscripten code, there is nothing that really stands out to me that would need changing to make the code more readable. Function names, variable names, and aesthetically it seems fine. There are 2 days left until I have to have something for my 0.1 release. Tonight will be spent on IRC looking for something to do. Hopefully I can come up with something presentable in the next 48 hours.

Install Fedora On Laptop

I realized if I want to work on emscripten at home I had to install a linux partition on my laptop. After starting at 2:00pm I finally finished at 6:00pm. Here is what happened during my 4 hour labor.

I started by buying a re-writable DVD and burning Fedora onto it at the open source lab. This alone took 40 minutes. Next I booted from the CD and couldn't figure out which option to select. After toying around with it, I figured out I had to select to install a new partition from simple video graphics.

This is where the problem comes in. As I'm installing on my laptop, all the memory had been partitioned to main partition. I had no extra memory left over for Fedora. I tried shrinking the memory on the linux boot but it kept throwing an error. After discussing with a few people in the lab, I found out I had to shrink the windows partition once logged onto windows. So I rebooted into Windows and researched how to do it. While doing so my system tried running chkdsk at startup but I disregarded it and skipped it. Researching lead me to an administration tool that allows you to shrink your partition. I tried doing so but it threw an error telling me it couldn't do it and maybe the partition was corrupt. I ran chkdsk as someone suggest and to my dismay, nothing was wrong. So I restarted and let chkdsk run again at boot but nothing was wrong there either.

So after rebooting I tried shrinking the drive again just for kicks and it worked. Success. So now the drive has been shrunk and I have 200 gigs for my Fedora partition. I booted from the DVD again and got back to the correct screen. I click create partition with left over space and ... error. "There is no space to create this partition". I check under custom partition and the space shows up. Why. Why isn't it working.

I go back into windows and search on the web for an hour. Finally I come up with someone having a similar problem. HP computers come with 4 partitions already on them to hold some HP software that comes with the laptop. A hard drive can only hold 4 partitions so you have to delete one. Ok, this makes sense now. I remove one of the pointless partitions using the drive manager and reboot again on the Fedora DVD.

After getting back to the right place, I try again, it works. Finally, I have been able to run the Fedora install. But of course I forgot to do custom and select swap so now every time I start my computer I have to press a button before Fedora boots and select the "Other" Partition. I'll fix that later but for now, I am very happy.

Improving Emscripten

I have decided to help out on emscripten by using my new set of eyes to improve the aesthetics in the code. A lot of the other current people on the project have been on it for too long and have a hard time telling what is more or less readable to new people on the project. I think this will be a good first milestone for the course and an excellent way to get more involved and become knowledgeable on emscripten.

Git and Github

All this week I have been playing around with git and github and they are surprisingly simplistic. After making my own forks on my github and cloning the repository to a linux machine to work on, I have been deciding the best route to help improve emscripten. Most of the requested bug fixes are currently over my head but the more time I spend looking through how everything is organized, the more sense it seems to make.

I think I might ask one of the leaders of this project on IRC where a good place to start helping would be.

Here's to hacking away on a Sunday night.

Diving Further Into Paladin

Not long after my introduction to the Paladin IRC channel I have talked with one of the two coders working on part of the physics engine. I have been directed to https://github.com/kripken/ammo.js to look at and play around with Ammo.js. Ammo.js is a c++ to .js conversion procedure that is currently being updated to be tested/become more efficient.

After a few days of diving into it, I'm going to recontact azakai to see what I should start working on.

So far, so good.

Joining the Paladin Team

The project I've decided to work on is Paladin. I joined the IRC and realized that one of my friends are part of the project so I directed a message at him. The user JBuck proceeded to answer my question since my friend wasn't there at the time. JBuck then explained a bit about the physics engine details to the project and who I should talk to about it.

Definitely was a great help having someone I didn't know help me get involved with the right people and right parts to the project I wanted to get involved in. JBuck then decided it would be a good idea to create a blog post about Paladin and how to get started.

My first experience with the Paladin team showed me they're friendly and helpful to new comers.

Skype's Terms of Use

While reading Skype's terms of use, I came across an interesting line.

Changes to the Additional Terms will be posted on the applicable Skype Website. The changes will be effective when published. Please review the Terms on a regular basis. You understand and agree that your express acceptance of the Terms or your use of the Software, Products and/or Skype Websites after the date of publication shall constitute your agreement to the updated Terms.

By agreeing to Skype's terms you are agreeing to all their future terms as well. They are able to make any changes to your agreement and you are automatically under that new license. They expect you to read the license frequently to see the new license changes. This is slightly ridiculous since who has time to read a license constantly, day after day.

Starting ODS600 Class

I'm going to highjack my old c++ blog and use it to start hosting posts about my open source class at Seneca. I'll begin to post something weekly about my experiences.