Wireshark-dev: Re: [Wireshark-dev] Hidden Proto Fields

From: Jaap Keuter <jaap.keuter@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:53:29 +0200
Hi,

"Deprecated" as in "not recommended, but still possible, but maybe dropped in the future".
I'll dissect that for you:

"not recommended": Using this feature is usually an indication of poor design.
Now, exceptions make the rule, therefore very common abstractions, like 'ip.addr' and 'tcp.port' are ok. They are non-discoverable for the user though, that's the poor design part. "still possible": The API required is still there, maybe not as convenient, but this is for the exceptions only, so that is not a problem. "may be dropped": This feature might go away, so don't base your design on it. Now, in reality, as long as IP addresses and TCP ports remain common items, they won't go, so I don't see that happen any time soon.

So, what's left? The API:

proto_item *ti = proto_tree_add....();
PROTO_ITEM_SET_HIDDEN(ti);

Thanks,
Jaap

On 04/25/2011 10:42 PM, Alex Lindberg wrote:
The latest version of epan/proto.h indicates that hiding protocol fields is
deprecated. How does one then create a generic filter type like ip.addr?

I need to create a filter like ip.addr that can be used in place of a more
specific one.

Thanks in advance.

Alex Lindberg