[Pidgin] #13577: Feature request: Search API for account plugins ans supporting preferences in pidgin

[Pidgin]

#13577: Feature request: Search API for account plugins ans supporting preferences
in pidgin
--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  alanwevans          |        Owner:  rekkanoryo  
     Type:  enhancement         |       Status:  new         
Milestone:                      |    Component:  unclassified
  Version:  2.7.11              |   Resolution:              
 Keywords:  account search api  |  
--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------
Description changed by alanwevans:

Old description:

> I sent over a request to the SIPE plugin developers but it occurs to me
> that my request could be bigger.
>
> What about adding to the API a search API that can be called by the IM
> pidgin to search all (or selected accounts) for contacts.
>
> Imagine on the pidgin interface a search box at the top or bottom of the
> buddy list where a user types in a name, title, email address or some
> other searchable item then presses enter.  Pidgin would then call a
> search API on all connected Accounts and aggregate the results into one
> list.
>
> Each account plugin could selectively implement the API and pidgin could
> be made to have preferences.  I.e. I as a user could decide that I don't
> want to search gmail, or AIM, or ICQ but I do want to search two other
> xmpp servers and my OCS server for a contact.
>
> API should provide
> - A normalized set of searchable attributes that each account plugin
> could translate to implementation specific attributes
>   - API might refer to "First Name" and "Last Name" but a particular
> account plugin may know "Given Name" and "Surname" attributes
>
> Account Plugin Should
> - Indicate whether or not it supports search
> - Indicate which normalized attributes it supports searching
> - Implement a search function
> - Return search results asynchronously
>
> Pidgin Should Provide
> - A global/universal search that searches user customizable attributes by
> account plugin
> - An advanced search that allows searching of one normalized attribute
> across all plugins
> - Should collect search results and display according to user preferences
> as results come in
> - Implement a preferences tab that controls which accounts are searchable
> in the universal/global search and which attributes to search in each
> account
>
> That's what I've got at the moment.  Please excuse my spelling/grammar
> and off the cuff writing style.  I just wanted to get my idea out and
> into discussion.
>
> I am not familiar with the libpurple library or the specifics of pidgin
> but I would be glad to work with anyone to flesh this idea out in a
> conceptual manner and test/qa should it move forward.
>
> Regards,
> -Alan

New description:

 I sent over a request to the SIPE plugin developers but it occurs to me
 that my request could be bigger.

 What about adding to the API a search API that can be called by the IM
 pidgin to search all (or selected accounts) for contacts.

 Imagine on the pidgin interface a search box at the top or bottom of the
 buddy list where a user types in a name, title, email address or some
 other searchable item then presses enter.  Pidgin would then call a search
 API on all connected Accounts and aggregate the results into one list.

 Each account plugin could selectively implement the API and pidgin could
 be made to have preferences.  I.e. I as a user could decide that I don't
 want to search gmail, or AIM, or ICQ but I do want to search two other
 xmpp servers and my OCS server for a contact.

 API should provide[[BR]]
 - A normalized set of searchable attributes that each account plugin could
 translate to implementation specific attributes[[BR]]
 -- API might refer to "First Name" and "Last Name" but a particular
 account plugin may know "Given Name" and "Surname" attributes[[BR]]

 Account Plugin Should[[BR]]
 - Indicate whether or not it supports search[[BR]]
 - Indicate which normalized attributes it supports searching[[BR]]
 - Implement a search function[[BR]]
 - Return search results asynchronously[[BR]]

 Pidgin Should Provide[[BR]]
 - A global/universal search that searches user customizable attributes by
 account plugin[[BR]]
 - An advanced search that allows searching of one normalized attribute
 across all plugins[[BR]]
 - Should collect search results and display according to user preferences
 as results come in[[BR]]
 - Implement a preferences tab that controls which accounts are searchable
 in the universal/global search and which attributes to search in each
 account[[BR]]

 That's what I've got at the moment.  Please excuse my spelling/grammar and
 off the cuff writing style.  I just wanted to get my idea out and into
 discussion.

 I am not familiar with the libpurple library or the specifics of pidgin
 but I would be glad to work with anyone to flesh this idea out in a
 conceptual manner and test/qa should it move forward.

 Please excuse the re-post, I am not fluent in trac and forgot to add my
 formatting marks.

 Regards,[[BR]]
 -Alan

--

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/13577#comment:1>
Pidgin <http://pidgin.im>
Pidgin