annotate libpurple/protocols/null/README @ 21621:b2aa68cdc8b9

I had used memcpy to copy the struct tm to where the caller wants it, but this assumes all callers provide their own allocated struct, which is not necessarily always the case. If callers want to keep the values of this struct tm across multiple calls to purple_str_to_time, they had better copy it themselves. (which is essentially the same as it was before when we were returning the pointer to the struct as returned by localtime(), which is also statically allocated)

nullprpl

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OVERVIEW
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Nullprpl is a mock protocol plugin for Pidgin and libpurple. You can create
accounts with it, sign on and off, add buddies, and send and receive IMs, all
without connecting to a server!

Beyond that basic functionality, nullprpl supports presence and away/available
messages, offline messages, user info, typing notification, privacy
allow/block lists, chat rooms, whispering, room lists, and protocol icons and
emblems. Notable missing features are file transfer and account registration
and authentication.

Nullprpl is intended as an example of how to write a libpurple protocol
plugin. It doesn't contain networking code or an event loop, but it does
demonstrate how to use the libpurple API to do pretty much everything a prpl
might need to do.

Nullprpl is also a useful tool for hacking on Pidgin, Finch, and other
libpurple clients. It's a full-featured protocol plugin, but doesn't depend on
an external server, so it's a quick and easy way to exercise test new code. It
also allows you to work while you're disconnected.

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BUILDING AND INSTALLING
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To build, just run ./configure as usual in the root directory of the pidgin
source distribution. Then cd libpurple/protocols/null and type make. To
install, copy libnull.la and .libs/libnull.so into your ~/.purple/plugins
directory. Then run Pidgin.

To build nullprpl on Windows (with Cygwin/MinGW), use Makefile.mingw.

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USAGE
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To add a nullprpl account, go to the account editor window and click Add.
Select Nullprpl from the protocol drop-down list, and enter any username you
want.

Now, use Pidgin like normal. You can add buddies, send IMs, set away messages,
etc. If you send IMs to your own username, they will be echoed back to you.