chore: update release docs and remove legacy release scripts

admin/README.md

@@ -43,45 +43,30 @@ This folder contains tools or docs useful for project maintainers.
 
 ## Maintainer Scripts
 
--   **release-config** holds variables used for the maintainer & release building
 -   **docbot** re-builds the user guide from the RST source for it,
     and optionally deploys it to the `gh-pages` branch of the main
     repository (if the user running it has maintainer rights on that repo).  
     See the [writeup](./docbot.md).
 
-## Release Building Scripts
+## Release Scripts
 
-*Do not use these scripts! They are left here for reference only.*
-
-The release workflow is detailed in its own writeup; these are the main
-scripts used by the release manager:
-
--   **release** builds a new release branch in the main repo, for vetting.  
-    This includes updating version dependencies or constants,
-    generating version(s) of the user guide; and possibly
-    moving or ignoring stuff, distinguishing release from development.
-    If successful, it will update the `config` file, with the version number
-    in it, and it will run the related scripts following, to revise
-    the release distributions.  
-	Usage: `admin/release version qualifier`
--   **release-userguide** builds the distributable userguide repo.  
-    It could be used on its own, but is normally part of `release`.
--   **release-deploy** pushes the release changes to the appropriate github
-    repositories. Tag & create releases on GitHub. This is not easily reversible!  
-	Usage: `admin/release-deploy version qualifier`
--   **release-revert** can be used to restore your repositories to the state they
-    were in before you started a release. **IF** you haven't deployed. 
-    This is in case you decide not to proceed with the release, for any reason. 
-    Remember to be polite when running it.
+The release process is detailed in [RELEASE.md](./RELEASE.md). These scripts
+are used as part of that process:
 
+-   **prepare-release.php** creates the `release-4.x.x` branch and updates
+    version references in the framework source, the user guide, and the
+    distribution build script.  
+    Usage: `php admin/prepare-release.php 4.x.x`
+-   **create-new-changelog.php** creates the changelog and upgrade guide
+    stubs for the next version and adds them to their index files.  
+    Usage: `php admin/create-new-changelog.php <current_version> <new_version>`
 
 ## Other Stuff
 
--   **release-notes.bb** is a boilerplate for forum announcements of a new release.  
-    It is marked up using [BBcode](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBCode).
 -   The **framework** and **starter** subfolders contain files that will over-ride
     those from the development repository, when the distribution repositories
     are built.
 -   The subfolders inside `admin` contain "next release" files in the case of 
     `codeigniter4` and over-written distribution files in the other cases.
--   The CHANGELOG.md file is auto-generated using the [GitHub Changelog Generator](https://github.com/github-changelog-generator/github-changelog-generator)
+-   The CHANGELOG.md file is generated from GitHub's auto-generated release
+    notes, as described in [RELEASE.md](./RELEASE.md).

admin/RELEASE.md

@@ -18,17 +18,18 @@
 
 ## Merge `develop` branch into next minor version branch `4.y`
 
-Before starting release process, if there are commits in `develop` branch that
+Before starting the release process, if there are commits in `develop` branch that
 are not merged into `4.y` branch, merge them. This is because if conflicts occur,
 merging will take time.
 
-```console
-git fetch upstream
-git switch 4.y
-git merge upstream/4.y
-git merge upstream/develop
-git push upstream HEAD
-```
+* [ ] Merge `develop` into `4.y`:
+    ```console
+    git fetch upstream
+    git switch 4.y
+    git merge upstream/4.y
+    git merge upstream/develop
+    git push upstream HEAD
+    ```
 
 ## [Minor version only] Merge minor version branch into `develop`
 
@@ -118,16 +119,16 @@ the existing content.
     * Create a new branch `release-4.x.x`
     * Update **system/CodeIgniter.php** with the new version number:
       `const CI_VERSION = '4.x.x';`
-    * Update **user_guide_src/source/conf.py** with the new `version = '4.x'` (if releasing
-      the minor version) and `release = '4.x.x'`.
+    * Update **user_guide_src/source/conf.py** with the new `version = '4.x'`
+      and `release = '4.x.x'`.
     * Update **user_guide_src/source/changelogs/{version}.rst**
       * Set the date to format `Release Date: January 31, 2021`
     * Update **phpdoc.dist.xml** with the new `<title>CodeIgniter v4.x API</title>`
       and `<version number="4.x.x">`
     * Update **admin/starter/builds**:
       * Set `define('LATEST_RELEASE', '^4.x')`
-      * Set `define('NEXT_MINOR', '4.y-dev')`.
-      * If the major version changes, you need to manually change to `define('NEXT_MINOR', '5.0-dev')`.
+      * Set `define('NEXT_MINOR', '^4.y-dev')`.
+      * If the major version changes, you need to manually change to `define('NEXT_MINOR', '^5.0-dev')`.
     * Commit the changes with `Prep for 4.x.x release`
 * [ ] Create a new PR from `release-4.x.x` to `develop`:
   * Title: `Prep for 4.x.x release`
@@ -234,26 +235,31 @@ sudo pip3 install sphinx_rtd_theme
 
 ### Manual User Guide Process
 
-* Still in the **CodeIgniter4** repo enter the **user_guide_src** directory
-* Clear out any old build files: `rm -rf build/`
-* Build the HTML version of the User Guide: `make html`
-* Build the ePub version of the User Guide: `make epub`
-* Switch to the **userguide** repo and create a new branch `release-4.x.x`
-* Replace **docs/** with **CodeIgniter4/user_guide_src/build/html**
-* Ensure the file **docs/.nojekyll** exists or GitHub Pages will ignore folders
+> [!NOTE]
+> This process is normally not needed. The "Deploy Distributable Repos" action
+> builds and deploys the User Guide automatically when a release is published.
+> Follow these steps only if the automatic deployment fails.
+
+* [ ] Still in the **CodeIgniter4** repo enter the **user_guide_src** directory
+* [ ] Clear out any old build files: `rm -rf build/`
+* [ ] Build the HTML version of the User Guide: `make html`
+* [ ] Build the ePub version of the User Guide: `make epub`
+* [ ] Switch to the **userguide** repo and create a new branch `release-4.x.x`
+* [ ] Replace **docs/** with **CodeIgniter4/user_guide_src/build/html**
+* [ ] Ensure the file **docs/.nojekyll** exists or GitHub Pages will ignore folders
   with an underscore prefix
-* Copy **CodeIgniter4/user_guide_src/build/epub/CodeIgniter.epub** to
+* [ ] Copy **CodeIgniter4/user_guide_src/build/epub/CodeIgniter.epub** to
   **./CodeIgniter4.x.x.epub**
-* Commit the changes with "Update for 4.x.x" and push to origin
-* Create a new PR from `release-4.x.x` to `develop`:
+* [ ] Commit the changes with "Update for 4.x.x" and push to origin
+* [ ] Create a new PR from `release-4.x.x` to `develop`:
   * Title: "Update for 4.x.x"
   * Description: blank
-* Merge the PR
-* Create a new Release:
+* [ ] Merge the PR
+* [ ] Create a new Release:
   * Version: "v4.x.x"
   * Title: "CodeIgniter 4.x.x User Guide"
   * Description: "CodeIgniter 4.x.x User Guide"
-* Watch for the "github pages" Environment to make sure the deployment succeeds
+* [ ] Watch for the "github pages" Environment to make sure the deployment succeeds
 
 The User Guide website should update itself via the deploy GitHub Action. Should
 this fail the server must be updated manually. See repo and hosting details in