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2
3# Reporting Bugs, Asking Questions, and Making Suggestions
4
5Use any of
6
7- <mailto:petsc-users@mcs.anl.gov> (public mailing list with public archives)
8- <mailto:petsc-maint@mcs.anl.gov> (private maintenance mailing list without archives). Installation
9  issues generally require sending the files `configure.log` and `make.log`, i.e., uncompressed large
10  attachments, <mailto:petsc-maint@mcs.anl.gov> is preferable.
11- [PETSc on Discord](https://discord.gg/Fqm8r6Gcyb)
12- [PETSc GitLab Issues](https://gitlab.com/petsc/petsc/-/issues)
13
14Topics can include:
15
16- Report bugs.
17- Ask for clarification.
18- Ask for help in tracking down bugs.
19- Request new features within PETSc.
20- Recommend changes or additions to the development team.
21
22:::{important}
23Please `do not send email requests to the individual PETSc authors`; all list email
24is automatically distributed to all of the PETSc authors, so our response time here
25will be fastest.
26:::
27
28Before sending a bug report, please consult the {ref}`FAQ <doc_config_faq>` to determine
29whether a fix or work-around to the problem already exists. Also, see the chapter on
30{ref}`performance tuning <ch_performance>` in the PETSc users manual for guidelines on
31achieving good efficiency within PETSc codes.
32
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35## Small Documentation fixes
36
37We welcome corrections to our documentation directly by clicking "Edit this page", on the upper right corner of the page,
38making your edits, and following the instructions to make a merge request. Merge requests for such fixes should always have the GitLab `docs-only` label set.
39
40## Guidelines For Bug Reports
41
42The more information that you convey about a bug, the easier it will be for us to target
43the problem. We suggest providing the following information:
44
45:::{admonition} Don'ts
46:class: yellow
47
48- Please do **not** send winmail.dat Microsoft email attachments.
49- Please do **not** send screenshots, use cut-and-paste from terminal windows to send text.
50- Please do **not** put huge files like `configure.log` DIRECTLY into the email
51  message. Instead, include them as attachments.
52- Please do NOT paste **entire** programs DIRECTLY into the email message. Instead,
53  include them as attachments. Small snippets of code in the messages are acceptable however.
54:::
55
56:::{admonition} Do's
57- Detailed steps to recreate the problem if possible.
58
59- Copy of the **complete** error message using cut-and-paste, if feasible, otherwise include the full error
60  message as a **text** attachment, not a screenshot.
61
62- If the problem involves installation, send the entire `configure.log` and
63  `make.log` files as attachments.
64
65  - `configure.log` can be found either at `$PETSC_DIR/configure.log`,
66    `$PETSC_DIR/configure.log.bkp` (which holds the second-most recent
67    `configure.log`), or in
68    `$PETSC_DIR/$PETSC_ARCH/lib/petsc/conf/configure.log[.bkp]`.
69  - `make.log` can be found in the same places as listed above, however note that
70    there is no `make.log.bkp` so be sure to not overwrite your `make.log` with
71    additional build attempts.
72
73- Machine type: HPC, laptop, etc.
74
75- OS version and type: run `uname -a` to get the version number
76
77- PETSc version: run any PETSc program with the additional command-line option `-version`, or look in
78  `$PETSC_DIR/include/petscversion.h`
79
80- MPI implementation: MPICH, Open MPI, IBM, Intel, etc.
81
82- Compiler and version: GNU, Clang, Intel, etc.
83
84- Probable PETSc component: `Mat`, `Vec`, `DM`, `KSP`, etc.
85:::
86
87(doc_mail)=
88
89# Mailing Lists
90
91The following mailing lists, with public archives, are available.
92
93```{eval-rst}
94.. list-table::
95   :header-rows: 1
96
97   * - Name
98     - Purpose
99     - Subscribe
100     - Archive
101   * - petsc-announce@mcs.anl.gov
102     - For announcements regarding PETSc :ref:`releases <doc_download>`
103     - `subscribe/unsubscribe <https://lists.mcs.anl.gov/mailman/listinfo/petsc-announce>`__
104     - `archives <http://lists.mcs.anl.gov/pipermail/petsc-announce/>`__
105   * - petsc-users@mcs.anl.gov
106     - For PETSc users
107     - `subscribe/unsubscribe <https://lists.mcs.anl.gov/mailman/listinfo/petsc-users>`__
108     - `archives <http://lists.mcs.anl.gov/pipermail/petsc-users/>`__
109   * - petsc-dev@mcs.anl.gov
110     - For PETSc developers and others interested in the development process
111     - `subscribe/unsubscribe <https://lists.mcs.anl.gov/mailman/listinfo/petsc-dev>`__
112     - `archives <http://lists.mcs.anl.gov/pipermail/petsc-dev/>`__
113```
114
115:::{important}
116<mailto:petsc-maint@mcs.anl.gov> - a private maintenance e-mail without public archives - is
117also available. Send issues requiring large attachments here, in particular
118uncompressed `configure.log` and `make.log` when encountering installation
119issues.
120
121Also see {ref}`doc_creepycrawly`.
122:::
123
124:::{note}
125- petsc-announce is an announcement-only list (users cannot post).
126- petsc-users and petsc-dev are open; we recommend subscribing and participating
127  in the list discussions. However, it is possible to post to the lists without
128  subscribing (the first post to the list will be held until list owner can
129  enable access)
130- Avoid cross posting to multiple lists. You can reach PETSc developers equally
131  on any suitable list.
132:::
133