
Instructions to create a full release of the ACPICA software
and utilities.

Last update: 7 August 2025.

The build uses MS Visual Studio and Cygwin to accomplish the
goal of releasing both Windows and Unix versions of the ACPICA code
and utilities. For Windows, binary versions of the ACPICA utilities
(including the iASL compiler) are created.


Required Accounts
-----------------

1) An account on github.com with full access rights to the acpica repository.
2) An account on the acpica bugzilla with write/change access.
3) An account on the acpica.org website with write/change access.


Required Tools
--------------

1) Documents: The main ACPICA documents (ACPICA reference, iASL user guide)
are written in MS word, then converted to PDF format. Both versions of each
are released on the ACPICA website.

    MS Word
    Word to PDF conversion tool (such as PDF Create 8)

2) Generation via Windows tools: The Windows binaries are built via
Visual Studio. We must release the Windows binaries since Windows
does not provide a compiler.

See acpica/generate/msvc2017/readme.txt for Windows setup and ACPICA generation
instructions.

See acpica/source/compiler/readme.txt for flex/bison installation and
iASL generation instructions.

    Microsoft Visual Studio 2017

    Flex and Bison:
        https://sourceforge.net/projects/winflexbison/

    Flex/Bison: probably obsolete:
        Flex for Windows (http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/flex.htm)
        Bison for Windows (http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/bison.htm)

    PkWare pkzip25 (Available free from multiple sources). Here is a list of
        mirrors: http://www.filewatcher.com/m/PKZIP25.EXE.339456-0.html
        Otherwise, Google "pkzip25.exe" to find the free executable.
        Install pkzip25 to /cygdrive/c/windows/pkzip25.exe

3) Cygwin for Windows: Cygwin is used to checkout the source code from the git
tree, generate ACPICA from source, and to build the ACPICA release packages.

    Cygwin is available at (http://www.cygwin.com)

These Cygwin packages are required for ACPICA generation:

    git (found in Devel)
    make (found in Devel)
    gcc C compiler (found in Devel)
    flex (found in Devel)
    bison (found in Devel)
    m4 (macro processor required by bison, found in Interpreters)
    dos2unix and unix2dos converters (found in Text)

Additionally, to write to the git tree, these are needed:

    openSSH (found in Net)
    corkscrew (found in Net)


4) Windows/Unix line termination issues:

a) Install Cygwin with the default setting of CR/LF line terminators
b) Ensure that these lines are present in the git configuration file,
   .gitconfig in your home directory:

[core]
        autocrlf = true


git and ssh stuff
-----------------

To write to the git tree, you'll need to setup an ssh connection to github.
ssh clone path is:

    git clone ssh://git@ssh.github.com/acpica/acpica.git


Build the ACPICA Software
-------------------------

Cleanup any extraneous files in the local git tree

Complete any updates to the ACPICA documentation (ACPICA ref, iASL ref)
Create the .PDF versions of the MS Word .DOC files
Checkin any changed documents

Update the version number (hex in the format: 0xYYYYMMDD)
    in the file source/include/acpixf.h
Build Windows debug versions of all software and utilities
Build Windows nodebug versions of all software and utilities
    (generate/msvc2017)
Build Unix versions of all software and utilities
    generate/unix/make clean
    generate/unix/make

NOTE: The following steps are obsolete, not used, but this is how to do it:
        Generate sizes for the acpica library from generate/release/size.bat
           Note: This step uses MS dumpbin(link) which is a part of the VC package.
           It might not work unless the environment variables are set correctly.
           Execute VC/vcvarsall.bat from the command line if necessary.
        Sizes appear in the files size_rel.txt and size_dbg.txt
        Integrate code/data and debug/nodebug sizes into the release notes.

Write the release notes
Add the release notes to the documents/changes.txt document via Word.
   Note: From Word, use "Save As", then check the "MS-DOS" and
   "Insert line breaks" boxes before saving.

Checkin documents/changes.txt, message "Logfile: Changes for version yyyymmdd"
Checkin the new version number, source/include/acpixf.h "Update version to yyyymmdd"
Git push everything

Tag the version file with a name of the form yyyy_mm_dd
    Get the commit number for the version number commit above (git log)
    git tag -m"version yyyymmdd" yyyy_mm_dd HEAD
    git push --tags

Build the various tar/zip release files:
    Convert the generate/release/.sh files to unix format: dos2unix *.sh
    On cygwin, execute generate/release/release.sh (sh release.sh)



Update the ACPICA website for every new release

-------------------------

Newer Intel Developer Zone (IDZ) based Website Guidelines

Intel employee maintainer:
    Sign in as an Intel employee (using SSO) here: 
        https://digitalrequest.intel.com/servicedesk/customer/portal/83

    Open a ticket request of type "Create or Update Landing Page or Video"
        Fill all the required information in the ticket

    Edit the exact instructions which will vary for every new release in:
        "acpica new release scope analysis.rtf" document

    Upload the document as part of attachments in the ticket along with:
        the 6 release files + release notes

    Make all the necessary changes to webpages in GatherContent (GC)

    The IDZ website will take about 1-2 weeks to reflect the changes

    IDZ homepage (Overview page) - 
        https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/developer/topic-technology/open/acpica/overview.html

    GC project pages (for pre-release drafts) - 
        https://idz.gathercontent.com/content/215567/items/5111dd3d-282d-4d57-99ab-ffb739a73548


-------------------------

Older Drupal 7 based Website Guidelines:

Login to acpica.org (with update permission)

Create a new download node for the new ACPICA version:
    At screen top ("Manage"), Goto: Content->AddContent->Downloads
    Title: Use the new version number in the correct format (e.g., "Version 20210105")
    Body: Insert the release notes for this version
    Date: Must be the current date (should match ACPICA version)
    File Attachments: Add all of the release zip/gz files (currently 6 files)
        (From the acpica/generate/release/current directory)
        Currently, no need to add a description for each file.
    Click "Save" at the bottom of the page

Update the version number token.
This will update the version number header on all pages where the token is used:
    Goto https://acpica.org/node/88, click edit, update version at body top
        Click "Save" at the bottom of the page

Update file pathnames:
    Goto "Downloads", click edit
        Update paths to new file versions, update file sizes (3 files)
        Insert the release notes as the summary
        Click "Save" at the bottom of the page
    Goto "Downloads/Windows Source Code", click edit
        Update paths to new file versions, update file sizes (2 files)
        Click "Save" at the bottom of the page
    Goto "Downloads/Windows Binary Tools", click edit
        Update paths to new file version, update file size (1 file)
        Click "Save" at the bottom of the page

ACPICA document updates:
    The documentation/changes.txt file must always be updated.
    Additional ACPICA documentation may require update (in doc/pdf pairs):

        acpica-reference.doc
        acpica-reference.pdf
        aslcompiler.doc
        aslcompiler.pdf

    Goto the "Documentation" page, click edit.
    Attach/upload all new versions of the document(s)
    Uncheck the "Display" box for each new document
    Update pathnames (and file sizes) in body for each new filename
        (appears at bottom of each attach)
    Update "Last update" dates as needed
    Click save at bottom
        <Note: this may be fixed so that the filename can stay the same>

Update "news" if there are any major changes or major new features:
    Update front page news:
        Goto ContentManagement->CreateContent->News
        Add news item in the "Title" section and click save at bottom


Cleanup:
    Convert the generate/release/.sh files back to DOS format: unix2dos *.sh


Email the release notes
-----------------------

Send separate copies of the notes (in plain text) to the following:
    AcpiCa (acpica.intel.com)
    devel@acpica.org
    acpi@linux.intel.com
    CaClients (undisclosed recipients/BCC: list)


Update ACPICA bugzilla
----------------------

Close any problem reports that have been resolved.
