update release notes / release template process

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/release.md

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ assignees: ''
     - At this point, changes must be cherry-picked into the release branch in
       order for them to be included in the release.
 - [ ] MM/DD/YYYY - Release Candidate 1 (begin Ask Mode[^1] for release branch).
-    - At this point, changes must be approved by @microsoft/hlsl-release
+    - At this point, cherry-picked changes must be approved by @microsoft/hlsl-release
 - [ ] MM/DD/YYYY - Final Release Candidate
 - [ ] MM/DD/YYYY - Target Release Date
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ This part of the release process is to 'prime the pump' - that is to make sure
 that all the various parts of the engineering system are set into place so that
 we are confident we can generate builds for the new branch
 
-- [ ] Update version number
+- [ ] Update version numbers in utils/version/latest-release.json and utils/version/version.inc
 - [ ] Create the release branch from `main`
     - The release branch is kept into sync with main via regular fast-forward
       merges.
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ we are confident we can generate builds for the new branch
 
 ## After Fork
 
-- [ ] Update README.md
+- [ ] Update README.md if necessary
 - [ ] Create draft of Release post on GitHub
 
 ## Quality Sign Off

README.md

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ At the moment, the DirectX HLSL Compiler provides the following components:
 
 - dxilconv.dll, a DLL providing a converter from DXBC (older shader bytecode format)
 
+- dxv.exe, a command-line tool that validates DXIL IR (compiled HLSL programs). 
+
 - various other tools based on the above components
 
 The Microsoft Windows SDK releases include a supported version of the compiler and validator.

docs/ReleaseNotes.md

@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ Place release notes for the upcoming release below this line and remove this lin
 
 ### Version 1.8.2502
 
-- The incomplete WaveMatrix implementation has been removed.
-- DXIL Validator Hash is open sourced.
-- DXIL container validation for PSV0 part allows any content ordering inside string and semantic index tables.
-- The and() and or() intrinsics will now accept non-integer parameters by casting them to bools.
+- The incomplete WaveMatrix implementation has been removed. [#6807](https://github.com/microsoft/DirectXShaderCompiler/pull/6807)
+- DXIL Validator Hash is open sourced. [#6846](https://github.com/microsoft/DirectXShaderCompiler/pull/6846)
+- DXIL container validation for PSV0 part allows any content ordering inside string and semantic index tables. [#6859](https://github.com/microsoft/DirectXShaderCompiler/pull/6859)
+- The and() and or() intrinsics will now accept non-integer parameters by casting them to bools. [#7060](https://github.com/microsoft/DirectXShaderCompiler/pull/7060)
 
 ### Version 1.8.2407