[Pidgin] #14514: Create cross-platform Steam chat plugin with Steamkit2

[Pidgin]

#14514: Create cross-platform Steam chat plugin with Steamkit2
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 Reporter:  justdan96                      |        Owner:  rekkanoryo  
     Type:  plugin request                 |       Status:  new         
Milestone:                                 |    Component:  unclassified
  Version:  2.9.0                          |   Resolution:              
 Keywords:  steam vapor steamkit2 steamre  |  
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Description changed by justdan96:

Old description:

> There is already a Windows-only Steam chat plugin that has been created
> using Opensteamworks (https://code.google.com/p/pidgin-opensteamworks/)
> but as has already been mentioned
> (http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/3987) the Steamre project has created
> Steamkit2 (https://bitbucket.org/VoiDeD/steamre/src) - a .Net/Mono
> library for interfacing with Steam, without the need for a Steam client
> to be installed - and a full portable chat client using the library
> called Vapor (https://bitbucket.org/VoiDeD/steamre/downloads). This
> should make it possible to bring cross-platform Steam chat to Pidgin.
>
> The biggest hurdle to creating a Steamkit Pidgin plugin is the language
> it is coded in, C# whereas libpurple is in C.
>
> I have talked to the developer of the Opensteamworks plugin and he has
> said that continued development of the Monoloader plugin to libpurple
> would be required to create a C# Steamkit protocol plugin. Specifically,
> securing the exception handling code of the plugin from the exception
> handling code of Pidgin itself.
>
> Someone has supposedly ported Steamkit2 to C (http://dev-
> zilla.net/?p=24), and I am trying to contact the developer about whether
> they will release the code or not. He is making an iPhone app so it could
> well end up being not particularly useful, or if he is seeking to
> monetise the app he probably won't release the code. Having a C port of
> Steamkit2 would make it easier to create a plugin but would require
> constant maintenance to keep the C code updated with the C# code.
>
> I put this in plugin request in case some experienced developer wants to
> step up and re-write the Steamkit2 code into a Pidgin plugin, or liaise
> with the Pidgin developers to make one easier to create without a C port
> of the Steamkit. Doing so would deliver a cross-platform Steam chat
> plugin to Pidgin users which could be hugely beneficial to the community.

New description:

 There is already a Windows-only Steam chat plugin that has been created
 using Opensteamworks (https://code.google.com/p/pidgin-opensteamworks/)
 but as has already been mentioned (http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/3987)
 the Steamre project has created Steamkit2
 (https://bitbucket.org/VoiDeD/steamre/src) - a .Net/Mono library for
 interfacing with Steam, without the need for a Steam client to be
 installed - and a full portable chat client using the library called Vapor
 (https://bitbucket.org/VoiDeD/steamre/downloads). This should make it
 possible to bring cross-platform Steam chat to Pidgin.

 The biggest hurdle to creating a Steamkit Pidgin plugin is the language it
 is coded in, C# whereas libpurple is in C.

 I have talked to the developer of the Opensteamworks plugin and he has
 said that continued development of the Monoloader plugin to libpurple
 would be required to create a C# Steamkit protocol plugin. Specifically,
 securing the exception handling code of the plugin from the exception
 handling code of Pidgin itself.

 Someone has supposedly ported Steamkit2 to C (http://dev-zilla.net/?p=24),
 and I am trying to contact the developer about whether they will release
 the code or not. He is making an iPhone app so it could well end up being
 not particularly useful, or if he is seeking to monetise the app he
 probably won't release the code. Having a C port of Steamkit2 would make
 it easier to create a plugin but would require constant maintenance to
 keep the C code updated with the C# code.

 I put this in plugin request in case some experienced developer wants to
 step up and re-write the Steamkit2 code into a Pidgin plugin, or liaise
 with the Pidgin developers to make one easier to create without a C port
 of the Steamkit. Doing so would deliver a cross-platform Steam chat plugin
 to Pidgin users which could be hugely beneficial to the community.

 --

 Edit: I have contacted the developer of the Steamkit C port, he will
 release the code, so that opens up the possibility of someone taking that
 code and creating a Pidgin plugin from it.

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Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/14514#comment:1>
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