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.

[wot-Mike]

-=DM=-,
Sometimes when you get disconnected, your name stays logged in. Which is a bugger in the free chat, cause you can't do anything about it.
But you can still log in using a different name

The errors you have, I had those as well. In my case they were the result of having gzip turned on the server as well as in vBulletin.
If gzip is already active on your website, then you don't need to set the options for it in vBulletin, so turn it off in the vB admin panel.


And that's another cool of doing it FWC. Thanks for sharing that

[tkeil69575]

Hi Mike,
I just installed your hack and its working great. Thanks for the great work. Im quite happy with the chat from raidersoft and updated to pro now.

The only think thats really bugging me (cause my users are asking for it constantly) is the "Who is in Chat" on the index.php.
I know you said your not making your Solution public, so may I be bold and ask if you'd make it "un-public" like via mail?

regards
Tina

Originally posted by wot-Mike
Oh, those who peeked at our forums and noticed the one lined "users in chat" up and running there, the code for that can not and will not be made public

Oh, and version 1.4 of this hack is about ready, very much the same, but without that checking array, so setting particular sizes should be easier. [/B]

[wot-Mike]

There's nothing bold about asking, Tina

It's not about public or not. It's a promise to keep some information from going public to anyone but ourselves.

I haven't done any work for a "Who's Chatting" yet. I've not been well for a couple of weeks, and didn't feel like doing anything. Guess it's about time I started working on this, but it will be a big change, and it will contain changes to the vB database, which sucks in my opinion, but there's no other way.

[tkeil69575]

Hi Mike,
ok, I understand and sorry to hear you haven't been well. Hope you get better soon.

Yes, Ive been searching here for some solution, but as you say it involves Database changes. And I don't like that idea either. One thought came to me today though. What about reading the logfile supplied by raidersoft. I guess though you'd need permission from them and the version supplied has stuff in it which would have to be filtered out.

Mmh guess I'll have to wait till you get your version out ...

Tina

[-=dm=-]

Hi Wot-Mike
ok everything working fine now
I have now purchased the pro version hehe cool mate.
the message color inside the chat how do I change that?I couldnt find it anywhere in the templates I know I can change all other colors in the admin section for the chatroom.

thanx

[mtalcott]

Hello... I so want a chat on my forums, however I am afraid I will really mess it up... Is there anyone willing to install this hack and a chat program for me? I can work out something in trade... gift certificate from amazon? name a fee?

thanks
please pm me, i want to add this asap!

[wot-Mike]

Originally posted by mtalcott
Hello... I so want a chat on my forums, however I am afraid I will really mess it up... Is there anyone willing to install this hack and a chat program for me? I can work out something in trade... gift certificate from amazon? name a fee?

thanks
please pm me, i want to add this asap!

Hey, if you follow the simplest way, then there's no way you can mess up. The simplest way of installing this hack is:

* Sign up for a (free) chatroom
* Just upload the chat.php to your forums directory
* Edit the chatbit template to link to the correct chatroomnumber
* Link to the chat.php from your forums

That's really it. Nothing more is needed to integrate this hack. There's still a small hack for cosmetic reasons, but it's not required. Download the zip for better instructions.

Just remember that if you edit files .php files, then use a good text editor and NOT something like Wordpad. I use Editpad Lite, but more good tools are mentioned in the hacking tips forum I believe.
If you still need help, then PM me

And Tina, thanks! You're really a nice person
Using the logfiles is not really an option. They can grow pretty big (mine are well over 200 KB at some point), and you'ld have to download them over and over again. The extra bandwidth consumption for RaiderSoft would go through the roof. It wouldn't be fair, or affordable, for anyone.
I'll start working on the Who's Chatting thingy now

[-=dm=-]

Originally posted by wot-Mike

I'll start working on the Who's Chatting thingy now

sounds great

[malken00]

wotmike:

Which chat provider are you using? I would prefer to stay away from banners, and don't mind paying a fee.

[wot-Mike]

Check the very first post in this thread for a link to the one we use