This document is the specification of WeeChat relay protocol: the protocol used to relay WeeChat data to clients, which are mostly remote interfaces.
1. Introduction
1.1. Terminology
The following terms are used in this document:
-
relay: this is the WeeChat with relay plugin, which acts as "server" and allows clients to connect
-
client: this is another software, connected to relay via a network connection; in most cases, this client is a remote interface
1.2. Network diagram
The clients are connected to relay like shown in this diagram:
┌──────────┐ ┌────────┐ ┌─────┤ client 1 │ Workstation (Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, Windows, ...) │ irc │◄───┐ ╔═════════════╤═══════╗ │ └──────────┘ └────────┘ └───╢ │ ║◄─────┘ ┌──────────┐ ...... ║ WeeChat │ Relay ║◄───────────┤ client 2 │ Mobile device (Android, iPhone, ...) ┌────────┐ ┌───╢ │ ║◄─────┐ └──────────┘ │ jabber │◄───┘ ╚═════════════╧═══════╝ │ ...... └────────┘ │ ┌──────────┐ ...... └─────┤ client N │ Other devices └──────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────────────┘╘══════════╛└──────────────────────┘ network servers ncurses interface relay remote interfaces protocol
Note
|
All clients here are clients using weechat protocol in relay plugin. The relay plugin also allows IRC clients, then relay plugin acts as an irc proxy (not described in this document). |
2. Protocol generalities
-
Connections from client to relay are made using TCP sockets on IP/port used by relay plugin to listen to new connections (option relay.port.weechat in WeeChat).
-
Number of clients is not limited.
-
Each client is independent from other clients.
-
Messages from client to relay are called commands, they are sent as text (a string).
-
Messages from relay to client are called messages, they are sent as binary data.
3. Commands (client → relay)
Commands have format: "(id) command arguments\n".
Fields are:
-
id: optional message identifier that will be sent in answer from relay; it must be enclosed in parentheses, and must not start with an underscore ("_") (ids starting with underscore are reserved for WeeChat event messages)
-
command: a command (see table below)
-
arguments: optional arguments for command (many arguments are separated by spaces)
List of available commands (detail in next chapters):
Command | Description |
---|---|
init |
Initialize connection with relay |
hdata |
Request hdata |
info |
Request info |
infolist |
Request infolist |
nicklist |
Request nicklist |
input |
Send data to a buffer (text or command) |
sync |
Synchronize buffer(s) (get updates for buffer(s)) |
desync |
Desynchronize buffer(s) (stop updates for buffer(s)) |
quit |
Disconnect from relay |
3.1. init
Initialize connection with relay. This must be first command sent to relay. If not sent, relay will close connection on first command received, without warning.
Syntax:
init [<option>=<value>,[<option>=<value>,...]]
Arguments:
-
option: one of following options:
-
password (required): password used to authenticate on relay (option relay.network.password in WeeChat)
-
compression (optional): compression type:
-
gzip: enable gzip compression for messages sent by relay
-
off: disable compression
-
-
Note
|
Compression gzip is enabled by default if relay supports gzip compression. |
Example:
init password=mypass,compression=gzip
3.2. hdata
Request hdata.
Syntax:
(id) hdata <path> [<keys>]
Arguments:
-
path: path to a hdata, with format: "hdata:pointer/var/var/…/var", the last var is the hdata returned:
-
hdata: name of hdata
-
pointer: pointer ("0x12345") or list name (for example: "gui_buffers") (count allowed, see below)
-
var: a variable name in parent hdata (previous name in path) (count allowed, see below)
-
-
keys: comma-separated list of keys to return in hdata returned (if not specified, all keys are returned, which is not recommended on large hdata structures)
A count is allowed after pointer and variables, with format "(N)". Possible values are:
-
positive number: iterate using next element, N times
-
negative number: iterate using previous element, N times
-
*: iterate using next element, until end of list
Examples:
# request all buffers, hdata of type "buffer" is returned # keys number and name are returned for each buffer hdata buffer:gui_buffers(*) number,name # request all lines of all buffers, hdata of type "line_data" is returned # all keys are returned hdata buffer:gui_buffers(*)/lines/first_line(*)/data # request full_name of first buffer hdata buffer:gui_buffers full_name
3.3. info
Request info.
Syntax:
(id) info <name>
Arguments:
-
name: name of info to retrieve
Example:
info version
3.4. infolist
Request infolist.
Important
|
Content of infolist is a duplication of actual data. Wherever possible, use command hdata, which is direct access to data (it is faster, uses less memory and returns smaller objects in message). |
Syntax:
(id) infolist <name> <arguments>
Arguments:
-
name: name of infolist to retrieve
-
arguments: arguments for infolist
Example:
infolist buffer
3.5. nicklist
Request nicklist, for one or all buffers.
Syntax:
(id) nicklist [<buffer>]
Arguments:
-
buffer: pointer (0x12345) or full name of buffer (for example: core.weechat or irc.freenode.#weechat)
Examples:
# request nicklist for all buffers nicklist # request nicklist for irc.freenode.#weechat nicklist irc.freenode.#weechat
3.6. input
Send data to a buffer.
Syntax:
input <buffer> <data>
Arguments:
-
buffer: pointer (0x12345) or full name of buffer (for example: core.weechat or irc.freenode.#weechat)
-
data: data to send to buffer: if beginning by /, this will be executed as a command on buffer, otherwise text is sent as input of buffer
Examples:
input core.weechat /help filter input irc.freenode.#weechat hello guys!
3.7. sync
Synchronize one or more buffers, to get updates.
Syntax:
sync [<buffer>[,<buffer>...] <options>]
Arguments:
-
buffer: pointer (0x12345) or full name of buffer (for example: core.weechat or irc.freenode.#weechat); name * can be used to specify all buffers
-
options: one of following keywords, separated by commas (default is buffer,nicklist):
-
buffer: receive signals about buffer (new lines, buffer renamed/moved/…)
-
nicklist: receive nicklist after changes
-
Examples:
# synchronize all buffers with nicklist (the 3 commands are equivalent) sync sync * sync * buffer,nicklist # synchronize core buffer sync core.buffer # synchronize #weechat channel, without nicklist sync irc.freenode.#weechat buffer
3.8. desync
Desynchronize one or more buffers, to stop updates.
Note
|
This will remove options for buffers. If some options are still active for buffers, the client will still receive updates for buffers. |
Syntax:
desync [<buffer>[,<buffer>...] <options>]
Arguments:
-
buffer: pointer (0x12345) or full name of buffer (for example: core.weechat or irc.freenode.#weechat); name * can be used to specify all buffers
-
options: one of following keywords, separated by commas (default is buffer,nicklist):
-
buffer: receive signals about buffer (new lines, buffer renamed/moved…)
-
nicklist: receive nicklist after changes
-
Examples:
# desynchronize all buffers desync # desynchronize nicklist for #weechat channel (keep buffer updates) desync irc.freenode.#weechat nicklist # desynchronize #weechat channel desync irc.freenode.#weechat
3.9. quit
Disconnect from relay.
Syntax:
quit
Example:
quit
4. Messages (relay → client)
Messages are sent as binary data, using following format (with size in bytes):
┌────────╥─────────────╥────╥────────┬──────────╥───────╥────────┬──────────┐ │ length ║ compression ║ id ║ type 1 │ object 1 ║ ... ║ type N │ object N │ └────────╨─────────────╨────╨────────┴──────────╨───────╨────────┴──────────┘ └──────┘ └───────────┘ └──┘ └──────┘ └────────┘ └──────┘ └────────┘ 4 1 ?? 3 ?? 3 ?? └────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ header (5) compressed data (??) └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ 'length' bytes
-
length (unsigned integer): number of bytes of whole message (including this length)
-
compression (byte): flag:
-
0x00: following data is not compressed
-
0x01: following data is gzip-compressed
-
-
id (string): identifier sent by client (before command name); it can be empty (string with zero length and no content) if no identifier was given in command
-
type (3 chars): a type: 3 letters (see table below)
-
object: an object (see table below)
4.1. Compression
If flag compression is equal to 0x01, then all data after is compressed with gzip, and therefore must be uncompressed before being processed.
4.2. Identifier
There are two different identifiers (id):
-
id sent by client: relay will answer with same id in its answer
-
id of an event: on some events, relay will send message to client using a speficic id, beginning with underscore (see table below)
WeeChat reserved identifiers:
Identifier | Description | Hdata type | Hdata content | Recommended action in client |
---|---|---|---|---|
_buffer_opened |
Buffer opened |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), short_name (string), |
Open buffer |
_buffer_type_changed |
Type of buffer changed |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), |
Change type of buffer |
_buffer_moved |
Buffer moved |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), |
Move buffer |
_buffer_merged |
Buffer merged |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), |
Merge buffer |
_buffer_unmerged |
Buffer unmerged |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), |
Unmerge buffer |
_buffer_renamed |
Buffer renamed |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), short_name (string), local_variables (hashtable) |
Rename buffer |
_buffer_title_changed |
Title of buffer changed |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), title (string) |
Change title of buffer |
_buffer_localvar_added |
Local variable added |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), local_variables (hashtable) |
Add local variable in buffer |
_buffer_localvar_changed |
Local variable changed |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), local_variables (hashtable) |
Change local variable inbuffer |
_buffer_localvar_removed |
Local variable removed |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string), local_variables (hashtable) |
Remove local variable from buffer |
_buffer_line_added |
Line added in buffer |
line |
buffer (pointer), date (time), date_printed (time), displayed (char), highlight (char), tags_array (array of strings), prefix (string), message (string) |
Display line in buffer |
_buffer_closing |
Buffer closing |
buffer |
number (integer), full_name (string) |
Close buffer |
_nicklist |
Nicklist for a buffer |
nicklist_item |
group (char), visible (char), level (integer), |
Update nicklist |
_upgrade |
WeeChat is upgrading |
(empty) |
(empty) |
Desync from WeeChat (send command desync) |
_upgrade_ended |
Upgrade of WeeChat done |
(empty) |
(empty) |
Resync with WeeChat (resend all commands sent on startup after the init) |
4.3. Objects
Objects are identified by 3 letters, called type. Following types are available:
Type | Value | Length |
---|---|---|
chr |
Signed char |
1 byte |
int |
Signed integer |
4 bytes |
lon |
Signed long integer |
1 byte + length of long as string |
str |
String |
4 bytes + length of string (without final \0) |
buf |
Buffer of bytes |
4 bytes + length of data |
ptr |
Pointer |
1 byte + length of pointer as string |
tim |
Time |
1 byte + length of time as string |
htb |
Hashtable |
Variable |
hda |
Hdata content |
Variable |
inf |
Info: name + content |
Variable |
inl |
Infolist content |
Variable |
arr |
Array of values |
3 bytes (type) + number of items + data |
4.3.1. Char
A signed char is 1 byte.
Example:
┌────┐ │ 41 │ ────► 65 (0x41: "A") └────┘
4.3.2. Integer
A signed integer is 4 bytes, encoded as big-endian format (most significant byte first).
Example:
┌────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ 00 │ 00 │ 01 │ 04 │ ────► 260 (0x104) └────┴────┴────┴────┘
4.3.3. Long integer
A signed long integer is encoded as a string, with length on one byte.
Example:
┌────╥────┬────┬────┐ │ 03 ║ 32 │ 36 │ 30 │ ────► 260 └────╨────┴────┴────┘ └──┘ └────────────┘ length '2' '6' '0'
4.3.4. String
A string is a length (integer on 4 bytes) + content of string (without final \0).
Example:
┌────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 05 ║ 68 │ 65 │ 6C │ 6C │ 6F │ ────► "hello" └────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ └─────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘ length 'h' 'e' 'l' 'l' 'o'
An empty string has a length of zero:
┌────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ ────► "" └────┴────┴────┴────┘ └─────────────────┘ length
A NULL string (NULL pointer in C) has a length of -1:
┌────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ FF │ FF │ FF │ FF │ ────► NULL └────┴────┴────┴────┘ └─────────────────┘ length
4.3.5. Buffer
Same format as string; content is just an array of bytes.
4.3.6. Pointer
A pointer is encoded as string (hex), with length on one byte.
Example:
┌────╥────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ 09 ║ 31 │ 61 │ 32 │ 62 │ 33 │ 63 │ 34 │ 64 │ 35 │ ────► 0x1a2b3c4d5 └────╨────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ └──┘ └──────────────────────────────────────────┘ length '1' 'a' '2' 'b' '3' 'c' '4' 'd' '5'
A NULL pointer has value 0:
┌────╥────┐ │ 01 ║ 00 │ ────► NULL (0x0) └────╨────┘ └──┘ └──┘ length 0
4.3.7. Time
A time (number of seconds) is encoded as a string, with length on one byte.
Example:
┌────╥────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ 0A ║ 31 │ 33 │ 32 │ 31 │ 39 │ 39 │ 33 │ 34 │ 35 │ 36 │ ────► 1321993456 └────╨────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┴────┘ └──┘ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘ length '1' '3' '2' '1' '9' '9' '3' '4' '5' '6'
4.3.8. Hashtable
A hashtable contains type for keys, type for values, number of items in hashtable (integer on 4 bytes), and then keys and values of items.
┌───────────┬─────────────┬───────╥───────┬─────────╥─────╥───────┬─────────┐ │ type_keys │ type_values │ count ║ key 1 │ value 1 ║ ... ║ key N │ value N │ └───────────┴─────────────┴───────╨───────┴─────────╨─────╨───────┴─────────┘
Example:
┌─────┬─────┬───╥──────┬─────╥──────┬─────┐ │ str │ str │ 2 ║ key1 │ abc ║ key2 │ def │ ────► { 'key1' => 'abc', 'key2' => 'def' } └─────┴─────┴───╨──────┴─────╨──────┴─────┘ └───┘ └───┘ └─┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ type type count item 1 item 2 keys values
4.3.9. Hdata
A hdata contains a path with hdata names, list of keys, number of set of objects, and then set of objects (path with pointers, then objects).
┌────────┬──────┬───────╥────────┬─────────────────────╥────────┬─────────────────────╥─────┐ │ h-path │ keys │ count ║ p-path │ value 1 ... value N ║ p-path │ value 1 ... value N ║ ... │ └────────┴──────┴───────╨────────┴─────────────────────╨────────┴─────────────────────╨─────┘
-
name (string): name of hdata (buffer, window, bar, …)
-
h-path (string): path used to reach hdata (example: buffer/lines/line/line_data); the last element in path is the hdata returned
-
keys (string): string with list of key:type (separated by commas), example: number:int,name:str
-
count (integer): number of set of objects
-
p-path: path with pointers to objects (number of pointers here is number of elements in path)
-
values: list of values (number of values is number of keys returned for hdata)
Example of hdata with 2 buffers (weechat core and freenode server) and two keys (number and full_name):
# command hdata buffer:gui_buffers(*) number,full_name # response ┌────────┬──────────────────────────┬───╥─────────┬───┬──────────────╥─────────┬───┬────────────────────┐ │ buffer │ number:int,full_name:str │ 2 ║ 0x12345 │ 1 │ core.weechat ║ 0x6789a │ 2 │irc.server.freenode │ └────────┴──────────────────────────┴───╨─────────┴───┴──────────────╨─────────┴───┴────────────────────┘ └──────┘ └────────────────────────┘ └─┘ └──────────────────────────┘ └────────────────────────────────┘ hpath keys count buffer 1 buffer 2
Example of hdata with lines of core buffer:
# command hdata buffer:gui_buffers(*)/lines/first_line(*)/data # response ┌─────────────────────────────┬─────┬────╥── │ buffer/lines/line/line_data │ ... │ 50 ║ ... └─────────────────────────────┴─────┴────╨── └───────────────────────────┘ └───┘ └──┘ h-path (hdata names) keys count ──╥───────────┬───────────┬───────────┬───────╥───────────┬───────────┬───────────┬───────╥──────────────┐ ... ║ 0x23cf970 │ 0x23cfb60 │ 0x23d5f40 │ ..... ║ 0x23cf970 │ 0x23cfb60 │ 0x23d6110 │ ..... ║ ............ │ ──╨───────────┴───────────┴───────────┴───────╨───────────┴───────────┴───────────┴───────╨──────────────┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘ └─────┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘ └─────┘ p-path (pointers) objects p-path (pointers) objects └─────────────────────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────────────────────┘ └────────────┘ line 1 line 2 lines 3-50
Example of hdata with nicklist:
# command nicklist # response ┌───────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬────╥── │ buffer/nick_group │ group:chr,visible:chr,name:str,color:str,prefix:str,prefix_color:str,level:int │ 12 ║ ... └───────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┴────╨── └─────────────────┘ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ └──┘ h-path keys count ──╥─────────┬─────────┬───┬───┬──────┬─┬─┬─┬───╥─────────┬─────────┬───┬───┬───────┬─┬─┬─┬───╥── ... ║ 0x12345 │ 0x6789a │ 1 │ 0 │ root │ │ │ │ 0 ║ 0x123cf │ 0x678d4 │ 1 │ 0 │ 000|o │ │ │ │ 1 ║ ... ──╨─────────┴─────────┴───┴───┴──────┴─┴─┴─┴───╨─────────┴─────────┴───┴───┴───────┴─┴─┴─┴───╨── └─────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └───────────────────────┘ p-path objects p-path objects └──────────────────────────────────────────┘ └───────────────────────────────────────────┘ group (nicklist root) group (channel ops) ──╥─────────┬─────────┬───┬───┬──────────┬──────┬───┬────────────┬───╥── ... ║ 0x128a7 │ 0x67ab2 │ 0 │ 1 │ ChanServ │ blue │ @ │ lightgreen │ 0 ║ ... ──╨─────────┴─────────┴───┴───┴──────────┴──────┴───┴────────────┴───╨── └─────────────────┘ └────────────────────────────────────────────┘ p-path objects └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ nick (@ChanServ)
4.3.10. Info
A info contains a name and a value (both are strings).
┌──────┬───────┐ │ name │ value │ └──────┴───────┘
-
name (string): name of info
-
value (string): value
Exemple of info version:
┌─────────┬───────────────────┐ │ version │ WeeChat 0.3.7-dev │ └─────────┴───────────────────┘
4.3.11. Infolist
A infolist contains a name, number of items, and then items (set of variables).
┌──────┬───────╥────────╥─────╥────────┐ │ name │ count ║ item 1 ║ ... ║ item N │ └──────┴───────╨────────╨─────╨────────┘
An item is:
┌───────╥────────┬────────┬─────────╥─────╥────────┬────────┬─────────┐ │ count ║ name 1 │ type 1 │ value 1 ║ ... ║ name N │ type N │ value N │ └───────╨────────┴────────┴─────────╨─────╨────────┴────────┴─────────┘
-
name (string): name of infolist (buffer, window, bar, …)
-
count (integer): number of items
-
item:
-
count: number of variables in item
-
name: name of variable
-
type: type of variable (int, str, …)
-
value: value of variable
-
Example of infolist with 2 buffers (weechat core and freenode server):
# command infolist buffer # response ┌────────┬───╥────┬─────────┬─────┬─────────┬─────╥────┬─────────┬─────┬─────────┬─────┐ │ buffer │ 2 ║ 42 │ pointer │ ptr │ 0x12345 │ ... ║ 42 │ pointer │ ptr │ 0x6789a │ ... │ └────────┴───╨────┴─────────┴─────┴─────────┴─────╨────┴─────────┴─────┴─────────┴─────┘ └──────┘ └─┘ └──────────────────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────────────────┘ name count item 1 item 2
4.3.12. Array
An array is a type (3 bytes) + number of items (integer on 4 bytes) + data.
Example of array with 2 strings:
┌─────╥────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┐ │ str ║ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 02 ║ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 03 ║ 61 │ 62 │ 63 ║ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 02 ║ 64 │ 65 │ ────► { "abc", "de" } └─────╨────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┘ └───┘ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └───────┘ type number of strings length 'a' 'b' 'c' length 'd' 'e'
Example of array with 3 integers:
┌─────╥────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────┬────╥────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ int ║ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 03 ║ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 7B ║ 00 │ 00 │ 01 │ C8 ║ 00 │ 00 │ 03 │ 15 │ ────► { 123, 456, 789 } └─────╨────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────┴────╨────┴────┴────┴────┘ └───┘ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ type number of integers 123 (0x7B) 456 (0x1C8) 789 (0x315)
A NULL array:
┌─────╥────┬────┬────┬────┐ │ str ║ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ 00 │ ────► NULL └─────╨────┴────┴────┴────┘ └───┘ └─────────────────┘ type number of strings
5. Typical session
┌────────┐ ┌───────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ Client ├ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ (network) ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ┤ Relay ├──────────────────┤ WeeChat │ └────────┘ └───────┘ └─────────┘ ║ ║ ║ ╟─────────────────────────────────────► ║ ║ ║ open socket ║ add client ║ ║ ║ ║ ╟─────────────────────────────────────► ║ ║ ║ cmd: init password=xxx,... ║ init/allow client ║ ║ ║ ║ ╟─────────────────────────────────────► ║ ║ ║ cmd: hdata buffer ... ╟─────────────────────────► ║ ║ sync ... ║ request hdata ║ read hdata values ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ◄─────────────────────────╢ ║ ◄─────────────────────────────────────╢ hdata ║ create buffers ║ msg: hda buffer ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ........ ║ ........ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╟─────────────────────────────────────► ║ ║ ║ cmd: input ... ╟─────────────────────────► ║ ║ ║ send data to buffer ║ send data to buffer ║ ║ ║ ║ ........ ║ ........ ║ ║ ║ ║ signal received ║ ║ ◄─────────────────────────╢ (hooked by relay) ║ ◄─────────────────────────────────────╢ signal XXX ║ update buffers ║ msg: id: "_buffer_..." ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ........ ║ ........ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╟─────────────────────────────────────► ║ ║ ║ cmd: quit ║ disconnect client ║ ║ ║ ║