feat: Show an email-avatar for email-contacts and email-chats (#6916)

Mark email-contacts and email-chats as such by setting a special avatar.
Then, the UIs can remove the letter-icon from next to the name again,
and we have less overall clutter in Delta Chat.


![Screenshot_20250613-160033](https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/eca9e896-ba1e-4dab-9819-78083a07a18f)

Author: Hocuri

assets/icon-email-contact.png

@@ -1730,25 +1730,36 @@ impl Chat {
 
     /// Returns profile image path for the chat.
     pub async fn get_profile_image(&self, context: &Context) -> Result<Option<PathBuf>> {
-        if let Some(image_rel) = self.param.get(Param::ProfileImage) {
-            if !image_rel.is_empty() {
-                return Ok(Some(get_abs_path(context, Path::new(&image_rel))));
-            }
-        } else if self.id.is_archived_link() {
-            if let Ok(image_rel) = get_archive_icon(context).await {
-                return Ok(Some(get_abs_path(context, Path::new(&image_rel))));
-            }
+        if self.id.is_archived_link() {
+            // This is not a real chat, but the "Archive" button
+            // that is shown at the top of the chats list
+            return Ok(Some(get_archive_icon(context).await?));
+        } else if self.is_device_talk() {
+            return Ok(Some(get_device_icon(context).await?));
+        } else if self.is_self_talk() {
+            return Ok(Some(get_saved_messages_icon(context).await?));
         } else if self.typ == Chattype::Single {
+            // For 1:1 chats, we always use the same avatar as for the contact
+            // This is before the `self.is_encrypted()` check, because that function
+            // has two database calls, i.e. it's slow
             let contacts = get_chat_contacts(context, self.id).await?;
             if let Some(contact_id) = contacts.first() {
-                if let Ok(contact) = Contact::get_by_id(context, *contact_id).await {
-                    return contact.get_profile_image(context).await;
-                }
+                let contact = Contact::get_by_id(context, *contact_id).await?;
+                return contact.get_profile_image(context).await;
             }
-        } else if self.typ == Chattype::Broadcast {
-            if let Ok(image_rel) = get_broadcast_icon(context).await {
+        } else if !self.is_encrypted(context).await? {
+            // This is an email-contact chat, show a special avatar that marks it as such
+            return Ok(Some(get_abs_path(
+                context,
+                Path::new(&get_email_contact_icon(context).await?),
+            )));
+        } else if let Some(image_rel) = self.param.get(Param::ProfileImage) {
+            // Load the group avatar, or the device-chat / saved-messages icon
+            if !image_rel.is_empty() {
                 return Ok(Some(get_abs_path(context, Path::new(&image_rel))));
             }
+        } else if self.typ == Chattype::Broadcast {
+            return Ok(Some(get_broadcast_icon(context).await?));
         }
         Ok(None)
     }
@@ -2422,69 +2433,63 @@ pub struct ChatInfo {
     // - [ ] email
 }
 
-pub(crate) async fn update_saved_messages_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<()> {
-    if let Some(ChatIdBlocked { id: chat_id, .. }) =
-        ChatIdBlocked::lookup_by_contact(context, ContactId::SELF).await?
-    {
-        let icon = include_bytes!("../assets/icon-saved-messages.png");
-        let blob =
-            BlobObject::create_and_deduplicate_from_bytes(context, icon, "saved-messages.png")?;
-        let icon = blob.as_name().to_string();
-
-        let mut chat = Chat::load_from_db(context, chat_id).await?;
-        chat.param.set(Param::ProfileImage, icon);
-        chat.update_param(context).await?;
+async fn get_asset_icon(context: &Context, name: &str, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    ensure!(name.starts_with("icon-"));
+    if let Some(icon) = context.sql.get_raw_config(name).await? {
+        return Ok(get_abs_path(context, Path::new(&icon)));
     }
-    Ok(())
-}
 
-pub(crate) async fn update_device_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<()> {
-    if let Some(ChatIdBlocked { id: chat_id, .. }) =
-        ChatIdBlocked::lookup_by_contact(context, ContactId::DEVICE).await?
-    {
-        let icon = include_bytes!("../assets/icon-device.png");
-        let blob = BlobObject::create_and_deduplicate_from_bytes(context, icon, "device.png")?;
-        let icon = blob.as_name().to_string();
+    let blob =
+        BlobObject::create_and_deduplicate_from_bytes(context, bytes, &format!("{name}.png"))?;
+    let icon = blob.as_name().to_string();
+    context.sql.set_raw_config(name, Some(&icon)).await?;
 
-        let mut chat = Chat::load_from_db(context, chat_id).await?;
-        chat.param.set(Param::ProfileImage, &icon);
-        chat.update_param(context).await?;
+    Ok(get_abs_path(context, Path::new(&icon)))
+}
 
-        let mut contact = Contact::get_by_id(context, ContactId::DEVICE).await?;
-        contact.param.set(Param::ProfileImage, icon);
-        contact.update_param(context).await?;
-    }
-    Ok(())
+pub(crate) async fn get_saved_messages_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    get_asset_icon(
+        context,
+        "icon-saved-messages",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icon-saved-messages.png"),
+    )
+    .await
 }
 
-pub(crate) async fn get_broadcast_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<String> {
-    if let Some(icon) = context.sql.get_raw_config("icon-broadcast").await? {
-        return Ok(icon);
-    }
+pub(crate) async fn get_device_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    get_asset_icon(
+        context,
+        "icon-device",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icon-device.png"),
+    )
+    .await
+}
 
-    let icon = include_bytes!("../assets/icon-broadcast.png");
-    let blob = BlobObject::create_and_deduplicate_from_bytes(context, icon, "broadcast.png")?;
-    let icon = blob.as_name().to_string();
-    context
-        .sql
-        .set_raw_config("icon-broadcast", Some(&icon))
-        .await?;
-    Ok(icon)
+pub(crate) async fn get_broadcast_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    get_asset_icon(
+        context,
+        "icon-broadcast",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icon-broadcast.png"),
+    )
+    .await
 }
 
-pub(crate) async fn get_archive_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<String> {
-    if let Some(icon) = context.sql.get_raw_config("icon-archive").await? {
-        return Ok(icon);
-    }
+pub(crate) async fn get_archive_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    get_asset_icon(
+        context,
+        "icon-archive",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icon-archive.png"),
+    )
+    .await
+}
 
-    let icon = include_bytes!("../assets/icon-archive.png");
-    let blob = BlobObject::create_and_deduplicate_from_bytes(context, icon, "archive.png")?;
-    let icon = blob.as_name().to_string();
-    context
-        .sql
-        .set_raw_config("icon-archive", Some(&icon))
-        .await?;
-    Ok(icon)
+pub(crate) async fn get_email_contact_icon(context: &Context) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    get_asset_icon(
+        context,
+        "icon-email-contact",
+        include_bytes!("../assets/icon-email-contact.png"),
+    )
+    .await
 }
 
 async fn update_special_chat_name(
@@ -2658,12 +2663,6 @@ impl ChatIdBlocked {
                 .await?;
         }
 
-        match contact_id {
-            ContactId::SELF => update_saved_messages_icon(context).await?,
-            ContactId::DEVICE => update_device_icon(context).await?,
-            _ => (),
-        }
-
         Ok(Self {
             id: chat_id,
             blocked: create_blocked,

assets/icon-email-contact.svg

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use crate::imex::{has_backup, imex, ImexMode};
 use crate::message::{delete_msgs, MessengerMessage};
 use crate::receive_imf::receive_imf;
 use crate::test_utils::{sync, TestContext, TestContextManager, TimeShiftFalsePositiveNote};
+use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
 use strum::IntoEnumIterator;
 use tokio::fs;
 
@@ -19,26 +20,34 @@ async fn test_chat_info() {
     // Ensure we can serialize this.
     println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&info).unwrap());
 
-    let expected = r#"
-            {
-                "id": 10,
-                "type": 100,
-                "name": "bob",
-                "archived": false,
-                "param": "",
-                "gossiped_timestamp": 0,
-                "is_sending_locations": false,
-                "color": 35391,
-                "profile_image": "",
-                "draft": "",
-                "is_muted": false,
-                "ephemeral_timer": "Disabled"
-            }
-        "#;
+    let expected = format!(
+        r#"{{
+  "id": 10,
+  "type": 100,
+  "name": "bob",
+  "archived": false,
+  "param": "",
+  "is_sending_locations": false,
+  "color": 35391,
+  "profile_image": {},
+  "draft": "",
+  "is_muted": false,
+  "ephemeral_timer": "Disabled"
+}}"#,
+        // We need to do it like this so that the test passes on Windows:
+        serde_json::to_string(
+            t.get_blobdir()
+                .join("9a17b32ad5ff71df91f7cfda9a62bb2.png")
+                .to_str()
+                .unwrap()
+        )
+        .unwrap()
+    );
 
     // Ensure we can deserialize this.
-    let loaded: ChatInfo = serde_json::from_str(expected).unwrap();
-    assert_eq!(info, loaded);
+    serde_json::from_str::<ChatInfo>(&expected).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(serde_json::to_string_pretty(&info).unwrap(), expected);
 }
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
@@ -907,7 +916,11 @@ async fn test_add_device_msg_labelled() -> Result<()> {
     assert!(chat.why_cant_send(&t).await? == Some(CantSendReason::DeviceChat));
 
     assert_eq!(chat.name, stock_str::device_messages(&t).await);
-    assert!(chat.get_profile_image(&t).await?.is_some());
+    let device_msg_icon = chat.get_profile_image(&t).await?.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        device_msg_icon.metadata()?.len(),
+        include_bytes!("../../assets/icon-device.png").len() as u64
+    );
 
     // delete device message, make sure it is not added again
     message::delete_msgs(&t, &[*msg1_id.as_ref().unwrap()]).await?;

src/chat.rs

@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ pub async fn make_vcard(context: &Context, contacts: &[ContactId]) -> Result<Str
     for id in contacts {
         let c = Contact::get_by_id(context, *id).await?;
         let key = c.public_key(context).await?.map(|k| k.to_base64());
-        let profile_image = match c.get_profile_image(context).await? {
+        let profile_image = match c.get_profile_image_ex(context, false).await? {
             None => None,
             Some(path) => tokio::fs::read(path)
                 .await
@@ -1493,11 +1493,28 @@ impl Contact {
     /// This is the image set by each remote user on their own
     /// using set_config(context, "selfavatar", image).
     pub async fn get_profile_image(&self, context: &Context) -> Result<Option<PathBuf>> {
+        self.get_profile_image_ex(context, true).await
+    }
+
+    /// Get the contact's profile image.
+    /// This is the image set by each remote user on their own
+    /// using set_config(context, "selfavatar", image).
+    async fn get_profile_image_ex(
+        &self,
+        context: &Context,
+        show_fallback_icon: bool,
+    ) -> Result<Option<PathBuf>> {
         if self.id == ContactId::SELF {
             if let Some(p) = context.get_config(Config::Selfavatar).await? {
                 return Ok(Some(PathBuf::from(p))); // get_config() calls get_abs_path() internally already
             }
-        } else if let Some(image_rel) = self.param.get(Param::ProfileImage) {
+        } else if self.id == ContactId::DEVICE {
+            return Ok(Some(chat::get_device_icon(context).await?));
+        }
+        if show_fallback_icon && !self.id.is_special() && !self.is_pgp_contact() {
+            return Ok(Some(chat::get_email_contact_icon(context).await?));
+        }
+        if let Some(image_rel) = self.param.get(Param::ProfileImage) {
             if !image_rel.is_empty() {
                 return Ok(Some(get_abs_path(context, Path::new(image_rel))));
             }

src/chat/chat_tests.rs

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use rusqlite::{config::DbConfig, types::ValueRef, Connection, OpenFlags, Row};
 use tokio::sync::RwLock;
 
 use crate::blob::BlobObject;
-use crate::chat::{add_device_msg, update_device_icon, update_saved_messages_icon};
+use crate::chat::add_device_msg;
 use crate::config::Config;
 use crate::constants::DC_CHAT_ID_TRASH;
 use crate::context::Context;
@@ -213,18 +213,14 @@ impl Sql {
         // this should be done before updates that use high-level objects that
         // rely themselves on the low-level structure.
 
-        let (update_icons, disable_server_delete, recode_avatar) = migrations::run(context, self)
+        // `update_icons` is not used anymore, since it's not necessary anymore to "update" icons:
+        let (_update_icons, disable_server_delete, recode_avatar) = migrations::run(context, self)
             .await
             .context("failed to run migrations")?;
 
         // (2) updates that require high-level objects
         // the structure is complete now and all objects are usable
 
-        if update_icons {
-            update_saved_messages_icon(context).await?;
-            update_device_icon(context).await?;
-        }
-
         if disable_server_delete {
             // We now always watch all folders and delete messages there if delete_server is enabled.
             // So, for people who have delete_server enabled, disable it and add a hint to the devicechat:

src/contact.rs

@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ impl TestContext {
                 ""
             },
             match sel_chat.get_profile_image(self).await.unwrap() {
-                Some(icon) => match icon.to_str() {
+                Some(icon) => match icon.strip_prefix(self.get_blobdir()).unwrap().to_str() {
                     Some(icon) => format!(" Icon: {icon}"),
                     _ => " Icon: Err".to_string(),
                 },

src/sql.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Single#Chat#10: bob@example.net [bob@example.net] 
+Single#Chat#10: bob@example.net [bob@example.net] Icon: 9a17b32ad5ff71df91f7cfda9a62bb2.png 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Msg#10: Me (Contact#Contact#Self): We share this account  √
 Msg#11: Me (Contact#Contact#Self): I'm Alice too  √

src/test_utils.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Single#Chat#10: Bob [bob@example.net] 
+Single#Chat#10: Bob [bob@example.net] Icon: 9a17b32ad5ff71df91f7cfda9a62bb2.png 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Msg#10: Me (Contact#Contact#Self): Happy birthday, Bob!  √
 Msg#11:  (Contact#Contact#10): Happy birthday to me, Alice! [FRESH]

test-data/golden/receive_imf_older_message_from_2nd_device

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Single#Chat#11: bob@example.net [bob@example.net] 
+Single#Chat#11: bob@example.net [bob@example.net] Icon: 9a17b32ad5ff71df91f7cfda9a62bb2.png 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Msg#12: Me (Contact#Contact#Self): One classical MUA message  √
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------