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Wireshark-dev: Re: [Wireshark-dev] Problemems with proto_tree_new_item after update

From: Jaap Keuter <jaap.keuter@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:22:33 +0100
Hi,

Bryant Eastham wrote:
As a side note, when is this plugin/program version problem going to be
fixed? By fixed I mean the creation of a (more stable) API version
rather than the application version?

That is the target for 1.0. The API is already pretty stable, just some enumerations still tend to change.

I always try to design for extreme success. Assume 500 plugins, and now
make a new version of Wireshark that fixes a typo in a menu. Are the
core developers seriously expecting me to get 500 updated plugins? Or do
we continue to say "give it a try, if it works, great" which only means
headaches in the long run?

The rule still says "only guaranteed with the same version". The rest is luck. That doesn't mean headaches in the long run, usually just a recompile of the available source code is enough to fix this.

Is the API so difficult to track that it is too difficult to determine
when it changes?

Well, the shark spills its guts to the dissectors (plugin or buildin) so that is pretty hard to track. Maybe some coding rules could help make extensions backwards compatible, stabilizing the API. Tooling will have to be developed to keep an eye on this.

I checked the wishlist on the wiki and couldn't find
anybody talking about this. Is it even viewed as a good thing?

Is this a Good Thing(sm)? Well, it doesn't stifle innovation. On the other hand it shows us where things may need redesign for more flexibility.

Thanx,
Jaap


--
Bryant Eastham beastham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: wireshark-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:wireshark-dev-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jaap Keuter
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 12:33 PM
To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Developer support list for Wireshark
Subject: Re: [Wireshark-dev] Problemems with proto_tree_new_item after
update

Hi,

Did you recompile your plugin for 0.99.7? I guess not.

 From the Wiki:
Plugins are not portable between versions. Ever wondered why Wireshark keeps its plugins in a directory named after its version? That is because the plugin interface is considered an internal interface to Wireshark. Therefore it is not stable (as API and ABI) and can change with every version. So when moving from one version to the next you get a fresh install of plugins for this version. When using a 3rd party plugin, request a fresh build from the supplier.

Thanx,
Jaap

Sebastian Breilmann wrote:
Hallo!

After an update from 0.99.6 to 0.99.7 I have problems with a custom
dissector
I wrote. On 0.99.6 everything was fine, but now I get the mssage
"[Dissector
bug, protocol RTSU: proto.c:1064: failed assertion "length == 6"]". I
have no
idea to solve this :( Below is my disscetor-Source. Thank you for your
help!