Default IM client preference

This is a problem not with Adium but iChat, which doesn't re-register itself for AIM urls. You can manually change it with More Internet prefpane.

So make a radar at http://bugreporter.apple.com

Put the url to this trac ticket into that radar, and put the radar in here as rdar://RADARNUMBER once you have filed it.

Apple's current position on URL handling is that each app is responsible for setting itself as the default handler for URL handling. This is usually done by providing a popup menu of possible matches.

Adium should provide a popup menu of all possible handlers of the aim URL type in its preferences. This may change in future revisions of Mac OS X.

Can you provide me with a link to where Apple says this? I've never heard this before.

I'm sorry, at this time I can only refer to a spoken comment made by Apple in the User Experience feedback session at WWDC 2005.

It basically came down to the current metaphor being that each app should have the ability to set itself as the default handler. In Safari, they decided to provide a popup menu since at the time no other browser had such an ability, instead referring to System Preferences. As such, Apple currently recommends each client have the ability to set itself as the default handler of a URL type, and it would be best to provide a popup menu to cover functionality missing in third party URL type handlers.

It's rather unfortunate that Apple does not follow these guidelines itself. In iChat there appears no way to change this. Bad Apple! Adium registers itself to handle a lot of URL types. A whole bunch of popup menus would make for a lot of clutter. I'll try and brainstorm some UI ideas, but I'm really dubious about this whole thing. I t would make me feel a lot better about this if Apple implemented similar functionality, or at least provided us with some documentation on this, rather than expecting us to visit WWDC (which, as hobbyists, is prohibitively expensive).

I was at the same session and yes, this is how Apple wants us to handle URL/Document types when multiple applications are available. I just checked and currently Adium only registers itself as available for two URL types: aim:// and adiumxtra:// Providing a dropdown in general prefs that asks the user to select their primary instant messenger is all that's necessary to accomodate this functionality as Apple has stated. This way if you did support the url handlers for yahoo/msn/etc you would select whether or not your the default from one place. If it's absolutely necessary you could add the rest or individual selectors to advanced prefs.

I'm going to investigate doing this in the near future; I think it needs to get done before 1.0.

What I'm currently thinking is something like this for a UI:

Default IM App: [ Adium X 1.0 v ] ( Configure... )

The Configure button would bring down a sheet where you could configure each service individually.

Machina's claim, if true, is indicative of a bug, not an intentional feature -- we should be registering on launch for all of the URIs we support.

This is not a blocker.

This ticket is for implementing a way for users to change the default IM client preference from within Adium. We already register for everything. Machina's claim was fairly old, we now register for all the correct URL types.

This *is* a blocker, because currently there is no way for people to use something other than Adium as their IM client. This ticket is for implementing something like the "Default Browser" pref in Safari.

I don't need to be cc'd anymore, I'm already getting updates as the owner of the ticket.

Fair enough, and sorry for the duplicate cc -- I had forgotten that our upgraded trac properly respsects owner-associated emails for notification.

Nah, it was tick that set it, back before we upgraded. Also, it was only delivering the emails once, so no harm done :)

I think we should get some official documentation on this stance by Apple before implementing anything.

So I see two ways of doing this. I've talked to David, and we've decided to move this to 1.1.

• Option 1: One drop down menu in general. Wait to see if anyone has negative feedback, and if so add a advanced pref for each protocol for 1.2.

• Option 2: A set protocols button in general, which brings down a sheet. The sheet would list each protocol we have an account setup for.

Moving to 1.1

Do the drop down for 1.0. If we get complaints about specific protocols after 1.0, reopen for 1.x

Yeah, a [ Configure...] button next to the drop down menu definetly is way to vague. It would be the kind of button that you don't know what it does until you've clicked on it, which isn't great UI design.

bgannin, you'd mentioned you had something on this? I also have something. Do you want it or can I take it?

I don't see this as a blocker for 1.0. We rarely get requests for it, and we're trying to get b1 out the door.

Nevermind that, looks like we don't get a choice. Yahoo wants us to stop stealing protocol handlers.

(In [15999]) Two things: More updates to the Question Asking interface; it should be useful now. Change the URL Handling to prompt the user if they wish to assign the URLs ta Adium or not. The user selects yes, no, or never ask again. It is still all or nothing, but a step in the right direction. Refs #158

With gbooker's change, we no longer force grabbing of the handlers. This is therefore now a potential enhancement to the control rather than a blocker for 1.0.