This manual documents WeeChat chat client, it is part of WeeChat.
Latest version of this document can be found on this page: https://weechat.org/doc
1. Introduction
WeeChat (Wee Enhanced Environment for Chat) is a free chat client, fast and light, designed for many operating systems.
This manual documents way to write scripts for WeeChat, using one of supported script languages:
-
python
-
perl
-
ruby
-
lua
-
tcl
-
guile (scheme)
Note
|
Almost all examples in this doc are written in Python, but API is the same for other languages. |
2. Scripts in WeeChat
2.1. Languages specificities
2.1.1. Python
-
You have to
import weechat
-
Functions
print*
are calledprnt*
in python (because print is reserved keyword) -
Functions are called with
weechat.xxx(arg1, arg2, ...)
2.1.2. Perl
-
Functions are called with
weechat::xxx(arg1, arg2, ...);
2.1.3. Ruby
-
You have to define weechat_init and call register inside
-
Functions are called with
Weechat.xxx(arg1, arg2, ...)
-
Due to a limitation of Ruby (15 arguments max by function), the function
Weechat.config_new_option
receives the callbacks in an array of 6 strings (3 callbacks + 3 data strings), so a call to this function looks like:
2.1.4. Lua
-
Functions are called with
weechat.xxx(arg1, arg2, ...)
2.1.5. Tcl
-
Functions are called with
weechat::xxx arg1 arg2 ...
2.1.6. Guile (scheme)
-
Functions are called with
(weechat:xxx arg1 arg2 ...)
-
Following functions take one list of arguments (instead of many arguments for other functions), because number of arguments exceed number of allowed arguments in Guile:
-
config_new_section
-
config_new_option
-
bar_new
-
2.2. Register function
All WeeChat scripts must "register" themselves to WeeChat, and this must be first WeeChat function called in script.
Prototype:
Arguments:
-
name: string, internal name of script
-
author: string, author name
-
version: string, script version
-
license: string, script license
-
description: string, short description of script
-
shutdown_function: string, name of function called when script is unloaded (can be empty string)
-
charset: string, script charset (if your script is UTF-8, you can use blank value here, because UTF-8 is default charset)
Example of script, for each language:
-
python:
-
perl:
-
ruby:
-
lua:
-
tcl:
-
guile (scheme):
2.3. Load script
It is recommended to use the "script" plugin to load scripts, for example:
/script load script.py
/script load script.pl
/script load script.rb
/script load script.lua
/script load script.tcl
/script load script.scm
Each language has also its own command:
/python load python/script.py
/perl load perl/script.pl
/ruby load ruby/script.rb
/lua load lua/script.lua
/tcl load tcl/script.tcl
/guile load guile/script.scm
You can make link in directory language/autoload to autoload script when WeeChat is starting.
For example with Python:
$ cd ~/.weechat/python/autoload
$ ln -s ../script.py
Note
|
When installing a script with command /script install the link in autoload
directory is automatically created. |
3. Differences with C API
Script API is almost the same as C plugin API. You can look at WeeChat Plugin API Reference for detail about each function in API: prototype, arguments, return values, examples.
It’s important to make difference between a plugin and a script: a
plugin is a binary file compiled and loaded with command /plugin
, whereas
a script is a text file loaded with a plugin like python with command
/python
.
When your script test.py calls a WeeChat API function, path is like that:
┌──────────────────────┐ ╔══════════════════╗
│ python plugin │ ║ WeeChat "core" ║
├────────────┬─────────┤ ╟─────────┐ ║
test.py ─────► │ script API │ C API │ ─────► ║ C API │ ║
└────────────┴─────────┘ ╚═════════╧════════╝
When WeeChat calls a callback in your script test.py, it’s reverse of previous path:
╔══════════════════╗ ┌──────────────────────┐
║ WeeChat "core" ║ │ python plugin │
║ ┌─────────╢ ├─────────┬────────────┤
║ │ C API ║ ─────► │ C API │ script API │ ─────► test.py
╚════════╧═════════╝ └─────────┴────────────┘
3.1. Pointers
As you probably know, there is not really "pointers" in scripts. So when API functions return pointer, it is converted to string for script.
For example, if function return pointer 0x1234ab56, script will get string "0x1234ab56".
And when an API function expects a pointer in arguments, script must give that string value. C plugin will convert it to real pointer before calling C API function.
Empty string or "0x0" are allowed, they means NULL in C. For example, to print data on core buffer (WeeChat main buffer), you can do:
Warning
|
In many functions, for speed reasons, WeeChat does not check if your pointer is correct or not. It’s your job to check you’re giving a valid pointer, otherwise you may see a nice crash report ;) |
3.2. Callbacks
Almost all WeeChat callbacks must return WEECHAT_RC_OK or WEECHAT_RC_ERROR (exception is modifier callback, which returns a string).
C callbacks are using a "data" argument, which is a pointer. In script API, this "data" is a string with a any value (it’s not a pointer).
Example of callback, for each language:
-
python:
-
perl:
-
ruby:
-
lua:
-
tcl:
-
guile (scheme):
4. Script API
For more information about functions in API, please read WeeChat Plugin API Reference.
4.1. Functions
List of functions in script API:
Category | Functions |
---|---|
general |
register |
plugins |
plugin_get_name |
strings |
charset_set, iconv_to_internal, iconv_from_internal, gettext, ngettext, |
directories |
mkdir_home, mkdir, mkdir_parents |
sorted lists |
list_new, list_add, list_search, list_search_pos, list_casesearch, list_casesearch_pos, list_get, list_set, list_next, list_prev, list_string, list_size, list_remove, list_remove_all, list_free |
configuration files |
config_new, config_new_section, config_search_section, config_new_option,
config_search_option, |
key bindings |
key_bind, key_unbind |
display |
prefix, color, print (for python: prnt), print_date_tags (for python: prnt_date_tags), print_y (for python: prnt_y), log_print |
hooks |
hook_command, hook_command_run, hook_timer, hook_fd, hook_process, hook_process_hashtable, hook_connect, hook_print, hook_signal, hook_signal_send, hook_hsignal, hook_hsignal_send, hook_config, hook_completion, hook_completion_list_add, hook_modifier, hook_modifier_exec, hook_info, hook_info_hashtable, hook_infolist, hook_focus, hook_set, unhook, unhook_all |
buffers |
buffer_new, current_buffer, buffer_search, buffer_search_main, buffer_clear, buffer_close, buffer_merge, buffer_unmerge, buffer_get_integer, buffer_get_string, buffer_get_pointer, buffer_set, buffer_string_replace_local_var, buffer_match_list |
windows |
current_window, window_search_with_buffer, window_get_integer, window_get_string, window_get_pointer, window_set_title |
nicklist |
nicklist_add_group, nicklist_search_group, nicklist_add_nick, nicklist_search_nick, nicklist_remove_group, nicklist_remove_nick, nicklist_remove_all, nicklist_group_get_integer, nicklist_group_get_string, nicklist_group_get_pointer, nicklist_group_set, nicklist_nick_get_integer, nicklist_nick_get_string, nicklist_nick_get_pointer, nicklist_nick_set |
bars |
bar_item_search, bar_item_new, bar_item_update, bar_item_remove, bar_search, bar_new, bar_set, bar_update, bar_remove |
commands |
command |
infos |
info_get, info_get_hashtable |
infolists |
infolist_new, infolist_new_item, infolist_new_var_integer,
infolist_new_var_string, infolist_new_var_pointer, infolist_new_var_time, |
hdata |
hdata_get, hdata_get_var_offset, hdata_get_var_type_string, hdata_get_var_array_size, hdata_get_var_array_size_string, hdata_get_var_hdata, hdata_get_list, hdata_check_pointer, hdata_move, hdata_search, hdata_char, hdata_integer, hdata_long, hdata_string, hdata_pointer, hdata_time, hdata_hashtable, hdata_update, hdata_get_string |
upgrade |
upgrade_new, upgrade_write_object, upgrade_read, upgrade_close |
4.2. Constants
List of constants in script API:
Category | Constants |
---|---|
return codes |
WEECHAT_RC_OK, WEECHAT_RC_OK_EAT, WEECHAT_RC_ERROR |
configuration files |
WEECHAT_CONFIG_READ_OK, WEECHAT_CONFIG_READ_MEMORY_ERROR,
WEECHAT_CONFIG_READ_FILE_NOT_FOUND, WEECHAT_CONFIG_WRITE_OK,
WEECHAT_CONFIG_WRITE_ERROR, WEECHAT_CONFIG_WRITE_MEMORY_ERROR, |
sorted lists |
WEECHAT_LIST_POS_SORT, WEECHAT_LIST_POS_BEGINNING, WEECHAT_LIST_POS_END |
hotlist |
WEECHAT_HOTLIST_LOW, WEECHAT_HOTLIST_MESSAGE, WEECHAT_HOTLIST_PRIVATE, WEECHAT_HOTLIST_HIGHLIGHT |
hook process |
WEECHAT_HOOK_PROCESS_RUNNING, WEECHAT_HOOK_PROCESS_ERROR |
hook connect |
WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_OK, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_ADDRESS_NOT_FOUND, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_IP_ADDRESS_NOT_FOUND, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_CONNECTION_REFUSED, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_PROXY_ERROR, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_LOCAL_HOSTNAME_ERROR, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_GNUTLS_INIT_ERROR, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_GNUTLS_HANDSHAKE_ERROR, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_MEMORY_ERROR, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, WEECHAT_HOOK_CONNECT_SOCKET_ERROR |
hook signal |
WEECHAT_HOOK_SIGNAL_STRING, WEECHAT_HOOK_SIGNAL_INT, WEECHAT_HOOK_SIGNAL_POINTER |
5. Common tasks
This chapter shows some common tasks, with examples. Only partial things in API are used here, for full reference, see WeeChat Plugin API Reference.
5.1. Buffers
5.1.1. Display messages
An empty string is often used to work with WeeChat core buffer. For other buffers, you must give pointer (as string, see pointers).
Examples:
Note
|
Print function is called print in Perl/Ruby/Lua/Tcl and prnt in Python. |
5.1.2. Send text to buffer
You can send text or command to a buffer. This is exactly like if you type text on command line and press [Enter].
Examples:
5.1.3. Create new buffer
You can create a new buffer in your script, then use it for displaying messages.
Two callbacks can be called (they are optional): one for input data (when you
type some text and press [Enter] on buffer), the other is called when buffer is
closed (for example by /buffer close
).
Example:
5.1.4. Buffer properties
You can read buffer properties, as string, integer or pointer.
Examples:
It is possible to add, read or delete local variables in buffer:
To see local variables of a buffer, do this command in WeeChat:
/buffer localvar
5.2. Hooks
5.2.1. Add new command
Add a custom command with hook_command
. You can use a custom completion
template to complete arguments of your command.
Example:
And then in WeeChat:
/help myfilter
/myfilter arguments...
5.2.2. Add a timer
Add a timer with hook_timer
.
Example:
5.2.3. Run a background process
You can run a background process with hook_process
. Your callback will be
called when data is ready. It may be called many times.
For the last call to your callback, rc is set to 0 or positive value, it’s return code of command.
Example:
5.2.4. URL transfer
New in version 0.3.7.
To download URL (or post to URL), you have to use function hook_process
, or
hook_process_hashtable
if you need to set options for URL transfer.
Example of URL transfer without option: the HTML page will be received as "out" in callback (standard output of process):
Tip
|
All infos available about WeeChat are on page https://weechat.org/dev/info |
Example of URL transfer with an option: download latest WeeChat development package in file /tmp/weechat-devel.tar.gz:
For more information about URL transfer and available options, see functions
hook_process
and hook_process_hashtable
in WeeChat Plugin API Reference.
5.3. Config / options
5.3.1. Set options for script
Function config_is_set_plugin
is used to check if an option is set or not,
and config_set_plugin
to set option.
Example:
5.3.2. Detect changes
You must use hook_config
to be notified if user changes some script options.
Example:
5.3.3. Read WeeChat options
Function config_get
returns pointer to option. Then, depending on option type,
you must call config_string
, config_boolean
, config_integer
or
config_color
.
5.4. IRC
5.4.1. Catch messages
IRC plugin sends two signals for a message received (xxx
is IRC internal
server name, yyy
is IRC command name like JOIN, QUIT, PRIVMSG, 301, ..):
- xxxx,irc_in_yyy
-
signal sent before processing message
- xxx,irc_in2_yyy
-
signal sent after processing message
5.4.2. Modify messages
IRC plugin sends a "modifier" called "irc_in_xxx" ("xxx" is IRC command) for a message received, so that you can modify it.
Warning
|
A malformed message could crash WeeChat or cause severe problems! |
5.4.3. Parse message
New in version 0.3.4.
You can parse an IRC message with info_hashtable called "irc_message_parse".
5.5. Infos
5.5.1. WeeChat version
The best way to check version is to ask "version_number" and make integer comparison with hexadecimal version number.
Example:
Note
|
Versions ≤ 0.3.1.1 return empty string for info_get("version_number") so you must check that value returned is not empty. |
To get version as string:
5.5.2. Other infos
5.6. Infolists
5.6.1. Read an infolist
You can read infolist built by WeeChat or other plugins.
Example:
Important
|
Don’t forget to call infolist_free to free memory used by infolist, because
WeeChat will not automatically free memory. |