# rsyslog-docs

## Documentation for the rsyslog project

Documentation for rsyslog is generated with the (Python) Sphinx documentation
processor. Documentation for the `rsyslog-doc` project itself is provided
by this README and other documentation linked from this file.

## Learning the doc tools

If you are new to rst and Sphinx, see the Sphinx documentation to get started:
http://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/stable/contents.html

## Contributed Software/Content

In the repo you will find a `contrib` directory.

Although content in this directory is part of the official `rsyslog-doc`
repo, the status is different. While other content in this repo is fully
supported by the dev team, content in the `contrib` directory is supported
primarily by the contributor who provided it.

Content may range from small one-off scripts to tools for automating builds
of the docs. See the [contrib README](contrib/README.md) for details.

If you have new things to add to this area, please follow the directions
on this page for contributing to the docs and submit your changes as
a new Pull Request.

## Dev Team resources

In addition to the directions here, there is also a separate
[BUILDS_README.md](BUILDS_README.md) file for use by `rsyslog-doc` team
members. This doc is used as a quick reference for those who regularly
provide dev and official release builds of the documentation.

## Contributing to the docs

1. Login with a GitHub account
1. Fork the official https://github.com/rsyslog/rsyslog-doc repo
1. Create a new branch off of the latest `master` branch
1. Make your changes
1. Commit to the new branch in your fork
1. Submit a Pull Request (PR) for review
   (https://github.com/rsyslog/rsyslog-doc/pulls)
1. Stop making any changes to your new branch now that you have submitted a
   Pull Request for review. Instead, create a new branch from your `master`
   branch while you wait for feedback from the doc team.
1. A member of the team will review and offer feedback on your work. After
   feedback has been given and you have made all necessary changes, your
   PR will be accepted and merged into the official `master` branch.
1. At this point, delete your branch that you submitted the PR from and start
   a new one for the next round of work.

For small changes, the work can be done entirely through the GitHub web
interface. For larger changes, some familiarity with Git is useful, though
some editors such as Atom or Visual Studio Code make interfacing with Git
easier for newcomers.

Before you begin your work, you are encouraged to review the existing PRs and
open issues so that you can coordinate your work with other contributors.

Please reach out if you have any questions as you work through making your
changes.

Tip: If you would like something less complex to get started with, please see
issues tagged with
[good first issue](https://github.com/rsyslog/rsyslog-doc/labels/good%20first%20issue)
or [help wanted](https://github.com/rsyslog/rsyslog-doc/labels/help%20wanted)

## Requesting feedback/help

While working on changes to the docs, you are encouraged to seek input from
other members of the community. This can be done via the mailing list, here
on GitHub by submitting a new issue or (experimentally) by [posting a question
to Stack Exchange](https://serverfault.com/questions/ask?tags=rsyslog).

- Mailing list: http://lists.adiscon.net/mailman/listinfo/rsyslog
- Stack Exchange (experimental)
    - [Ask a question](https://serverfault.com/questions/ask?tags=rsyslog)
    - [View existing questions](https://stackexchange.com/filters/327462/rsyslog)

## Building the documentation

These directions assume default installs of Python for Windows and Linux.
Because the [Sphinx project recommends using Python 2.7](http://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/stable/install.html),
that is what is shown here.

### Assumptions

- You wish to install the `pip` Python package as a standard user, which places
  installed packages into that user's home directory. Remove the `--user`
  flag if you wish to install system-wide for all users instead.

- You wish to use a virtual environment to install Sphinx and its dependencies
  into a dedicated environment instead of installing alongside packages that
  were installed system-wide or to the user's home directory with the `--user`
  flag. If you wish to install the `sphinx` package and all dependent packages
  for all users of the system, then you will need to run the package
  installation commands as an elevated user account (e.g., `sudo`, `su` or
  with administrator rights on a Windows system).

- You are running through these steps for the first time. Leave out the steps
  involving installation of packages and applications if generating an updated
  copy of the documentation.

### Prep environment

The first part of the process is a little different depending on your OS. The
later steps are identical, so those steps have been covered in one place.

#### Linux

1. Download the pip installer from https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
1. Install `pip` locally instead of system-wide
    1. `python ./get-pip.py --user`
1. Install `virtualenv` package and create new virtual environment
    1. `python -m pip install virtualenv --user`
    1. `python -m virtualenv rsyslog-docs-build`
    1. `source rsyslog-docs-build/bin/activate`
1. Install `git` for your distro. Because distros name the package differently,
   you may need to substitute the name of the package from the examples
   below with the name of the package for your distro.

   You will need to install Git in order to clone the project repo, manage
   your changes and contribute them back for review and eventual inclusion
   in the project.

   Example commands for installing Git:

     - Debian/Ubuntu: `apt-get install git-core`
     - CentOS/RHEL: `yum install git`

   See the
   [Installing Git](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git)
   chapter from [Pro Git 2](https://git-scm.com/book/) for additional examples.

#### Windows

1. Download the pip installer from https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
1. Download and install Git for windows from https://git-scm.com/download/win
1. Install `pip` locally instead of system-wide
    1. `c:\python27\python get-pip.py --user`
1. Install `virtualenv` package and create new virtual environment
    1. `c:\python27\python -m pip install virtualenv --user`
    1. `c:\python27\python -m virtualenv rsyslog-docs-build`
    1. `rsyslog-docs-build\Scripts\activate.bat`

#### Windows and Linux

1. Install `sphinx` package and any other project dependencies in our
   new virtual environment instead of system-wide
    1. `pip install -r requirements.txt`
1. Clone the official Git repo
    1. `git clone https://github.com/rsyslog/rsyslog-doc.git`
1. Checkout either the current stable or development (aka, "master") branch
    1. `cd rsyslog-doc`
    1. `git checkout BRANCH_NAME_HERE`
        - Choose the `v8-stable` branch for coverage of features currently
          available in the latest stable release
        - Choose the `master` branch for coverage of upcoming features and fixes
1. Optional: If you have previously cloned the repo, run `git pull` to update it
   with new changes before continuing.

### Generate documentation

1. Generate HTML format
    1. `sphinx-build -b html source build`
1. Generate EPUB format
    1. `sphinx-build -b epub source build`
1. Review generated contents
    - Open rsyslog-doc/build/index.html in a browser
    - Use Calibre, Microsoft Edge, Okular, Google Play Books or any other
      EPUB compatible reader to view the rsyslog-doc/build/rsyslog.epub file