[Pidgin] #12597: No API to free resources allocated during blist_node_menu/purple_menu_action_new()

[Pidgin]

#12597: No API to free resources allocated during
blist_node_menu/purple_menu_action_new()
--------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
Reporter:  stefanb  |        Type:  enhancement
  Status:  new      |   Component:  libpurple  
 Version:  2.7.3    |    Keywords:             
--------------------+-------------------------------------------------------
 If a protocol plugin calls purple_menu_action_new() during the
 blist_node_menu callback and allocates memory for the menu callback data
 then there will memory leaked every time the buddy list menu is
 constructed.

 pidgin calls purple_menu_action_free() for each menu entry after
 constructing the corresponding GTK menu widget. But
 purple_menu_action_free() only frees the strdup'd label and the
 PurpleMenuAction itself, nothing else.

 The API documentation doesn't mention that it is not allowed to allocate
 resources for a call to purple_menu_action_new().


 One example where this happens is with the pidgin-sipe protocol plugin on
 OCS2007 servers. In this setup it will dynamically generate Access Level
 menu entries which have data structures allocated for the menu callback.

 Two ideas for an API:

  - add an optional "free resources" callback to a new version of
 purple_menu_action_new(). When the libpurple client destroys the buddy
 list menu it could then execute the callback for those menu entries that
 define one

  - add a new protocol plugin callback to release resource allocated by
 blist_node_menu callback. The protocol plugin would then be responsible to
 gather the information about allocated resources in a separate list
 assigned to the account. After the libpurple client is finished with the
 menu it would then execute this new "blist_node_menu_free" callback so
 that the protocol plugin can free the resources.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/12597>
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