Wireshark-dev: [Wireshark-dev] GSOC ideas: protocol buffers dissector and Fileshark
Hello,
I'm a Polish student and I want to implement something useful for Wireshark during Google Summer of Code. One of the ideas is already listed on your ideas page, the other is not (but, I have no idea, why it's not already implemented).
First idea: implement Google's Protocol Buffers dissector.
There are some protobuf dissectors floating around, but they are usually lacking most of features that common developer would need:
- being shipped with Wireshark (it's easy, but it also needs the code to be license, code style etc compliant)
- make it possible and easy to call it from other dissectors - I think most of Protocol Buffers usage (most protocols that use it) is encapsulated in other packets, with headers containing packet type and so on
- easy way to provide packet structure; optionally, in various formats (generated C or plain text protobuf message structures) - other dissectors also have to easily provide Message structures to protobuf dissector
- good handling of unknown fields
- a way to provide info beyond protobuf Message struct, like bitfields descriptions, or a possibility to call another dissector for raw bytes embedded within protobuf message
Second idea: Fileshark
I've been thinking of such project a long before GSoC was announced. I really miss such tool and I really would like to see it. So, I would be glad do it by myself during summer.
I think, the main concern with this project is to use as much common code as possible and maintain UI consistency with Wireshark. I think it would be reasonable to make it possible to use the same dissectors as for Wireshark
Please, rate those ideas and my chances of being accepted for GSoC with these two.
Thanks,
okordy
