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Wireshark-dev: [Wireshark-dev] Code discussion - Extcap help files on Windows

From: chuck c <bubbasnmp@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2020 11:15:05 -0500
I'm looking to answer two questions:
 - where do these type discussions typically take place? Email? Code review comments?
 - suggestions on how to fix the Extcap help on Windows.

thanks
chuck

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
https://www.wireshark.org/docs/wsdg_html_chunked/ChCaptureExtcap.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"There should only be extcap programs (executable, python scripts, …) in the extcap folder to reduce the startup time and not have Wireshark trying to execute other file types."

There are two file locations for Extcap programs.
https://code.wireshark.org/review/gitweb?p=wireshark.git;a=blob;f=ui/qt/about_dialog.cpp
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/* Extcap */
appendRow(QStringList() << tr("Personal Extcap path") << QString(get_persconffile_path("extcap", FALSE)).trimmed() << tr("Extcap Plugins search path"));
appendRow(QStringList() << tr("Global Extcap path") << QString(get_extcap_dir()).trimmed() << tr("Extcap Plugins search path"));

Do the help files for Personal Extcap programs go in the "Program" directory (C:\Program Files\Wireshark) along with the official release Extcap html files?

In the real world all the pieces just get stuffed in the extcap folder:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fug_sniffer_ble%2FUG%2Fsniffer_ble%2Finstalling_sniffer_plugin.html


Currently when clicking the Help button in the Extcap GUI, it looks in the Extcap folder for the help file.

https://code.wireshark.org/review/gitweb?p=wireshark.git;a=blob;f=extcap/sshdump.c
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
help_url = data_file_url("sshdump.html");   <------********
extcap_base_set_util_info(extcap_conf, argv[0], SSHDUMP_VERSION_MAJOR, SSHDUMP_VERSION_MINOR, SSHDUMP_VERSION_RELEASE, help_url);
g_free(help_url);


https://code.wireshark.org/review/gitweb?p=wireshark.git;a=blob;f=wsutil/filesystem.c
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
data_file_url(const gchar *filename)
{
    gchar *file_path;
    gchar *uri;

    /* Absolute path? */
    if(g_path_is_absolute(filename)) {
        file_path = g_strdup(filename);
    } else {
        file_path = g_strdup_printf("%s/%s", get_datafile_dir(), filename);  <------********
    }
<snip>


/*
 * On Windows, we use the directory in which the executable for this
 * process resides.
 */

const char *
get_datafile_dir(void)
{
    if (datafile_dir != NULL)
        return datafile_dir;

#ifdef _WIN32
    /*
     * Do we have the pathname of the program?  If so, assume we're
     * running an installed version of the program.  If we fail,
     * we don't change "datafile_dir", and thus end up using the
     * default.
     *
     * XXX - does NSIS put the installation directory into
     * "\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wireshark\InstallDir"?
     * If so, perhaps we should read that from the registry,
     * instead.
     */
    if (progfile_dir != NULL) {
        /*
         * Yes, we do; use that.
         */
        datafile_dir = g_strdup(progfile_dir);  <------********
    } else {
        /*
         * No, we don't.
         * Fall back on the default installation directory.
         */
        datafile_dir = g_strdup("C:\\Program Files\\Wireshark\\");
    }
#else
<snip>

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