[Kde-pim] Future of SMS messaging through Kontact

[Stephen Kelly]

Tobias Koenig wrote:
>> My intention is to use kross to connect to different SMS message sending
>> providers. People writing the kross scripts would specify what provider
>> it is for, a login method, a sendMessage method, a logout method and any
>> other helper methods. I've only read about kross, and I don't know how it
>> really works, but I'm assuming that's possible.
>> 
>> Here's what the config dialog might look like:
>> http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kontactsmsmockup2oo9.png
> IMHO the user shouldn't be bothered with Kross, that's an implementation
> detail. Better show a list of available service providers (e.g. provide
> default Kross scripts for standard sms sending applications under
> linux/unix and maybe also for macosx and windows). Whether the sms
> sending applications are available could be tested (autodetection).

Sure. When I wrote users there I meant the kind of users who would be
inclined to write a script to add support for a provider. The same way that
people who write firefox extensions/plasmoids are just users with an itch
to scratch. I don't know if a GHNS interface would make it possible
for 'users' to create and upload new hot stuff directly.

I don't think I'm aware of any sms sending applications under any platform.
Any that I'm aware of function through a browser. Do you have more
information on that? Services provided through a broswer should be easy to
cater for.


> 
> So the best interface would be just a combobox which lists all kross
> scripts which are based on available (installed) programms and the user
> can select on of these.

That was the idea of the Country and Provider drop-down boxes. Not all
providers serve all countries. If someone has written a script for a
provider available in your country, it will be there(Or you may get it
through GHNS and then it will be there). Does that make sense or am I
over-thinking it?


>> I currently use the attached script to send messages though kontact, and
>> I'm sure other classes similar to MeteorHandler could be written very
>> quickly. I could write handlers for the other two providers in Ireland -
>> O2 and Vodafone. I'd expect to connect when attempting to send the first
>> message in a session, and then log out when kontact closes.
>> 
>> How much sense does this make? Is this what kross is suited to?
> Yes, I think so. And if you provide a good tutorial, which describes the
> Kross API, many new developers could be attracted here.

Well I'll be the first person to educate on that. I'm inexperienced as I
said, but I don't have a problem writing a techbase page once I know the
form the scripts will take.

 
> So the first step would be to create a library with a C++ API for this SMS
> service. This library hides all the communication with the cross scripts
> and handles the user configuration (e.g. stores selected sms provider,
> login, password etc.) Furthermore it provides methods for sending sms,
> retrieving status information etc.

I think that's the way I envisioned this working too. The C++ in this
component is generic and simply calls the 'login' and 'sendSMS' methods etc
that I atteched in python before or whatever in the selected Kross script?


> 
>> Also, I'd like to know the current state and plans for kaddressbook so
>> that I'm not duplicating work, and I can work with whoever is doing this.
> I'd like to remove the code from KAddressBook and put it into a
> separated component. This component can be embedded in every pim
> application then.

OK. Could you expand on that? Make it a KPart? make it a kdepim component
like kaddressbook/akkregator etc that can be embedded into kontact? A
component in that it would be available to plasma/anything else? I don't
think I share your understanding of the word component. What other
applications would use this component?


> 
> Ciao,
> Tobias

Thanks for the fast reply. I'm looking forward to starting on this.

Steve.

_______________________________________________
KDE PIM mailing list kde-pim at kde.org
https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-pim
KDE PIM home page at http://pim.kde.org/