KTp/Tasks/TextUIQML

Declarative TextUI

Rationale

In order to modernise we need more control.

This means doing our own thing with themes so we can change them. QML in many ways is a good choice, messages are like a list model.

We will get

• Delivery Reports inline
• Error messages inline
• Better, richer plugins
• Seperation between data + logic + view
• Typing indicators inline
• Contact status inline + mobile icon
• History loaded on demand
• Better load types (Webkit is slow, and we need avatars etc. before we can do anything)
• User selected fonts for better desktop integration
• Chat plasmoid will benefit from this too
• Smoother loading/scrolling on images loading.. maybe :)

Action Plan

• Plan is to kill the webkit parts
• Replace that part with a QDeclarativeView
• It will NOT be merged if there are regressions
• The group chat participants list will remain the same, toolbars will remain the same, typing area will remain the same. I do _NOT_ want to change those.
• Themes will have Conversation* object exposed as rootContextProperty. I don't think it makes any sense to use ConversationsModel
• It needs to look like part of a desktop app, and not part of something Plasma.

Work that needs doing

Status	Action	Where	Developer
TODO	Split message handling out of ChatWidget	textUI	<[email protected]>
TODO	Figure out how to do Copying text	QML Demo	<[email protected]>
TODO	Figure out how to do searching + scroll	QML Demo	<[email protected]>
TODO	Use user set desktop font size	QML Demo	<[email protected]>
TODO	Fix autoscroll to bottom	Active/Plasmoid	<[email protected]>
TODO	Add log loading to MessagesModel	KCI	<[email protected]>
TODO	Handle MessageDeliveryReports in MessagesModel. Ideally update existing sent message with a property.	KCI	<[email protected]>
TODO	Remove TargetContact - put as title + avatar + icon in Conversation. Be group chat compliant	KCI	<[email protected]>

Plugins are another problem. We can deal with that afterwards. Dave has a plan in his brain.

• I'm not sure if we want to drop AdiumTheme support or not.

QML issues remaining

• Desktop Scrollbars (see Muon Discover)
• We need "scroll to bottom" on new message
• Find (highlight and scroll to the right place)
• Text copying (not easy)
• Make arrow keys cause scroll
• Links working
• Emoticons to text
• Plugins (I want the message to have some sort of map of "what QML item to insert, and properties to pass to it"

   Custom items could then be included.

• Warnings in "take2" theme
• Sort out notification handling