6 Nullprpl is a mock protocol plugin for Pidgin and libpurple. You can create
7 accounts with it, sign on and off, add buddies, and send and receive IMs, all
8 without connecting to a server!
10 Beyond that basic functionality, nullprpl supports presence and away/available
11 messages, offline messages, user info, typing notification, privacy
12 allow/block lists, chat rooms, whispering, room lists, and protocol icons and
13 emblems. Notable missing features are file transfer and account registration
16 Nullprpl is intended as an example of how to write a libpurple protocol
17 plugin. It doesn't contain networking code or an event loop, but it does
18 demonstrate how to use the libpurple API to do pretty much everything a
19 protocol might need to do.
21 Nullprpl is also a useful tool for hacking on Pidgin, Finch, and other
22 libpurple clients. It's a full-featured protocol plugin, but doesn't depend on
23 an external server, so it's a quick and easy way to exercise test new code. It
24 also allows you to work while you're disconnected.
26 -----------------------
27 BUILDING AND INSTALLING
28 -----------------------
30 To build, just run ./configure as usual in the root directory of the pidgin
31 source distribution. Then cd libpurple/protocols/null and then make. To
32 install, run make install. Then run Pidgin.
34 To build nullprpl on Windows (with Cygwin/MinGW), use: make -f Makefile.mingw
39 To add a nullprpl account, go to the account editor window and click Add.
40 Select Null Protocol from the protocol drop-down list, and enter any username
43 Now, use Pidgin like normal. You can add buddies, send IMs, set away messages,
44 etc. If you send IMs to your own username, they will be echoed back to you.