Multi-Protocol Chat
With this application, you can chat with computers and different protocols.
Introduction
This application is a simple chat-application which provides the way to use different protocols (IP, Serial, Modem, IPX, ....).
Code-Blocks
Module1
:
If you want, you can develop an Add-In (which is compatible with the chat) like a game to use it.
Public DX As New DirectX7
Public DP As DirectPlay4
Public DPEnum As DirectPlayEnumConnections
Public DPAddress As DirectPlayAddress
Public Session As DirectPlaySessionData
Public DPEnumSessions As DirectPlayEnumSessions
Public PlayerIDNum As Long
Public PlayerFriendly As String
Public PlayerFormal As String
'Warning: Don't use the string below for the chat.
Public Const MyGuid As String = _
"{8EC1E2EC-5266-11D4-811C-AD15B9B82C76}"
Public Sub CreateSession(ByRef ConnectionIndex As Long)
'with this we create a session.
Set DPAddress = DPEnum.GetAddress(ConnectionIndex)
Call DP.InitializeConnection(DPAddress)
Set Session = DP.CreateSessionData
Session.SetMaxPlayers 8 'here are only 8 chatters/players allowed
Session.SetSessionName "ChatSession"
Session.SetGuidApplication MyGuid 'the chat uses the created GUID
'these 2 flags should be enough for every application.
Session.SetFlags _
DPSESSION_DIRECTPLAYPROTOCOL Or DPSESSION_MIGRATEHOST
'now we create a session based on the properties we've just set.
Call DP.Open(Session, DPOPEN_CREATE)
CreatePlayer
Form1.Timer1.Enabled = True
End Sub
Public Sub JoinSession()
'here will be "discussed" which session you join
Set Session = DPEnumSessions.GetItem(Form1.List2.ListIndex + 1)
'check if one more player is allowed to join
If Session.GetMaxPlayers < Session.GetCurrentPlayers Then End
Session.SetGuidApplication MyGuid 'the chat/game uses the created GUID
'open and join session
DP.Open Session, DPOPEN_JOIN
CreatePlayer
Form1.Timer1.Enabled = True
End Sub
Public Sub CreatePlayer()
'make attributes to the player/chatter...
PlayerFriendly = InputBox("Nickname", "Create Player")
PlayerFormal = InputBox("Real name", "Create Player")
'now we create a player/chatter - the function returns an ID
'which we can use to identify us self... (later)
PlayerIDNum = _
DP.CreatePlayer(PlayerFriendly, PlayerFormal, 0, 0)
End Sub
Public Sub SendMessage()
Dim Msg As DirectPlayMessage
Set Msg = DP.CreateMessage
'fill message
Msg.WriteString (PlayerFriendly & ": " & Form1.Text1.Text)
'send
DP.SendEx PlayerIDNum, DPID_ALLPLAYERS, DPSEND_GUARANTEED, _
Msg, 0, 0, 0
Form1.List3.AddItem (PlayerFriendly & ": " & Form1.Text1.Text)
Form1.Text1.Text = ("")
End Sub
Public Sub ReceiveMessage()
Dim SourceIP As Long
Dim TargetIP As Long
Dim NumMessagesWaiting As Long
Dim Msg As DirectPlayMessage
NumMessagesWaiting = DP.GetMessageCount(PlayerIDNum) 'the number of waiting messages
Do While NumMessagesWaiting > 0
Set Msg = DP.Receive(SourceIP, TargetIP, DPRECEIVE_ALL)
Form1.List3.AddItem Msg.ReadString
'decrement number of waiting messages
NumMessagesWaiting = NumMessagesWaiting - 1
Loop
End Sub
I had no problems while developing this. Given here are some parts of the whole code. It's not very long and not very difficult.
History
- 23rd March, 2005: Initial post