microsoft / microsoft/terminal

Suggestion: "One-click & snap" connect to bluetooth/serial devices and network hosts using QR Code and Code 128

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Area-Extensibility Help Wanted Issue-Feature Product-Terminal
Dominant language
C++
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Description

IoT devices, network equipment, servers, ... can be accessed through serial over bluetooth, telnet, ssh, etc... but they can require quite a bit of information to configure the terminal properly to connect to them.
It is possible to put labels on them with their hostname or ip address, protocol to use, or for bluetooth or serial equipment, their bluetooth address, passkey, bits per second, data bits, parity, stop bits and flow control information...

Now, imagine if you could just print a QR Code or Code 128 (depending on what is easier to stick on the equipment) containing all that information, and you could just scan the label that is on the device to connect to it automatically.

For servers with a status screen but no keyboard attached, a simple qrencode -t UTF8 "ssh://$(hostname)" displayed on its status screen could make connecting to it much easier as well.

This could be a "Scan connection barcode" option in the [+][v] (new tab menu) of the Windows Terminal, using the Windows built-in barcode library to scan the sticker using the webcam and connecting to it in a single click and snap.

Typical scenario would be tech guy walking to a network switch, IoT endpoint, etc... and, using his laptop, connecting to it without having to setup the connection manually.
Future scenario would be when the Windows Terminal works on HoloLens 2, to be able to simply say "connect using terminal" to have a floating augmented-reality terminal window connecting to the device in front of the user.

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  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

No implementation files or tests are identified. Start at the [+][v] new-tab menu and define the barcode formats, encoded connection fields, webcam scanning flow, and supported protocols before locating the relevant Windows Terminal entry point. Done would mean a scanned label can configure and open the requested connection in one action.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
cli, desktop, networking
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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