Powers with the Build Czar

This document grants extensive privileges and powers to the Czar, but those privileges impose several responsibilities that must be fulfilled, failure to do so may result in some form of revolution (picture a firing squad).

Previous generations of the honorable royal family have automated the build process as much as possible, but all machines require attention: the build Czar must keep a constant vigil, lest some runaway process stops working and a critical bug escapes into the wild.

Typically a runaway build is detected because on its next execution an email indicating that the build is DISABLED is received. The same email is also sent when a build is abruptly terminated (for example because the machine running the build crashed). Most of the time, a test is not making progress and must be terminated, the build then runs to completion. If the machine crashed then it is necessary to go into the build directory and remove the auto_compile/.disable file, so the next execution can complete successfully. Occasionally the build fails because there is a CVS conflict, there is not enough disk space or some similar problem, in these cases the build Czar is encouraged to request advised from previous generations in the royal family they will be happy to come back from retirement to provide advice and help if needed.

The build Czar should also investigate the errors and warnings reported by a build, contact the person or persons responsible for the failed build and prompt them to fix the situation. If that process above fails the build Czar should request help from a volunteer or proceed to fix the problem himself/herself. If there is no available backup/volunteer and the build Czar is busy, he/she will be forced to excomunicate the original developer and report him or her to the highest court of the land for whatever punishment is deemed appropriate (lashing or bone breaking where not prohibited by law).

It is extremely important to fix broken builds within the day, otherwise the errors tend to accumulate and once the process breaks down it is extremely hard to recover, in other words, the term as a build Czar can extend beyond your expectations if the builds are not clean again.