Some Helpful Hints (from GNATS system documentation):
In general, common sense dictates the kind of information that would be most helpful in tracking down and resolving problems in software.
- Include anything you would want to know if you were looking at the report from the other end.
- Narratives are often useful, given a certain degree of restraint. If a person responsible for a bug can see that A was executed, and then B and then C, knowing that sequence of events might trigger the realization of an intermediate step that was missing, or an extra step that may have changed the environment enough to cause a visible problem.
- Submit only one problem with each Trouble Report. If you have multiple problems, use multiple TRs. This aids in tracking each problem and also in analyzing the problems associated with a given problem.
- Richard Stallman writes, "The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this: report all the facts. If you are not sure whether to state a fact or leave it out, state it!"
The MetaMap project uses RT: Request Tracker to maintain our Trouble Reports.
