Pidgin ZNC Helper is a third-party plugin designed for the open-source universal chat client Pidgin that solves a specific formatting nuisance when using an IRC Bouncer (ZNC).
When you connect Pidgin to a ZNC bouncer, the bouncer replays messages you missed while offline. By default, this results in “double-timestamps” because both ZNC and Pidgin try to stamp the message, creating cluttered text like (13:00:00) [12:00:00] Lunch time!. The Pidgin ZNC Helper plugin intercepts ZNC’s message timestamps and injects them directly into Pidgin, seamlessly hiding the duplicate timestamp and preserving clean, chronologically accurate logs. Key Features of Pidgin ZNC Helper
Eliminates Duplicate Timestamps: Cleanly strips the ugly, redundant time brackets out of replayed chat logs.
Preserves Actual Message Time: Instead of stamping replayed messages with the time you logged in, it backdates the message in Pidgin to show exactly when it was originally sent in the channel.
Enhanced Log Readability: Ensures your historical logs match the natural flow of the conversation. How to Manually Connect Pidgin to ZNC
While the plugin handles formatting, configuring Pidgin to actually communicate with a multi-network ZNC bouncer requires a specific setup trick. If you want to use them together, configure your account settings as follows: Open Account Manager: Go to Accounts →right arrow Manage Accounts →right arrow Add. Protocol: Select IRC.
Server: Enter your ZNC server address (e.g., bouncer.mysite.com). Username: Enter your primary ZNC bouncer username.
The Password Trick: Pidgin requires you to define the user, network, and password inside the password field to route multiple networks correctly. Format it exactly like this:
znc_username/irc_network_name:znc_passwordmonospace znc_username/irc_network_name:znc_password
Example: If your user is john, the network is Libera, and your password is 123, type: john/Libera:123.
Enable SSL: Switch to the Advanced tab, change the port to your secure ZNC port (usually 6697), and check Use SSL. Where to Find the Plugin
The original source and compilation assets for the plugin are hosted on the Pidgin ZNC Helper Launchpad Page, with modern code repositories available on GitHub. If you need help setting this up, let me know:
What operating system (Windows or Linux) you are running Pidgin on?
Whether you are connecting to multiple IRC networks simultaneously through your bouncer?
I can give you step-by-step compilation or installation instructions based on your platform. How to install and use ZNC bouncer for IRC | Opensource.com
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