.. _contributing:


Contributing to Orthanc
=======================

.. toctree::
   :hidden:

   unanswered-forum.rst
   
If you find Orthanc useful and wish to contribute to its development,
here are some tasks you can take in charge that would greatly help us:

* **Non-coding tasks**:
  
  - Use Orthanc in the real life. ;)
  - Advertise about Orthanc, notably on social networks (we are active
    on `Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/orthancdicom/>`__ and
    `Twitter <https://twitter.com/OrthancServer>`__).
  - Answer our `survey
    <https://www.orthanc-server.com/static.php?page=blog#survey>`_.
  - Improve and translate the `Wikipedia pages
    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthanc_(software)>`_ about Orthanc.
  - Cite the `reference paper about Orthanc
    <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10278-018-0082-y>`__
    in your research work.
  - Answer questions posted to the `mailing list
    <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/orthanc-users>`_.

    - **Important**: A page list the :ref:`old questions that are not
      fully answered yet <unanswered_forum>`. Consider answering these
      topics too!
    
  - Improve the text of the `Orthanc Book and REST API documentation
    <https://hg.orthanc-server.com/orthanc-book/file/default>`__ (check
    out the instructions provided in the `README file
    <https://hg.orthanc-server.com/orthanc-book/file/default/README.md>`__,
    and send us a :ref:`simple patch <hg-patch>`).
  - Pursue the `OpenAPI documentation
    <https://api.orthanc-server.com/>`__, that is still
    work-in-progress (`check out its source code
    <https://hg.orthanc-server.com/orthanc-book/file/default/OpenAPI>`__).
  - Provide documentation and use cases (inside the dedicated `GitHub
    repository <https://github.com/jodogne/OrthancContributed>`_, via
    pull requests).
  - Index external contributions inside the `Links.md
    <https://github.com/jodogne/OrthancContributed/blob/master/Links.md>`_
    file.

* **Maintenance tasks**:
      
  - Report problems together with sample DICOM images and possible
    workarounds on the dedicated `issue tracker
    <http://bugs.orthanc-server.com/>`_.
  - Package Orthanc and its associated plugins for more UNIX or
    GNU/Linux distributions (e.g. Ubuntu PPA, RHEL/`EPEL
    <https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/EPEL>`__, CentOS, openSUSE...).
  - Take ownership of the now-orphaned `Fedora package
    <https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/orthanc>`__.
  - Share your maintenance scripts or sample code inside the "`Orthanc Contributed
    <https://github.com/jodogne/OrthancContributed>`_" public GitHub
    repository, via pull requests.
  - Help with the integration of Orthanc together with our friend free
    and open-source projects, notably `GNU Health
    <https://www.orthanc-server.com/resources/orthanccon2019/GNUHealthCon-02-AxelBraun.pdf>`__,
    but also `OpenEMR
    <https://community.open-emr.org/t/project-pacs-server-integration/13706/15>`__,
    `GNUmed <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNUmed>`__...
    

* **Coding tasks**:
      
  - The Orthanc project will happily accept patches in the core of
    Orthanc and in its associated official plugins. Please read the
    :ref:`dedicated FAQ entry <cla>`.
  - Interface Orthanc with other software (e.g. 3D Slicer,
    Matlab/Octave, Python, Horos, dicompyler...). Check the `already
    supported frameworks <https://www.orthanc-server.com/static.php?page=resources>`_.
  - Develop :ref:`C/C++/Python plugins extending the Orthanc core <plugins>`.  Here are some ideas
    of possible plugins:
  
    + Create a :ref:`more advanced Web interface
      <improving-interface>` than the built-in Orthanc Explorer.
    + Extend the :ref:`sample modality worklist plugin <worklist>` so
      that it manages the worklists (i.e. add/remove items) with a
      REST API or HL7 messages, instead of reading them from some
      folder on the filesystem.
    + Conversion to/from `NIfTI
      <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165027016300073?via%3Dihub>`__
      and/or `BIDS
      <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_Imaging_Data_Structure>`__,
      notably for neuroimaging.
    + `Encapsulate a video into a DICOM file
      <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/28698888/creating-h-264-avc-dicom-file-with-dcmtk/28737338#28737338>`__
      by calling some REST route, similarly to the
      ``/tools/create-dicom`` :ref:`route to encapsulate PDF <pdf>`.
    + Similarly to video and PDF (cf. item above), `wrap/unwrap a STL
      (3D mesh) to/from a DICOM file
      <http://dicom.nema.org/medical/dicom/2020b/output/chtml/part03/sect_A.85.html>`__
      by calling some REST route. This is notably useful for dentistry
      (dental implants) or orthopaedics, yet even cutting-edge
      research about 3D-printing of organs. In complement, provide a
      `FreeCAD extension
      <https://twitter.com/sjodogne/status/1299632772915625984>`__ to
      import/export such STL files from/to Orthanc.
    + Have a look at the TODO file containing our `official roadmap
      <https://hg.orthanc-server.com/orthanc/file/default/TODO>`__.
  
  - Develop a way to "mount" the content of one Orthanc server as a
    network drive through the :ref:`REST API <rest>`, using either
    `FTP <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Transfer_Protocol>`__,
    `FUSE <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filesystem_in_Userspace>`__
    (through `Samba
    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samba_(software)>`__ for Windows)
    or `WebDAV <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebDAV>`__.
  - Always remember that he **recommended way of contributing to the
    source code of Orthanc is by creating C/C++/Python plugins, or by
    creating external software that use the REST API**. If the current
    plugin SDK is insufficient for you to develop some feature as a
    plugin, do not hesitate to request an extension to the Orthanc SDK
    on the `mailing list
    <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/orthanc-users>`_.


* **Financial support**:

  - Osimis provides `support packs and professional development
    services <https://www.osimis.io/en/services.html>`__ around the
    Orthanc ecosystem and, more generally, around medical
    imaging. Buying such professional services is the best way to make
    the Orthanc project sustainable in the long term.