Embedded chat

This "hack" will allow you to run a semi-integrated (free or paid) chat room "inside" your forum:

+ It's quite generic and should work with several chat providers (made a seperate template, just for the applet code)
+ The chat room will be displayed within your forum's structure,
+ The chat applet will be sized according to the user's screen resolution (could get scary at 1600x1200 )
+ People will be logged into the chat room using their forum usernames (if the chat supports auto-login)
+ Invalid characters in usernames will be replaced before logging in to the chat, plus too lengty names will be shortened
+ Easy installation

- At this time there's no feedback from the chat room to the forum. A "chat monitor" is planned though (version 2)

The install docs and template examples are mainly focussed on the chat provider we use (http://www.raidersoft.com), but it shouldn't be a problem adjusting one or two things to get this thing to work with your own chat provider.

The sizes of the chat applet haven't been tested out fully. I have no clue how bigger resolutions work out. All the rest seems to work fine.

Hope you like it...

[update 1.4]Sizes can now be set more easily, just by editing the chatredirect template, nothing else.
Added support for raidersoft's ICE, which is more flexible with usernames.

[dethfire]

the only bad thing about raidersoft is that you have to pay to beable to administer the chat room. I can't kick anyone! $75/yr is waaaaaaaaay too much

[Zelda-King]

I imagine this hack isn't compatible with a mIRC chat?

[wot-Mike]

I'm totally mIRC ignorant

[BrAinZ]

I have been using this chat very successfully on one board that I run, but have just started another one and am having a slight problem

Basically the chat page opens in a new window (via target="_blank"), but the chat section seems to load TWICE on the same page.

Loads the header etc for the page, then the chatroom app, then the header again, and the chatroom again, then the footer.

The odd thing is, if you press F5 (or refresh) then the page loads normally.

Any ideas on what's causing this??

[wot-Mike]

Well, that's pretty odd.
You might want to check on your templates. I cant think of anything else that would cause this. Is it possible you made a custom template and added "$forumchat" twice? Or something in that direction...
Might also be interesting to see the source code of the page, before it loads header and chat the second time.

[ImportPassion]

wot-Mike: IS there a status update on the who's online? I just got PLatinum and this would be a great add on.

Derek

[wot-Mike]

It's taking ages huh

Well, simply put, I had a who's online thingie of my own, but it was so similar to the one GeorgeofCS wrote that I've sort of adopted his version to avoid confusion and such. With his permission, so no worries about that. And with the exception of invisible users. When you're in chat you're visible, so why bother to keep invisibility settings into account

I had another type of Who's Online as well, based on a "switch" inside the database, but there are too many if's with that one.

Ok, the new chat thingie I have right now isn't finished. I've got it up and running on some site though, and it's working like it should. BUT, it's for Raidersoft's Platinum chat (user authentication). And umm, it's really for a future version of Platinum chat (newer then 7.1), if I'm anticipating things right I mean ...

I can dig around and see if I've still got a modified 1.4 version around, with the Who's Online in it. Unfortunately I'm a sloppy person, and I think I need to adjust template names. I seem to use diferent ones for each chat hack I make. Also, I may need a Profesional chat test board to get it installed and see if it's working like it should. I really haven't looked at it for quite a while, and what I have now is picked up from left overs left and right.
It DOES require some changes to your database.

[thuffner]

GREAT hack. My users are raving! The Who's Chatting will be nice, but take your time...

[yxboom]

<~~ Ready to start begging.

[Grim77]

wot-Mike,

I just wanted to say Thank you on behalf of us here at RaiderSoft. Your script is great!! Please e-mail us the next version so we can put it on on our site as well if you wouldn't mind.

Also, I wanted to let everyone know that we've just completed a script that will allow you to authenticate access to your chat room via your vBulletin database. You'll need the Platinum level service, and this script:

http://www.sigmachat.com/panel/extras/auth_vb230.zip

Once you have it installed, users who belong to groups with posting privileges will be allowed in the chat, and users who belong to groups with moderating privileges will be admin's within the chat room.

We've also developed a real-time Who's Online module that could be incorporated into vBulletin with a little work. The module is still fairly expensive (1/10th of a cent per hit) but should ease up soon.