message_link: Add support for empty string topic in syntax.

This commit adds support for empty string as a valid topic name in syntax for linking to channel messages. The server stores it after empty string is replaced with `realm_empty_topic_display_name` and wrapped with an <em> tag. The web client parses the rendered_content and updates the topic_name part in the HTML with topic_name in user's language + wraps it in a <span> tag with 'empty-topic-display' css class.
2025-10-23 04:52:12 +00:00 · 2025-01-28 22:01:25 +05:30
parent 53dc5198c6
commit 0788942a68
11 changed files with 137 additions and 18 deletions
--- a/api_docs/changelog.md
+++ b/api_docs/changelog.md
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ format used by the Zulip server that they are interacting with.

 ## Changes in Zulip 10.0

+**Feature level 346**
+
+* [Markdown message formatting](/api/message-formatting#links-to-channels-topics-and-messages):
+  Added support for empty string as a valid topic name in syntaxes
+  for linking to topics and messages.
+
 **Feature level 345**

 * `POST /remotes/server/register/transfer`,
--- a/api_docs/message-formatting.md
+++ b/api_docs/message-formatting.md
@@ -55,7 +55,31 @@ the channel had been renamed. That field is **deprecated**, because
 displaying an updated value for the most common forms of this syntax
 requires parsing the URL to get the topic to use anyway.

-**Changes**: In Zulip 10.0 (feature level 319), added Markdown syntax
+When a topic is an empty string, it is replaced with
+`realm_empty_topic_display_name` found in the [`POST /register`](/api/register-queue)
+response and wrapped with the `<em>` tag.
+
+Sample HTML formats with `"realm_empty_topic_display_name": "general chat"`
+are as follows:
+```html
+<!-- Syntax: #**announce>** -->
+<a class="stream-topic" data-stream-id="9"
+  href="/#narrow/channel/9-announce/topic/">
+ #announce &gt; <em>general chat</em>
+</a>
+
+<!-- Syntax: #**announce>@214** -->
+<a class="message-link"
+  href="/#narrow/channel/9-announce/topic//near/214">
+ #announce &gt; <em>general chat</em> @ 💬
+</a>
+```
+
+**Changes**: Before Zulip 10.0 (feature level 346), empty string
+was not a valid topic name in syntaxes for linking to topics and
+messages.
+
+In Zulip 10.0 (feature level 319), added Markdown syntax
 for linking to a specific message in a conversation. Declared the
 `data-stream-id` field to be deprecated as detailed above.

--- a/version.py
+++ b/version.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ DESKTOP_WARNING_VERSION = "5.9.3"
 # new level means in api_docs/changelog.md, as well as "**Changes**"
 # entries in the endpoint's documentation in `zulip.yaml`.

-API_FEATURE_LEVEL = 345  # Last bumped for push notifications transfer.
+API_FEATURE_LEVEL = 346  # Last bumped for topic="" support in link to topics/messages.

 # Bump the minor PROVISION_VERSION to indicate that folks should provision
 # only when going from an old version of the code to a newer version. Bump
--- a/web/src/markdown.ts
+++ b/web/src/markdown.ts
@@ -673,13 +673,14 @@ function handleStreamTopicMessage({
    stream_topic_hash: (stream_id: number, topic: string) => string;
 }): string | undefined {
    const stream = get_stream_by_name(stream_name);
-    if (stream === undefined || !topic) {
+    if (stream === undefined) {
        return undefined;
    }
    const href = stream_topic_hash(stream.stream_id, topic) + "/near/" + message_id;
    return render_channel_message_link({
        channel_name: stream.name,
-        topic_display_name: topic,
+        topic_display_name: util.get_final_topic_display_name(topic),
+        is_empty_string_topic: topic === "",
        href,
    });
 }
--- a/web/src/rendered_markdown.ts
+++ b/web/src/rendered_markdown.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {isValid, parseISO} from "date-fns";
 import $ from "jquery";
 import assert from "minimalistic-assert";

+import render_channel_message_link from "../templates/channel_message_link.hbs";
 import code_buttons_container from "../templates/code_buttons_container.hbs";
 import render_markdown_timestamp from "../templates/markdown_timestamp.hbs";
 import render_mention_content_wrapper from "../templates/mention_content_wrapper.hbs";
@@ -235,7 +236,7 @@ export const update_elements = ($content: JQuery): void => {
        }
    });

-    $content.find("a.stream-topic").each(function (): void {
+    $content.find("a.stream-topic, a.message-link").each(function (): void {
        const narrow_url = $(this).attr("href");
        assert(narrow_url !== undefined);
        const channel_topic = hash_util.decode_stream_topic_from_url(
@@ -251,14 +252,22 @@ export const update_elements = ($content: JQuery): void => {
            const topic_name = channel_topic.topic_name;
            assert(topic_name !== undefined);
            const topic_display_name = util.get_final_topic_display_name(topic_name);
-            const topic_link_html = render_topic_link({
-                channel_id: channel_topic.stream_id,
+            const context = {
                channel_name,
                topic_display_name,
                is_empty_string_topic: topic_name === "",
                href: narrow_url,
-            });
-            $(this).replaceWith($(topic_link_html));
+            };
+            if ($(this).hasClass("stream-topic")) {
+                const topic_link_html = render_topic_link({
+                    channel_id: channel_topic.stream_id,
+                    ...context,
+                });
+                $(this).replaceWith($(topic_link_html));
+            } else {
+                const message_link_html = render_channel_message_link(context);
+                $(this).replaceWith($(message_link_html));
+            }
        }
    });

--- a/web/templates/channel_message_link.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/channel_message_link.hbs
@@ -1,2 +1,13 @@
-<a class="message-link" href="{{href}}">#{{channel_name}} &gt; {{topic_display_name}} @ 💬</a>
-{{~!-- squash whitespace --~}}
+{{#if is_empty_string_topic}}
+<a class="message-link" href="{{href}}">
+    {{~!-- squash whitespace --~}}
+    #{{channel_name}} &gt; <span class="empty-topic-display">{{topic_display_name}}</span> @ 💬
+    {{~!-- squash whitespace --~}}
+</a>
+{{~else}}
+<a class="message-link" href="{{href}}">
+    {{~!-- squash whitespace --~}}
+    #{{channel_name}} &gt; {{topic_display_name}} @ 💬
+    {{~!-- squash whitespace --~}}
+</a>
+{{~/if}}
--- a/web/tests/markdown.test.cjs
+++ b/web/tests/markdown.test.cjs
@@ -426,6 +426,10 @@ test("marked", ({override}) => {
            expected:
                '<p>Look at <a class="message-link" href="#narrow/channel/1-Denmark/topic/message_link/near/100">#Denmark &gt; message_link @ 💬</a></p>',
        },
+        {
+            input: "Look at #**Denmark>@100**",
+            expected: `<p>Look at <a class="message-link" href="#narrow/channel/1-Denmark/topic//near/100">#Denmark &gt; <span class="empty-topic-display">translated: ${REALM_EMPTY_TOPIC_DISPLAY_NAME}</span> @ 💬</a></p>`,
+        },
        {
            input: "Look at #**Unknown>message_link@100**",
            expected: "<p>Look at #**Unknown&gt;message_link@100**</p>",
--- a/web/tests/rendered_markdown.test.cjs
+++ b/web/tests/rendered_markdown.test.cjs
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ const get_content_element = () => {
    $content.set_find_results(".topic-mention", $array([]));
    $content.set_find_results(".user-group-mention", $array([]));
    $content.set_find_results("a.stream", $array([]));
-    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic", $array([]));
+    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic, a.message-link", $array([]));
    $content.set_find_results("time", $array([]));
    $content.set_find_results("span.timestamp-error", $array([]));
    $content.set_find_results(".emoji", $array([]));
@@ -422,10 +422,11 @@ run_test("stream-links", ({mock_template}) => {
        `/#narrow/channel/${stream.stream_id}-random/topic/topic.20name.20.3E.20still.20the.20topic.20name`,
    );
    $stream_topic.replaceWith = noop;
+    $stream_topic.hasClass = (class_name) => class_name === "stream-topic";
    $stream_topic.text("#random > topic name > still the topic name");

    $content.set_find_results("a.stream", $array([$stream]));
-    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic", $array([$stream_topic]));
+    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic, a.message-link", $array([$stream_topic]));

    let topic_link_context;
    let topic_link_rendered_html;
@@ -460,8 +461,9 @@ run_test("topic-link (empty string topic)", ({mock_template}) => {
    $channel_topic.set_find_results(".highlight", false);
    $channel_topic.attr("href", `/#narrow/channel/${stream.stream_id}-random/topic/`);
    $channel_topic.replaceWith = noop;
+    $channel_topic.hasClass = (class_name) => class_name === "stream-topic";
    $channel_topic.html(`#random &gt; <em>${REALM_EMPTY_TOPIC_DISPLAY_NAME}</em>`);
-    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic", $array([$channel_topic]));
+    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic, a.message-link", $array([$channel_topic]));

    let topic_link_context;
    let topic_link_rendered_html;
@@ -487,6 +489,45 @@ run_test("topic-link (empty string topic)", ({mock_template}) => {
    assert.ok(topic_link_rendered_html.includes("empty-topic-display"));
 });

+run_test("message-links", ({mock_template}) => {
+    // Setup
+    const $content = get_content_element();
+    const $channel_topic_message = $.create("a.message-link");
+    $channel_topic_message.set_find_results(".highlight", false);
+    $channel_topic_message.attr(
+        "href",
+        `/#narrow/channel/${stream.stream_id}-${stream.name}/topic//near/123`,
+    );
+    $channel_topic_message.replaceWith = noop;
+    $channel_topic_message.hasClass = (class_name) => class_name === "message-link";
+    $channel_topic_message.html(
+        `#${stream.name} &gt; <em>${REALM_EMPTY_TOPIC_DISPLAY_NAME}</em> @ 💬`,
+    );
+    $content.set_find_results("a.stream-topic, a.message-link", $array([$channel_topic_message]));
+
+    let channel_message_link_context;
+    let channel_message_link_rendered_html;
+    mock_template("channel_message_link.hbs", true, (data, html) => {
+        channel_message_link_context = data;
+        channel_message_link_rendered_html = html;
+        return html;
+    });
+
+    // Initial assert
+    assert.equal($channel_topic_message.html(), "#test &gt; <em>general chat</em> @ 💬");
+
+    rm.update_elements($content);
+
+    // Final asserts
+    assert.deepEqual(channel_message_link_context, {
+        channel_name: stream.name,
+        topic_display_name: `translated: ${REALM_EMPTY_TOPIC_DISPLAY_NAME}`,
+        is_empty_string_topic: true,
+        href: `/#narrow/channel/${stream.stream_id}-test/topic//near/123`,
+    });
+    assert.ok(channel_message_link_rendered_html.includes("empty-topic-display"));
+});
+
 run_test("timestamp without time", () => {
    const $content = get_content_element();
    const $timestamp = $.create("timestamp without actual time");
--- a/web/third/marked/lib/marked.cjs
+++ b/web/third/marked/lib/marked.cjs
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ inline.zulip = merge({}, inline.breaks, {
  unicodeemoji: possible_emoji_regex,
  usermention: /^@(_?)(?:\*\*([^\*]+)\*\*)/, // Match potentially multi-word string between @** **
  groupmention: /^@(_?)(?:\*([^\*]+)\*)/, // Match multi-word string between @* *
-  stream_topic_message: /^#\*\*([^\*>]+)>([^\*]+)@(\d+)\*\*/,
+  stream_topic_message: /^#\*\*([^\*>]+)>([^\*]*)@(\d+)\*\*/,
  stream_topic: /^#\*\*([^\*>]+)>([^\*]*)\*\*/,
  stream: /^#\*\*([^\*]+)\*\*/,
  tex: /^(\$\$([^\n_$](\\\$|[^\n$])*)\$\$(?!\$))\B/,
--- a/zerver/lib/markdown/init.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/markdown/init.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ STREAM_TOPIC_MESSAGE_LINK_REGEX = rf"""
                     \#\*\*                          # and after hash sign followed by double asterisks
                         (?P<stream_name>[^\*>]+)    # stream name can contain anything except >
                         >                           # > acts as separator
-                         (?P<topic_name>[^\*]+)      # topic name can contain anything
+                         (?P<topic_name>[^\*]*)      # topic name can be an empty string or contain anything
                         @
                         (?P<message_id>\d+)         # message id
                     \*\*                            # ends by double asterisks
@@ -2097,8 +2097,17 @@ class StreamTopicMessagePattern(StreamTopicMessageProcessor):
        topic_url = hash_util_encode(topic_name)
        link = f"/#narrow/channel/{stream_url}/topic/{topic_url}/near/{message_id}"
        el.set("href", link)
-        text = f"#{stream_name} > {topic_name} @ 💬"
-        el.text = markdown.util.AtomicString(text)
+
+        if topic_name == "":
+            topic_el = Element("em")
+            topic_el.text = Message.EMPTY_TOPIC_FALLBACK_NAME
+            el.text = markdown.util.AtomicString(f"#{stream_name} > ")
+            el.append(topic_el)
+            topic_el.tail = markdown.util.AtomicString(" @ 💬")
+        else:
+            text = f"#{stream_name} > {topic_name} @ 💬"
+            el.text = markdown.util.AtomicString(text)
+
        return el, m.start(), m.end()


--- a/zerver/tests/test_markdown.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_markdown.py
@@ -3171,6 +3171,20 @@ class MarkdownStreamMentionTests(ZulipTestCase):
            ".</p>",
        )

+    def test_empty_string_topic_message_link(self) -> None:
+        denmark = get_stream("Denmark", get_realm("zulip"))
+        sender = self.example_user("othello")
+        msg = Message(
+            sender=sender,
+            sending_client=get_client("test"),
+            realm=sender.realm,
+        )
+        content = "#**Denmark>@123**"
+        self.assertEqual(
+            render_message_markdown(msg, content).rendered_content,
+            f'<p><a class="message-link" href="/#narrow/channel/{denmark.id}-{denmark.name}/topic//near/123">#{denmark.name} &gt; <em>{Message.EMPTY_TOPIC_FALLBACK_NAME}</em> @ 💬</a></p>',
+        )
+
    def test_possible_stream_names(self) -> None:
        content = """#**test here**
            This mentions #**Denmark** too.