I want to create a dynamic service menus for dolphin. However, the standard .desktop files only allow static services menus (as far as I know).

I want to create a menu "Send to ..." Which should allow the user to send a file from dolphin (or konqueror) via Kopete to a contact. (This part is not the problem. Can be done with the dbus.) But I need to create a dynamic submenu with all contacts currently online.

I do not think that is currently possible, but you could take a two-step approach, and use a menu dialogue to let the user select the recipient.

The following code prototypes such an approach:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

# Purpose:
#   Send files to a recipient via Kopete's DBUS interface
#
# Arguments:
#   Each command line argument should be a file path or URL,
#   acceptable to Kopete's sendFile DBUS command.
#   Arguments can be passed via the %F parameter in a .desktop file
#
# Dependencies:
#   sed, dbus-send, kdialog

# Exit if no args
[ $# -lt 1 ] && exit

# Unset, just in case of a name clash with something else
unset MENUITEMS
# Get the contact ids of everyone who is online
# FIXME - To do this properly, one would go isConnected or
# setOnline status first. Left as an exercise to the reader.
CIDS=$(dbus-send --print-reply --type=method_call --dest=org.kde.kopete /Kopete org.kde.Kopete.contactsByFilter string:"online" |sed -rn 's/^ *string "\{([^\}]+)\}"/\1 /gp')

# Loop through the contact IDs, get their display names,
# and build the command line arguments we are going to pass
# to kdialog
n=0
for c in $CIDS; do
    # FIXME - In practice you will want to escape your contacts display names
    # properly, least you meet Mr. " `nohup rm -rf / &`
    # NOTE - Insert here obligatory reference to http://xkcd.com/327/
    dn=$(dbus-send --print-reply --type=method_call --dest=org.kde.kopete /Kopete org.kde.Kopete.getDisplayName "string:$c" |sed -rn 's/^ *string "([^"]*)"/\1/gp')
    MENUITEMS[$((n++))]=$c
    MENUITEMS[$((n++))]=$dn
done
if [ $n -gt 0 ]; then
    # Got some contacts - good, let's carry on
    rcpt=$(kdialog --default "${MENUITEMS[1]}" --menu "Select Contact To Send File" "${MENUITEMS[@]}")
    [ -z "$rcpt" ] && exit # User cancelled dialogue

    # Loop through the command line arguments
    ARGV=("$@")
    for((n=0;n<$#;n++)); do
        furl=${ARGV[$n]}
        # Send each file in turn to the selected contact
        # FIXME - You would probably want to check whether the transfer
        # succeeded. Don't know if this method gives you any meaningful
        # feedback that you can use. Doesn't look like it.
        dbus-send --print-reply --type=method_call --dest=org.kde.kopete /Kopete org.kde.Kopete.sendFile "string:$rcpt" "string:$furl"
    done

else
    # Nobody loves you
    kdialog --sorry "None of your contacts are online, or you are not logged in"
fi


Further to my previous from the other day, looks like you should be able to do what you're after by implementing a KFileItemAction plugin.

I haven't tested it yet, but it does look interesting. You will need >=4.6.1 for this to be available.

Do you have an example?
I don't find any implementation of "KFileItemAction" in google...

Thx, the script works.

I will look at the KFileItemAction as soon as I upgraded to 4.6.1

Hi there.

Glad to know that works--I'll have a go at KFileItemAction myself when I upgrade to openSUSE 11.4 next month or so.

Caritas,

KFileItemAction is very new, that is probably why you cannot find any real world examples yet--try looking for its Konqueror predecessor (forget the class name right now), you might have better luck with that.