Release planning for 0.14

[uellue]

We have quite a good set of changes in the current master, in particular fixing CoM descan error compensation for live processing, enabled by valid data masking, and supporting EMPAD files saved in search mode. For that reason we can think about releasing soon. This would also enable valid data masking and descan error compensation in iCoM, relevant for Dan.

Should we first release a new version of blobfinder to include #1600 in 0.14, or defer that?

If you agree, I can start reviewing the open issues and PRs, addressing or kicking them down the line as needed.

Release checklist

Issues and pull requests to be considered for this release:

• Deprecate gridmatching and fullmatch #1600
• Add test environment without any extras installed LiberTEM-blobfinder#87
• [/] GUI support for the features added in the CoM UDF #1482
• Fix license to GPL-3 <del>or later</del> only in Zenodo template #1553 Update license to GPL 3.0 ~~or later~~ only #1624
• Update node deps #1626
• Section on air-gapped installation #1627
• Update release procedure #1625
• Ensure liveness of executor for some utility endpoints #1629
• Missing File / Bad DataSet parameters exception messages #1633

Step 0: before cutting the release candidate

• Review open issues and pull requests
• Confirm that pull requests and issues are handled as intended, i.e. milestoned and merged
  in appropriate branch.
• License review: no import of GPL code from MIT code
  pydeps --only "libertem" --show-deps --noshow src\libertem | python scripts\licensecheck.py
• Run full CI pipeline, including slow tests, on Azure DevOps and run the Thorough workflow on GitHub Actions
• Handle deprecation, search the code base for DeprecationWarning
  that are supposed to be removed in that release.
• GUI dependency update with npm install Update node deps #1626
• Review https://github.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/security/dependabot and update dependencies
• Full documentation review and update, including link check using
  sphinx-build -b linkcheck "docs/source" "docs/build/html" Misc. docs changes #1638
• Update the expected version in notes on changes, i.e. from 0.3.0.dev0
  to 0.3.0 when releasing version 0.3.0.
• Update and review change log in docs/source/changelog.rst, merging
  snippets in docs/source/changelog/*/ as appropriate. Release 0.14 changelog + docs #1636
• Edit pytest.ini to exclude flaky tests temporarily from release
  builds, if there are currently any flaky tests
• Update the JSON files in the packaging/ folder with author and project information Add cigdem to contributors #1639

Step 1

• Create a release candidate using scripts/release. See
  scripts/release --help for details. Example command:
  ./scripts/release bump v0.3.0rc1 --tag, then push to GitHub
• Confirm that wheel, tar.gz, and AppImage are built for the release candidate on
  GitHub
• Confirm that a new version with the most recent release candidate is created on
  Zenodo.org that is ready for submission.

Step 2: using the release candidate package

• Run tests for related packages w/ new LiberTEM version
  • LiberTEM-live
  • LiberTEM-holo
  • LiberTEM-blobfinder
  • ptychography40
  • LiberTEM-iCoM
• Run complete test suite, including slow tests that are deactivated by default
  and tests that require sample files or CUDA support.
• Install release candidate packages in a clean environment
  (for example:
  python -m pip install 'libertem==0.2.0rc11')
• Test the release candidate docker image
  • Confirm rc images and tags on https://ghcr.io/libertem/libertem
• Quick GUI QA: open in an incognito window to start from a clean slate
  • Correct version info displayed in info dialogue?
  • Link check in version info dialogue
  • Test GUI without internet access
  • Make sure you have test files of all supported types available
    • Include floats, ints, big endian, little endian, complex raw data
  • Open each test file
    • Are parameters recognized correctly, as far as implemented?
    • Any bad default values?
    • Does the file open correctly?
    • Have a look at the dataset info dialogue. Reasonable values?
  • Perform all analyses on each test file.
    • Does the result change when the input parameters are changed?
    • All display channels present and looking reasonable?
    • Reasonable performance?
    • Use pick mode.
  • Re-open all the files
    • Are the files listed in "recent files"?
    • Are the parameters filled from the cache correctly?
  • Try opening all file types with wrong parameters
    • Proper understandable error messages?
  • Pick one file and confirm keyboard and mouse interaction for all analyses
    • Correct bounds check for keyboard and mouse?
  • Check what happens when trying to open non-existent files or directories in the GUI.
    • Proper understandable error message?
    • Possible to continue working?
  • Shut down libertem-server while analysis is running
    • Shut down within a few seconds?
    • All workers reaped?
  • Run libertem-server on Windows, connect to a remote dask cluster running on Linux,
    open all file types and perform an analysis for each file type.
  • Use the GUI while a long-running analysis is running
    • Still usable, decent response times?
• Check what happens when trying to open non-existent files by scripting.
  • Proper understandable error message? TODO automate?
• Check what happens when opening all file types with bad parameters by scripting
  • Proper understandable error message? TODO automate?

Step 3: bump version and let release pipeline run

• Final version bump: ./scripts/release bump v0.3.0 --tag, push to github
• After pipeline finishes, write minimal release notes for the release and publish the GitHub release

Step 4: after releasing on GitHub

• Confirm that all release packages are built and release notes are up-to-date
• Install release package
• Confirm correct version info
• Confirm package upload to PyPI
• Confirm images and tags on https://ghcr.io/libertem/libertem
• Publish new version on zenodo.org
• Update documentation with new links, if necessary
  • Add zenodo badge for the new release to Changelog page Changelog: DOI and release date #1646
• Conda packaging: review PRs on https://github.com/conda-forge/libertem-feedstock/pulls
• Send announcement message on mailing list
• Edit pytest.ini to include flaky tests again
• Bump version in master branch to next .dev0 (./scripts/release bump v0.X.0.dev0 --commit)
• Add to institutional publication databases
• Add the current LiberTEM version to CVL - add both the singularity and the .desktop file!

[sk1p]

We have quite a good set of changes in the current master, in particular fixing CoM descan error compensation for live processing, enabled by valid data masking, and supporting EMPAD files saved in search mode. For that reason we can think about releasing soon. This would also enable valid data masking and descan error compensation in iCoM, relevant for Dan.
If you agree, I can start reviewing the open issues and PRs, addressing or kicking them down the line as needed.

Agreed!

IMHO:

Should we first release a new version of blobfinder to include #1600 in 0.14, or defer that?

• ??? Deprecate gridmatching and fullmatch #1600
• WIP: add test environment without any extras installed LiberTEM-blobfinder#87

Yes, include (blobfinder release is almost done)

• ??? GUI support for the features added in the CoM UDF #1482

Postpone

• Fix license to GPL-3 or later in Zenodo template #1553 Update license to GPL 3.0 or later #1624

See review

[sk1p]

Manual "thorough" run of GitHub Actions successful: https://github.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/actions/runs/8644927225

[sk1p]

Data tests, including slow ones, ran successfully: https://dev.azure.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/_build/results?buildId=2740&view=results

[sk1p]

I've moved the remaining issues from the 0.14 milestone to 0.15, as I don't think any of them are directly solvable: https://github.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/milestone/21

[sk1p]

Before cutting an RC, I think I'll adjust the release script a bit, to match what we have done for blobfinder (and maybe include some changes to also put the rc on the "real" pypi, as that removes some of the complexity)

[sk1p]

For the UI testing, main focus should be on the snoozing feature, I don't think we had substantial changes other than that. I'll also re-check the libertem-live-server CoM + valid data masking stuff, to make sure we hit the goal there.

[sk1p]

There is some instability with our tests, for example this run here or this one, seemingly hanging. Doesn't seem to be limited to notebook tests, but that's where I've seen it the first time. Might be something to look into before the release.

[matbryan52]

There is some instability with our tests, for example this run here or this one, seemingly hanging. Doesn't seem to be limited to notebook tests, but that's where I've seen it the first time. Might be something to look into before the release.

Not much to go on in those logs, is it just the /data tests that you've noticed this for? Could it be network or load on the runner?

[sk1p]

Not much to go on in those logs, is it just the /data tests that you've noticed this for?

Yeah, no recent hangs on GitHub Actions.

Could it be network or load on the runner?

Unclear, couldn't properly debug this last time, I just kicked the agent containers, which one has to do from time to time.

[sk1p]

I'll also re-check the libertem-live-server CoM + valid data masking stuff, to make sure we hit the goal there.

The valid data mask and related changes in CoMUDF look good. Once #1633 lands, we are ready to build a release candidate.

[sk1p]

rc1 is baking: https://github.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/actions/runs/9108024491

[sk1p]

Hmm, git revision does not display in the about dialog of the GUI (seen while testing the docker image) - I'll investigate.

[sk1p]

Hmm, git revision does not display in the about dialog of the GUI (seen while testing the docker image) - I'll investigate.

_baked_revision.py is present in the wheel, but not in the docker image. I think the proper fix is to use hatchling to build the package, like we are already doing for LiberTEM-{live,blobfinder,...}. I'll open an issue for this, to be solved for next release.

[sk1p]

rc2 is building: https://github.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/actions/runs/9115164958

[sk1p]

Zenodo is err'ing out with a 404 here, I'll try if a re-run as rc3 fixes things https://github.com/LiberTEM/LiberTEM/actions/runs/9115164958/job/25061353503#step:7:3405

[sk1p]

Conda-forge PR should be ready to go: conda-forge/libertem-feedstock#7

[sk1p]

As CVL seems to be under-maintained for now, I'm going to delay adding the new version until there is activity again (see open PR for previous two releases). With this, the post release items are all checked and I'm going to close the milestone.