[Bf-committers] 2.28a release & meeting notes

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi all,

Below what we've discussed yesterday, especially relevant for the  
upcoming release update.

Agenda:
1. bugs
2. ghost
3. regression suite
4. 2.28a release
5. interface manager
6. 2.29-2.30 release targets
7. various topics

1. bugs
- everyone again can go over the Tracker to find if there are bugs  
reported on code they've been writing.
- bugs in Python & 'reopen last file' crash have been fixed.
- .Blanguages problem (for windows too) solved.
- still seems to be a problem with FTGL in Windows, which is not pinned  
down what exactly causes it. Not a 2.28 release related one... Phase  
hinted to Ton how to completely replace FTGL with a few simple Blender  
calls. Still at Ton's list-todo.
- Ton will fix the toon-shading problems (range, sun/hemi light)

2. ghost
- the Ghost team intends to go for an 'official launch'... they're  
finalizing docs and demos for it. Ton will help getting marketing  
exposure at opengl.org
- this also implies we (bf-blender) should get ready to remove ghost  
from the Blender cvs... and include it as extern lib (such as jpeg).
- agreed on is to freeze now bf-blender ghost; meaning that commits to  
it are not allowed unless it's also done in the official ghost project.  
During the next period, hopefully before the 2.29 release, we can  
discuss & decide on how to incorporate the ghost lib.
- Ghost is being ported to BeOS (R5, last official release).

3. regression suite
- Well, a presumptious name... but I would like to collect from the  
developers their most relevant testing .blend files, to assemble a set  
of files (with instructions) which *minimally* should work before doing  
releases. Such a test should be accomplished within 5-10 minutes, and  
only serve as final comfirmation its all OK (meaning, not replacing  
individual tests related to ongoing development of course).
- I've received during the meeting a few Armature files. Added to that,  
from the python team I would like to see a couple of files that give a  
quick & thorough test of most of the Python functionality.
- Target: ready before 2.29 release. Open still is if this will be in  
cvs, or a separate download...

4. 2.28a release
- CVS will be frozen END OF TODAY (monday aug 11)!
- Today last chance: check tracker and fix espicially things that are  
related to (new) 2.28 development.
- Everyone: compile latest cvs checkout and test for fitness
- Python team has new API doc
- Where is Hans! We miss the FreeBSD binary!
- Ton will make changelog
- Tuesday: Larstiq will tag CVS and make source tarball.
- Tue/Wed/Th (for as long as it takes): platform managers compile  
releases; forwards links to me, I'll put it at the server.

5. Interface manager
- Goofster applied for the job of 'someone who'll keep track of  
consistancy in new GUI additions, hotkeys, menus'. Not defining new  
designs, but to assist developers in finding the correct locations for  
options.
- Goofster will contact bf-funboard mailing list with the idea. Might  
work well, especially after the specs for new interface in Blender have  
been frozen

6. 2.29 and 2.3 release targets
- Ton proposes to define the targets for the next 2 releases, like we  
did for 2.28. A release then won't be actually scheduled until we know  
when these targets have been completed.
- Ton's Suggestion is to do a 2.29 'minor' release, and a 2.30 'major'  
release which will include the implementation of a new  
menus/buttons/toolbox design.
- Most urgent reason to schedule a new interface 'as soon as possible',  
is the work being done on a new Blender (2.3) Manual. It is uncertain  
if we can sync this with the manual author(s), but it definitely will  
give a new book more commercial value if it doesn't look outdated when  
printed...
- people expressed some doubts whether we can achieve this make-over  
quickly. Ton confirmed he's available to do coding work for it. Will  
mostly depend at results from funboard & forums... and how quickly we  
can reach consensus on design.
- for 2.29: python team targets to have pull-down menus with default  
included python modules
- for 2.29: theeth has new constraints (already tested in tuhopuu1).
- for 2.29: ton will make peace with Cessen, and discuss with him  
how/what to continue work on rendering. :)
- Game engine (Solid back?) is also an issue. We should at least have  
one release (either 2.29 or 2.30, or both) which is compatible with  
2.25. Ton will contact Gino on this issue.
- Larstiq would really like to see the general roadmap, to 2.5 or so...

7. Various topics: Blender Conference!
-  Ton would love to have another one this year, again somewhere in (or  
2nd half of) october.
- Loads of ideas what topics we can cover then... at least we now  
better know what to discuss & talk about.
- Ton would like to get 'real' courses organized, like on Solid or  
OpenGL fragment shading. This also to provide a good excuse for people  
to get their boss or univ paying for a trip. :)
- Theeth volunteers for the local Montreal counterpart.
- Problem to solve is where to do it... since the 'De Waag' location  
can only house about 120 participants. If we also want to include an  
artists program (masterclass character anim, etc), we might attract a  
total of 200-300 people.
- Ton will investigate feasibility next week, and post here and on  
forums results.
- of course; all help is welcome, especially people with organization  
skills!

7. Various topics: Tuhopuu2
- there's a fresh bf-blender copy available as new 'evil tree' for  
experiments.
- the old tuhopuu will be available read-only
- hidden treasures still in tuhopuu1:
   - Green's 3delight/renderman exporter
   - auto-IK
   - the old game engine ('Enji')
   - real-time opengl Toon drawing
   - some rendering options by cessen

Thanks!

-Ton-

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--
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton@blender.org  
http://www.blender.org