Plugin that allows to resize entry area height manually

[nodashi]

This simple plugin allows users to get back an old-style input area resize policy. Makefile.am into a "plugins" subdir is patched, and new source file named "manualsize.c" is created.

Plugin tasks: when conversation created, the plugin rebuilds a tree of widgets in a conversation pane

1. Creates a GtkVPaned widget (VPane)

2. Moves old pane into a top area of VPane

2. Moves lower_hbox of conversation into a lower area of VPane

4. Adds VPane into old pane's parent

5. Connects handler to a GtkNotebook? "page-added" signal to avoid some packing issues

[Iyeru]

Will this work for the windows version? If so, how do I install it for the Windows version?

[Gookey]

Posting so I receive updates on this.

[deryni]

There is no plugin attached. Also, a single-.c-file plugin does not require Makefile changes, "cd plugins/; make <pluginname>.so" will work, where pluginname is the name of the .c file (without the .c). Also, as this touches pidgin internal structs (which is the only way to accomplish the goal as far as I can see) this plugin should disallow itself from being unloaded when there are open conversation windows (or make sure to correctly undo itself when unloaded).

[nodashi]

Plugin code has been in the .patch-file.

The patch had two logical parts in one file: the first part patches Makefile.am, and the second part creates a new file named manualsize.c. It's a Tracker's bug that you do not see the second part of file :-) If you click "Download in original format", there will be full text of a patch.

And now, I agree that there are additional task to do. I will do it soon, and attach a new version here as standalone .c file.

[Iyeru]

So no one's willing to reply to my comment? That sucks, does everyone use Linux and make it not possible for non-coders to use this plugin because non-coders don't know how to use makefile?

[nodashi]

Replying to Iyeru:

So no one's willing to reply to my comment? That sucks, does everyone use Linux and make it not possible for non-coders to use this plugin because non-coders don't know how to use makefile?

May be It's possible to help you, but I ever don't know what operating system you use.

And even if it's a some kind of Linux, I don't know distribution you use. For a Fedora 8, I can submit you a simple RPM package you can install, and provide you a simple SRPM file so you can build plugin yourself.

But I has no time and no build farm to build a packages for everyone and everything.

[acer]

Hello, Is there a Win32 self-extracting binary, or .dll version build of plugin? Thanks, keep on the good work!

[nodashi]

No. I have no Win32 build environment installed.

[Iyeru]

Replying to nodashi:

No. I have no Win32 build environment installed.

Then I guess me--and a good few dozen or more Windows users--won't be able to fix the auto-resize thing. *sighs* Looks like I'm sticking with MirandaIM.

This also goes for ReactOS users.

[ralf.faust]

cc

As I said in the other thread, it would be great to get this adopted as a default plugin (and thus also cross-platform including windows).

Any chance?

[nodashi]

I can't to say, will be this plugin included into the default pidgin distribution or not. I'm not a pidgin developer, but advanced user only. But I'm shure that plugin code can be compiled under Win32 as most of other plugins, because ther are now Linux/X11-depended code.

[deryni]

At a quick glance I don't see any X specific code in this plugin which means it should compile and run on Windows just fine. I'm unsure if this plugin will be accepted as a default plugin (even if it was I doubt we would compile it by default) but for it to stand any chance of that happening it really should follow pidgin coding standards, which is does in many ways.

[Iyeru]

Replying to deryni:

At a quick glance I don't see any X specific code in this plugin which means it should compile and run on Windows just fine. I'm unsure if this plugin will be accepted as a default plugin (even if it was I doubt we would compile it by default) but for it to stand any chance of that happening it really should follow pidgin coding standards, which is does in many ways.

Since we're on the topic of Windows... where should I stick the plugin into? I believe there IS a plugins folder, but will it--Pidgin--see the plugin?

[deryni]

To build a plugin for pidgin on Windows you would read the FAQ entry for this http://developer.pidgin.im/wiki/Scripting%20and%20Plugins#HowdoIcompileapluginWindows(though I am not at all sure that building pidgin itself is necessary before you can compile a plugin).

[Iyeru]

Replying to deryni:

To build a plugin for pidgin on Windows you would read the FAQ entry for this http://developer.pidgin.im/wiki/Scripting%20and%20Plugins#HowdoIcompileapluginWindows(though I am not at all sure that building pidgin itself is necessary before you can compile a plugin).

I don't know PERL or whatever, and I'm not much of a coder; so basically all of that's useless to me.

[deryni]

You don't need to know perl nor do you need to be "much of a coder" to follow those directions. (Though the above link was broken the (though at the end doesn't belong so if that contributed to the confusion I'm sorry, the "How do I compile a plugin? (Windows)" question is the one you want.)

[Iyeru]

It looks very... hard though, and non-user friendly. I'd rather wait and stay with Miranda.

[deryni]

Hav fun with that.

[charding]

cc me

[charding]

Is this supposed to work with 2.4.0 or with mtn? I've compiled/installed into 2.4.0 with no effect on the conversation/chat window.

The plugin loads on startup with no errors.

[charding]

plugin works correctly on 2.4.0 with newly created conversation windows.

Replying to charding:

Is this supposed to work with 2.4.0 or with mtn? I've compiled/installed into 2.4.0 with no effect on the conversation/chat window. The plugin loads on startup with no errors.

[swbrown]

cc

[nodashi]

Replying to charding:

plugin works correctly on 2.4.0 with newly created conversation windows.

Yes, It's a plugin design feature. It works once for every new conversation. Old (already existing) conversation windows is not changed. When plugin unloaded, all new conversations will have auto-resized entry area again

[ralf.faust]

DLL of plugin for Windows XP and Vista, Pidgin 2.4.0 and 2.4.1

[ralf.faust]

Attached is the DLL version of the plugin. Simply copy to plugins dir and enable in the plugins directory in pidgin. I've tried it on Windows XP and Windows Vista with Pidgin 2.4.0 and 2.4.1.

All credits go to nodashi for this wonderful code! I LOVE IT!

For all who want to reproduce. * Install Pidgin build environment (see post by deryni) (caution: this will bloat your system) * then do the changes suggested by nodashi (i.e. copy the .c file to pidgin-X.X.X/plugins and do the changes in Makefile.am) * Finally (new!) change pidgin-X.X.X/plugins/Makefile.mingw, at the bottom there is a list of dlls, just insert a new line after "notify.dll \" and add "markerline.dll \" there * build as suggested in the post by deryni.

[deryni]

Windows doesn't use Makefile.am at all, there is no need to change it therefore. Further, like the FAQ entry says you don't need to edit Makefile.mingw either, just run "make <pluginname>.dll" from the pidgin-.../liburple/plugins/ or pidgin-.../pidgin/plugins directory (depending on what type of plugin it is, this plugin is a GTK+ plugin and as such needs to be in the pidgin-.../pidgin/plugins/ directory).

Also the name of this plugin is manualsize so you would use "make manualsize.dll" or add manualsize.dll to the Makefile.mingw file.

[ralf.faust]

Ah, yeah, typo. Should be manualsize. I have added the entry to Makefile.mingw to get it built with Pidgin by default. Thanks for the tip about Makefile.am. So, the new list is:

• Install Pidgin build environment (see here) (caution: this will bloat your system)
• Copy manualsize.c into pidin-X.X.X/pidgin/plugins folder
• Run "make manualsize.dll" in that directory.

To build with pidgin itself:

• Add entry to Makefile.mingw in the same directory, at the bottom there is a list of dlls, just insert a new line after "notify.dll \" and add "manualsize.dll \" there
• Build pidgin (see here)

[varchar255]

cc

[megaloman]

any idea how to use it on Fedora?

[grim]

Due to the high amount of interest in this plugin, and well mine as well, I would like to invite you (nodashi) and the plugin to the plugin pack.

If this is something that interests you feel free to get ahold of me on irc (grim) in #pidgin or #guifications.

[hobbified]

Manual size plugin for linux x86_64 built against pidgin 2.4.1

[hobbified]

Manual size plugin for linux i386 built against pidgin 2.4.1

[hobbified]

I've uploaded Linux binaries for those who don't want to get all of the build deps for pidgin just to get the plugin. Download the appropriate one, copy (as root) into /usr/lib/pidgin, activate from the plugins panel, and enjoy. Built against 2.4.1 but I understand they should work with 2.4.0.

[megaloman]

Replying to hobbified:

I've uploaded Linux binaries for those who don't want to get all of the build deps for pidgin just to get the plugin. Download the appropriate one, copy (as root) into /usr/lib/pidgin, activate from the plugins panel, and enjoy. Built against 2.4.1 but I understand they should work with 2.4.0.

Brilliant! and it works! :-) it works with 2.4.0 well.

Can I be a bit picky? Is there any chance that plugin would remember input field size? That would be great :) Thanks anyway for your effort!

[hobbified]

Replying to megaloman:

Replying to hobbified:

I've uploaded Linux binaries for those who don't want to get all of the build deps for pidgin just to get the plugin. Download the appropriate one, copy (as root) into /usr/lib/pidgin, activate from the plugins panel, and enjoy. Built against 2.4.1 but I understand they should work with 2.4.0.

Brilliant! and it works! :-) it works with 2.4.0 well. Can I be a bit picky? Is there any chance that plugin would remember input field size? That would be great :) Thanks anyway for your effort!

I didn't write the plugin, but looking at it, it already does just that. It registers a pair of config keys "/plugins/manualsize/chat_entry_height" and "/plugins/manualsize/im_entry_height", and I see them getting changed if I drag the bar around and exit.

[deryni]

For the record installing custom plugins into ~/.purple/plugins is generally a better idea than installing into the system-wide location unless you really need everyone on the system to have access to the plugin.

[nodashi]

Because developers doesn't accept plugin into standard distribution, I made a web page for storing all files related, and put there the following files:

* RPM file with a plugin * SRPM file of current pidgin version for a Fedora 8 that has a plugin included * Plugin source * SPEC file that changed so that it can be ease adding of any custom plugin * Patch that can be used to build your custom package for your own distributions * Win32 DLL plugin binary (all thanks for this to ralf.faust)

Anybody who can redisitribute a plugin can use under the terms of GPLv2 or later.

[nodashi]

Ough, I forgot a link: http://myfotomx.com/builds_en.html

[ralf.faust]

great, thanks nodashi!

[Haibara]

The Windows DLL seems to work fine under Win98 as well, not just XP and Vista.

[ralf.faust]

Nodashi: I seem to be getting a small bug with the plugin installed. When I have no chat windows open and I double click a contact, the cursor is not within the input area for immediate typing, I have to click into it first. I don't know whether its easy to fix but it would be great to have that again.

Thanks!

[deryni]

If the focus is just about anywhere else in the window you should be able to just try typing normally and it should move your focus to the input area (the exceptions are if the focus is in the menu or the tabbar or not in the window anywhere I think).

[ralf.faust]

Well, then the focus is probably outside the window... Whatever the case, starting to type does not work.

[megaloman]

Replying to ralf.faust:

Nodashi: I seem to be getting a small bug with the plugin installed. When I have no chat windows open and I double click a contact, the cursor is not within the input area for immediate typing, I have to click into it first. I don't know whether its easy to fix but it would be great to have that again.

I have the same problem. When I click on the contact, new window opens and focus is out of the input field. Also, input field does not remember its size. I am using Pidgin 2.4.0 from Fedora repo with plugin.so file (rpm file seems to be incorrect).

[drJeckyll]

1. when I click on contact from contact list tab is focused (I mean tab bar where name of contact is displayed) not a typing area just like ralf.faust and megaloman says ...

2. typing area size is not remembered correctly (I think megalonan have this in mind) ... i.e. open a conversation resize field, open another conversation in same window (in new tab) area with height before resize ... may be better is to remember last user resize not pre-configured one ? it is not a real issue for me since I can adjust size in prefs.xml but it is annoying :)

anyway great work :)

[drJeckyll]

sorry for double post but I just removed: gtk_widget_grab_focus( conv->entry ); in the end of rebuild_container(PidginConversation? * conv) and now focus is OK

[ralf.faust]

I just tried to check whether drJeckyll's fix would apply to me too. Trying to find the line I found out the manualsize.c has changed since I last built it. So I re-built it for Windows, keeping the line "gtk_widget_grab..." intact, and the focus now works for me on Win XP and Win Vista. drJeckyll, which OS are you using?

[ralf.faust]

New manualsize.dll, Windows 98, XP, Vista, Pidgin 2.4.0 and 2.4.1

[drJeckyll]

Replying to ralf.faust:

I just tried to check whether drJeckyll's fix would apply to me too. Trying to find the line I found out the manualsize.c has changed since I last built it. So I re-built it for Windows, keeping the line "gtk_widget_grab..." intact, and the focus now works for me on Win XP and Win Vista. drJeckyll, which OS are you using?

gentoo linux

[ralf.faust]

It might need different code for the two window managers then...?

I also noticed that with the new version (which includes the line drJekyll mentioned, and probably some more things) I get the focus inside the typing area when I open a new window (i.e. on the first tab), but not when I open a second tab. With the old version, it was the opposite (i.e. no focus when opening the window, but then when opening more tabs. Strange. I will need to investigate.

[nodashi]

Strange. I will need to investigate.

There is even more strange things. In fact, we has four(!) ways that creates a new conversation pane:

1. Creating new (active) conversation and new conversation window (double-click contact in a contacts list when no conversations opened)

2. Creating new (active) conversation as the tab in the existing conversation window (double-click contact in a contacts list when we already have opened conversations)

3. Creating new (active) conversation and the new conversation window (when receiving an IM message while we have no conversation windows)

4. Creating new (inactive) conversation as the tab existing conversation window (when receiving an IM message while we already have opened conversation windows)

If we have no gtk_widget_grab..., we have a focus loose in the first three cases. When we have "grab", then we have problem on the fourth way only, and first three ways is OK.

I'm working on it.

[nodashi]

Replying to ralf.faust:

It might need different code for the two window managers then...? I also noticed that with the new version (which includes the line drJekyll mentioned, and probably some more things) I get the focus inside the typing area when I open a new window (i.e. on the first tab), but not when I open a second tab. With the old version, it was the opposite (i.e. no focus when opening the window, but then when opening more tabs. Strange. I will need to investigate.

Now, I've completely fixed this bug.

The plugin also had been improved in a two ways:

1. Now new entry area height is stored immediately after user changed it (instant aplly). When user changed entry area height, he no more need to close conversation to save a settings, and all new conversations of the same type will have a new entry are height

2. When unloading, plugin removes all handlers it connect while was loaded

I hope it's a good enough to be included in a default pidgin's distirbution, and that deryni and/or other developers will accept it.

[ralf.faust]

Seems to work fine! Thanks a lot! I am attaching a new DLL for Windows.

[ralf.faust]

New version of manualsize.dll, Windows 98, XP, Vista, Pidgin 2.4.0 and 2.4.1

[megaloman]

Replying to nodashi:

Replying to ralf.faust:

It might need different code for the two window managers then...? I also noticed that with the new version (which includes the line drJekyll mentioned, and probably some more things) I get the focus inside the typing area when I open a new window (i.e. on the first tab), but not when I open a second tab. With the old version, it was the opposite (i.e. no focus when opening the window, but then when opening more tabs. Strange. I will need to investigate.

Now, I've completely fixed this bug. The plugin also had been improved in a two ways: 1. Now new entry area height is stored immediately after user changed it (instant aplly). When user changed entry area height, he no more need to close conversation to save a settings, and all new conversations of the same type will have a new entry are height 2. When unloading, plugin removes all handlers it connect while was loaded I hope it's a good enough to be included in a default pidgin's distirbution, and that deryni and/or other developers will accept it.

great but... how can I use it? I am using pidgin on Fedora 8, don't know what to do with patch/c files...

[ralf.faust]

nodashi: Works great in all situations. Good work! Thanks again! :)

megaloman: Seems like you need to build it yourself... I don't have Fedora, but I am assuming that it works like this: Download the Pidgin source, copy the manualsize.c file into the pidgin/plugins dir, apply the patch to Makefile.am in the same directory (or simply add the changes manually, it is straightforward) and build. The wiki here contains some more info on building Pidgin and building plugins if you run into trouble.

[nodashi]

great but... how can I use it? I am using pidgin on Fedora 8, don't know what to do with patch/c files...

You are the lucky man :-) Because I'm using Fedora 8 (and hope there will be Fedora 9 soon), I have built the package for a Fedora 8. You can get it here: http://www.myfotomx.com/builds_en.html

[megaloman]

Replying to nodashi:

great but... how can I use it? I am using pidgin on Fedora 8, don't know what to do with patch/c files...

You are the lucky man :-) Because I'm using Fedora 8 (and hope there will be Fedora 9 soon), I have built the package for a Fedora 8. You can get it here: http://www.myfotomx.com/builds_en.html

Thanks nodashi... but, when I am trying to use your rpm file, I get something like that:

[root@Mareg ~]# rpm -ivh /home/marek/Desktop/pidgin-manualsize-2.4.1-12.fc8.i386.rpm
/home/marek/Desktop/pidgin-manualsize-2.4.1-12.fc8.i386.rpm: not an rpm package (or package manifest):

[nodashi]

Thanks nodashi... but, when I am trying to use your rpm file, I get something like that:

Yes, problem confirmed.

It's a problem of my hosting provider, and I solved it right now.

Try to download an RPM file again, it will be downloaded right and can be installed.

[megaloman]

Replying to nodashi:

Thanks nodashi... but, when I am trying to use your rpm file, I get something like that:

Yes, problem confirmed. It's a problem of my hosting provider, and I solved it right now. Try to download an RPM file again, it will be downloaded right and can be installed.

Thanks! Many thanks! It works flawlessly now :)

[ralf.faust]

So... now that the plugin is working fine across platforms may I humbly request again to include this in the default distribution? I would really appreciate it and judging from the comment in this and the other thread I feel many people think the same way. Thanks.

[grassmonk]

I would like to add my voice to have this plugin included in the default distribution.

[unfair]

Can someone who is familiar with Pidgin change this so it works properly with tabs in the same way the previous Pidgin version did? (or post code here, I can add it and compile it)

Example: I open three tabs - now I change the height of the text area in Tab B - when I switch back to Tab A the text area is now changed to the size of the text area in Tab B. Changing Tab C would change A and B.. and so forth. It's almost as much of a pain to have to resize each tab independently as it is to use the new auto-sizing 'feature'... *almost*.

[nodashi]

Replying to unfair:

[...] It's almost as much of a pain to have to resize each tab independently as it is to use the new auto-sizing 'feature'... *almost*.

I will try to add it as a plugin option. There is no much job in this feature (all objects required is now tracked in a plugin), but it will take a some amount of time.

[yesimahuman]

Thank you so much for this plugin. I feel so claustrophobic with the new version. I've been using pidgin since it was early in gaim and have gotten used to it. I think I OCD'ed and would always resize the window. I feel uncomfortable now.

[kpobococ]

thank you very very much, I can now finally upgrade pidgin to the newest version!

[Root]

I vote for including this plug-in by default, and disabled by default to appease the developers.

In the meantime, if the Purple Plug-in Pack includes it that will make me almost as happy. ;)

[rekkanoryo]

We're not going to include this plugin in the Purple Plugin Pack, nor is it going to be included in Pidgin. It really is NOT that difficult to deal with third-party plugins.

[rekkanoryo]

Moving this to the rejected_patch type since we are not including it.

[hobbified]

Replying to rekkanoryo:

We're not going to include this plugin in the Purple Plugin Pack, nor is it going to be included in Pidgin. It really is NOT that difficult to deal with third-party plugins.

Try saying that again when your plugins are a thousandth as easy to install as Firefox's. You have no mechanism in place for real plugin management. I'd believe it if you told me that the pidgin devs regret having made third-party plugins possible, and that they're not easier to install because then you'd have to deal with people using them.

[Iyeru]

Replying to hobbified:

Replying to rekkanoryo:

We're not going to include this plugin in the Purple Plugin Pack, nor is it going to be included in Pidgin. It really is NOT that difficult to deal with third-party plugins.

Try saying that again when your plugins are a thousandth as easy to install as Firefox's. You have no mechanism in place for real plugin management. I'd believe it if you told me that the pidgin devs regret having made third-party plugins possible, and that they're not easier to install because then you'd have to deal with people using them.

Mozilla team doesn't have to deal with people using plugins though, since the individual plugin developers deal with problems their plugins bring up. However, some plugin developers don't provide support because 1.] They're too busy, 2.] because they think that it's stable enough to not have any problems, 3.] Because they're stuck up. And possibly more reasons.

[gamempire]

Does the plugin need to be updated for the latest release? I assume it just needs a little change in the header for the windows version?

I hadn't updated to 2.4 yet, but I just did because I couldn't connect to ICQ anymore because of AOL's little bug they introduced. However, with 2.4.3, dropping the dll in the plugins directory is not working. I'd really like to use this plugin, as I like having my windows of equal size.

Thanks.

[nodashi]

Replying to gamempire:

Does the plugin need to be updated for the latest release? I assume it just needs a little change in the header for the windows version?

I test a plugin with pidgin-2.4.0, pidgin-2.4.1 and pidgin-2.4.3 on a Windows, all three versions works fine.

[gamempire]

Replying to nodashi:

Replying to gamempire:

Does the plugin need to be updated for the latest release? I assume it just needs a little change in the header for the windows version?

I test a plugin with pidgin-2.4.0, pidgin-2.4.1 and pidgin-2.4.3 on a Windows, all three versions works fine.

Hmm, either I'm doing something wrong, or something is messed up in my installation. You just downloaded the file from the above links, added .dll to the end of it, and dropped it in the plugins directory and it worked fine? I guess I'll try setting up the development environment tonight to compile the plugin myself.

By the way, thank you nodashi, hobbified and ralf.faust for working on this.

[nodashi]

I had update a plugin to an "official" numeration :-)

Now there is version 0.6 available at http://myfotomx.com/builds_en.html

1. Plugin can be built standalone (without a pidgin's soure tree), had a very simple (but working) makefile

2. Plugin has a feature requested: it can be configured via the GUI to allow or disallow resizing of all IM/chat text entry areas height simultaneously (when you resize entry area in one conversation/chat, other conversations/chats automatically resized to the same size too).

[Iyeru]

Replying to nodashi:

I had update a plugin to an "official" numeration :-) Now there is version 0.6 available at http://myfotomx.com/builds_en.html 1. Plugin can be built standalone (without a pidgin's soure tree), had a very simple (but working) makefile 2. Plugin has a feature requested: it can be configured via the GUI to allow or disallow resizing of all IM/chat text entry areas height simultaneously (when you resize entry area in one conversation/chat, other conversations/chats automatically resized to the same size too).

How can we use an RPM Binary via Ubuntu when 7zip can't even extract the RPM binary? (On Ubuntu) I don't want to compile from source (since for me, it's too complicated), and the convert to deb method for a binary will take a long, long, long time.

[unfair]

lyeru, it's very easy just to compile the plugin from the source provided on nodashi's site.

nodashi, it works great until you open the third tab (or more), then the input box resizes to a size of zero and it will not allow you to make it larger until you close all but two of your tabs. (sometimes it freezes pidgin when you try to resize it as well...)

This bug only happens when you have the option checked to resize all IMs at once. (Using Carrier 2.4.2)

[nodashi]

Replying to unfair:

nodashi, it works great until you open the third tab (or more), then the input box resizes to a size of zero and it will not allow you to make it larger until you close all but two of your tabs.

Yes. I confirm that a bug existed. I've just fixed it (17 Jul 2008), a version where the bug has been fixed (I called it 0.6a) is now available.

[nodashi]

Replying to Iyeru:

How can we use an RPM Binary via Ubuntu

You can use a tool named "alien". It allows you to install RPM on DEB-based distro. From the my side, I has no Debian or Ubuntu installed, so I can't build and redistribute a DEB-package too.

[unfair]

thanks nodashi, works great now :)

[Iyeru]

Replying to nodashi:

Replying to Iyeru:

How can we use an RPM Binary via Ubuntu

You can use a tool named "alien". It allows you to install RPM on DEB-based distro. From the my side, I has no Debian or Ubuntu installed, so I can't build and redistribute a DEB-package too.

I installed alien, but when I use XArchive to extract it, it successfully extracts, but where it extracts, no manualresize.so appears. When I open the RPM, the manualresize.so has a path before it in the filename.

[ralf.faust]

The plugin works on Windows 7 Beta 1 as well.

[deryni]

I've linked to this ticket from the ThirdPartyPlugins page and as such am closing this ticket.