Currently, libpurple has a number of functions (in blist.h) that take a PurpleBuddy and return some string based on one or more aliases. Some differ only slightly. Is it necessary to have all of these functions?

This came up because we almost certainly need to add some function to return PurpleBuddy::alias only. The names we were picking clashed with the existing functions. Sadrul proposed _get_local_buddy_alias(). Richard agrees and suggests renaming that to _get_local_alias() in 3.0.0, replacing the currently unused (and newly deprecated) existing _get_local_alias().

COALESCE is used here as pseudocode borrowed from SQL to mean "return the first non-NULL item".

_get_alias_only = COALESCE(alias, server_alias);

NEEDS REVIEW...

Used in OSCAR only:

		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:			aim_ssi_addbuddy(od, buddy->name, group->name, NULL, purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy), NULL, NULL, TRUE);
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:		aim_ssi_addbuddy(od, buddy->name, group->name, NULL, purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy), NULL, NULL, 0);
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:	if (buddy && (purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy)))
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:		nombre = g_strdup_printf("%s (%s)", sn, purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy));
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:	data->nick = (buddy ? g_strdup(purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy)) : NULL);
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:	data->nick = (buddy ? g_strdup(purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy)) : NULL);
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:			(buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy) : NULL),
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:	if (buddy && (purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy)))
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:		nombre = g_strdup_printf("%s (%s)", sn, purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy));
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:	purple_account_notify_added(gc->account, sn, NULL, (buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy) : NULL), NULL);
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:	data->nick = g_strdup(purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy));
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:					if (purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy))
		./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:						nombre = g_strdup_printf(" %s (%s)", buddy->name, purple_buddy_get_alias_only(buddy));

_get_server_alias = server_alias;

Etan and Richard propose keeping as is.

		./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:						} else if ((server_alias = purple_buddy_get_server_alias(buddy))) {
		./libpurple/protocols/msn/msn.c:		if (b->server_alias)
		./libpurple/protocols/msn/msn.c:			char *nicktext = g_markup_escape_text(b->server_alias, -1);
		./libpurple/protocols/sametime/sametime.c:	  mwSametimeUser_setShortName(stu, bdy->server_alias);
		./libpurple/protocols/sametime/sametime.c:    if(b->server_alias) {
		./libpurple/protocols/sametime/sametime.c:		purple_notify_user_info_add_pair(user_info, _("Full Name"), b->server_alias);
		./libpurple/protocols/msnp9/msn.c:		if (b->server_alias)
		./libpurple/protocols/msnp9/msn.c:			char *nicktext = g_markup_escape_text(b->server_alias, -1);
		./libpurple/server.c:		if((b->server_alias == NULL && alias == NULL) ||
		./libpurple/server.c:		    (b->server_alias && alias && !strcmp(b->server_alias, alias)))
		./pidgin/gtkblist.c:		if (full && b->server_alias != NULL && b->server_alias[0] != '\0')
		./pidgin/gtkblist.c:			tmp = g_markup_escape_text(b->server_alias, -1);

_get_contact_alias = COALESCE(alias, parent->alias, server_alias, name);

Etan and Richard propose renaming to _get_display_name().

Used in various places:

		./finch/gntblist.c:		name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy*)node);
		./finch/gntconv.c:			who = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./finch/plugins/gnthistory.c:			alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy *)buddies->data);
		./finch/plugins/gnthistory.c:				alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy *)node);
		./finch/gntlog.c:				name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./finch/gntlog.c:		name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(purple_contact_get_priority_buddy(contact));
		./finch/gntlog.c:			name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy *)child);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:			text = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(b);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:				else if (b != NULL && strcmp(b->name, purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(b)))
		./libpurple/conversation.c:					alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(b);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:					alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(b);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:					alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:			new_alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:					old_alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:					new_alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/conversation.c:					alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/protocols/msn/userlist.c: 				buddy ? purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy) : passport);
		./libpurple/protocols/msn/userlist.c:				buddy ? purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy) : passport);
		./libpurple/protocols/sametime/sametime.c:  if(buddy) who = (char *) purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/protocols/msnp9/userlist.c: 				buddy ? purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy) : passport);
		./libpurple/protocols/msnp9/userlist.c:				buddy ? purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy) : passport);
		./libpurple/prpl.c:		alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./libpurple/prpl.c:		alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./pidgin/gtkconv.c:		name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./pidgin/gtkconv.c:					alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy2);
		./pidgin/gtkconv.c:		text = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./pidgin/gtklog.c:			name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./pidgin/gtklog.c:			name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy);
		./pidgin/gtklog.c:		name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(contact->priority);
		./pidgin/gtklog.c:			name = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy *) contact->node.child);
		./pidgin/gtkutils.c:														purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(entry.entry.buddy),
		./pidgin/gtkwhiteboard.c:	window = pidgin_create_window(buddy != NULL ? purple_buddy_get_contact_alias(buddy) : wb->who, 0, NULL, FALSE);
		./pidgin/plugins/history.c:			alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy *)buddies->data);
		./pidgin/plugins/history.c:				alias = purple_buddy_get_contact_alias((PurpleBuddy *)node);

_get_local_alias = COALESCE(alias, parent->alias, name);

Unused, so deprecated just now on im.pidgin.pidgin.next.minor for 2.6.0. Richard proposes that, for 3.0.0, this return PurpleBuddy::alias.

_get_alias = COALESCE(alias, server_alias, parent->alias, name);

NEEDS REVIEW... Why use this over _get_contact_alias? In other words, why prefer the server_alias over the contact's alias here?

Used all over the place:

./finch/gntblist.c:             name = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./finch/gntblist.c:     const char *alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./finch/gntpounce.c:            alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./finch/plugins/gntgf.c:                notify(NULL, _("%s just signed on"), purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./finch/plugins/gntgf.c:                notify(NULL, _("%s just signed off"), purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/blist.c:    return purple_buddy_get_alias(purple_contact_get_priority_buddy(contact));
./libpurple/ft.c:                                                 buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who,
./libpurple/ft.c:                                               buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who);
./libpurple/ft.c:                                 buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who);
./libpurple/ft.c:                               buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who, purple_xfer_get_filename(xfer));
./libpurple/ft.c:                               utf8, buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who);
./libpurple/ft.c:                               xfer->filename, buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who);
./libpurple/ft.c:                               buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who, purple_xfer_get_filename(xfer));
./libpurple/ft.c:                               buddy ? purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy) : xfer->who);
./libpurple/ft.c:                       who = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:                                       their_name = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:                                               char *alias = g_strdup(purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:                                               alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:                                               alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:                                       const char *alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/plugins/log_reader.c:                                                   (alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy)))
./libpurple/plugins/mono/loader/blist-glue.c:   ml_set_prop_string(obj, "Alias", (char*)purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/plugins/statenotify.c:      who = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/plugins/tcl/tcl_cmds.c:                                         Tcl_NewStringObj((char *)purple_buddy_get_alias((PurpleBuddy *)node), -1));
./libpurple/protocols/gg/buddylist.c:                           alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/protocols/gg/gg-utils.c:            return g_strdup(purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/protocols/gg/gg.c:                        purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/protocols/jabber/message.c:                                 who = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/protocols/jabber/message.c:         username = g_markup_escape_text(purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy), -1);
./libpurple/protocols/msn/notification.c:                       username = g_markup_escape_text(purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy), -1);
./libpurple/protocols/novell/novell.c:          alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/protocols/novell/novell.c:  alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/protocols/oscar/oscar.c:            alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/protocols/yahoo/yahoo_aliases.c:                                    const char *buddy_alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(b);
./libpurple/status.c:           const char *buddy_alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);
./libpurple/status.c:                           purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/status.c:                           purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy), current_time, tmp2);
./libpurple/status.c:                           purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy));
./libpurple/status.c:                           purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy), current_time, tmp2);
./pidgin/gtkblist.c:            text = purple_buddy_get_alias((PurpleBuddy *)node);
./pidgin/gtkblist.c:                    node_alias = g_utf8_casefold(purple_buddy_get_alias((PurpleBuddy *)buddy), -1);
./pidgin/gtkblist.c:            name = purple_buddy_get_alias(b);
./pidgin/gtkpounce.c:           alias = purple_buddy_get_alias(buddy);