1@node States
2@section States of Problem Reports
3
4@cindex life-cycle of a Problem Report
5@cindex states of Problem Reports
6@cindex Problem Report states
7@cindex automatic notification
8
9Each PR goes through a defined series of states between origination and
10closure.  By default, the originator of a PR receives notification
11automatically of any state changes.
12
13Unless your site has customized states (@pxref{states
14file,,,gnats}), @sc{gnats} uses these states:
15
16@table @dfn
17@cindex @emph{open} state
18@cindex initial state (@dfn{open})
19@cindex state---@dfn{open}
20@item open
21The initial state of a Problem Report.  This means the PR has been filed
22and the responsible person(s) notified.
23
24@cindex @emph{analyzed} state
25@cindex state---@dfn{analyzed}
26@item analyzed
27The responsible person has analyzed the problem.  The analysis should
28contain a preliminary evaluation of the problem and an estimate of the
29amount of time and resources necessary to solve the problem.  It should
30also suggest possible workarounds.
31
32@cindex @emph{feedback} state
33@cindex state---@dfn{feedback}
34@item feedback
35The problem has been solved, and the originator has been given a patch
36or other fix.  The PR remains in this state until the originator
37acknowledges that the solution works.
38
39@cindex @emph{closed} state
40@cindex state---@dfn{closed}
41@cindex final state (@dfn{closed})
42@item closed
43A Problem Report is closed (``the bug stops here'') only when any
44changes have been integrated, documented, and tested, and the submitter
45has confirmed the solution.
46
47@cindex @emph{suspended} state
48@cindex state---@dfn{suspended}
49@item suspended
50Work on the problem has been postponed.  This happens if a timely
51solution is not possible or is not cost-effective at the present time.
52The PR continues to exist, though a solution is not being actively
53sought.  If the problem cannot be solved at all, it should be closed
54rather than suspended.
55@end table
56
57