The Character Counting Plugin for Pidgin IM is a third-party interface tweak designed to show you exactly how many characters you have typed into your message box before hitting send. Why It Was Created
The plugin was originally developed in 2007 by Dossy Shiobara. During that era, microblogging via instant messenger was highly popular. Users frequently utilized Pidgin to post to Twitter or reply to SMS (text message) gateways via XMPP/Jabber. Because these platforms enforced strict 140-character limits, users needed a reliable way to ensure their messages wouldn’t be truncated or split. Key Features & UI Integration
Placement: The plugin cleanly embeds a dynamic numerical counter on the right-hand side of Pidgin’s GtkIMHtmlToolbar (the formatting toolbar directly above your text input box).
Live Countdown/Count: Depending on the exact variation you use (such as the adapted version used by LibraryH3lp), it can either count up or provide a 140-character countdown alert.
Visual Requirement: Because it is built directly into the text styling section, you must have the “Formatting Toolbar” turned on in your Pidgin conversation window settings for the counter to be visible. How to Install and Enable It
Get the Plugin File: Depending on your operating system, download the compiled plugin file (e.g., .dll for Windows or .so and .la files for Linux). Move to Plugins Folder:
Windows: Place the file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Pidgin\plugins.
Linux: Move the files to your local Pidgin directory (typically /usr/lib/pidgin/ or ~/.purple/plugins/).
Activate in Pidgin: Open Pidgin, navigate to Tools > Plugins, find Character Counter in the list, and check the box next to it to enable it.
You can track its status or find alternative iterations via the official Pidgin Third-Party Plugins Wiki. If you are trying to set this up, let me know: What operating system (Windows or Linux) you are using?
Whether you are using it for Twitter/SMS bridging or another specific chat platform?
I can guide you through the exact file placement or troubleshoot if the counter isn’t showing up! Character counting plugin for Pidgin – Dossy’s Blog
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