Chat solution

[inkhana]

I have a bit of a problem that I'm sure one of the senior computer type people here can help me out with...

I'm trying to find some kind of chat for my site. I have my own server space to put it on, so I don't want to do one of those where you link to someone else's site to get the chat window. Does anybody have something they can recommend that runs fairly smoothly and doesn't have a bunch of ads all over it? The ability to alter the look through CSS or similar is a plus, but not necessary. A nice set of features would be great, but the ability to ban by IP is important. Any help you guys could give me would be great.

BTW, I downloaded the jchatbox system, but when I got into the directions, I realized it wasn't like simple java applets where you just have the jar file. Can someone please clarify this for me, and tell me if this system is any good if you know? Thanks!

Here are basic steps to install jChatBox in your servlet engine (Note that you should follow specific installation instructions if your JSP/Servlets engine is listed above).

Add xerces.jar and jchatbox.jar to the CLASSPATH of your web application.
(e.g. : Put these files under WEB-INF/lib/).
Copy conf/,admin/,skin_classic/,skin_mirc/,skin_tv/,applet/, xml_connector/ folders AND configureme.jsp into the documentRoot of your web application.
(e.g. : Put all these under a folder jchatbox/ in your web server).
Create logs/ folder with RW access under your web application. Check that conf/jchatbox.xml file is RW too.
(e.g. Use chmod 777 under Unix or Linux).
Follow configuration instructions to setup configureme.jsp AND conf/jchatbox.xml before launching your servlet engine.
Run jChatBox :
Administration : http://yourserver.com/jChatBoxPath/admin/index.jsp
Users main : http://yourserver.com/jChatBoxPath/skin_mirc/login.jsp
Users main : http://yourserver.com/jChatBoxPath/applet/jchatboxclient.html
Note : You can replace skin_mic in the URL above by others skins.

[shooraijin]

Your first problem is that this isn't (just) an applet, it's a servlet (a Java program that runs under the server, not the client web browser). How you set up the webserver to run a servlet on your behalf varies on your provider. What webserver is your site running?

Every chat system must have a backend to centrally manage all the incoming chat requests and operations. In the case of the CAA one here, it's the MUD driver. In the case of the one you're looking at, it's the servlet.

[inkhana]

Hmm...ok... (glad to have someone to tell me these things...LOL...I'd be so lost otherwise...)

Ok, if I understand what you're asking correctly, the system is running Linux. (version isn't specified...) There isn't much more information provided by my admin panel except things like PHP version, and Perl information (which I'm guessing aren't relevant?). If it helps in the least, I have service through Ipowerweb.

Before I waste a lot of your time trying to explain this to me, what is your opinion of this particular type of system? Would I be better off going with something else? (since I lack the ability to code) Something else that I should have mentioned before and I didn't is that whatever I do, it should be fairly simple for the user to operate, though I doubt it's much of an issue since most chat interfaces are pretty simple.

I really, really thank you for your help!

[Master Kenzo]

You can always go with IRC - there are a few servers available and ircd-hybrid is really easy to use and set up; but I'm using the Linux version ... not sure if there is a Windows server. After that, a simple search could probably find you a java applet for the IRC.

[inkhana]

Yeah, in fact, I think I dled a Java applet that handles IRC. I thought about IRC, but in the end I decided since I'd never even used it I might ought to look into other stuff as well. I guess it costs money to get an IRC server running locally?*


*Like I know anything about it...

[Master Kenzo]

Free IRC servers are quite common, like the forementioned ircd-hybrid, but there are other free chat solutions out there, such as TagBoard. Really, though, you should use the solution best suited for your specific needs.

[shooraijin]

IRC works well as long as you can find a channel and a network willing to keep it open. For this purpose, you might need to get a bot running. However, for my money, IRC has too many if's in it (the channel works IF the IRC network is running, IF it's not too congested, IF the channel hasn't been deleted, IF the channel bot is still running and IF the bot still has +o).

Like everything in life, this improves if you are your own server. You could run ircd locally, and as long as you run only your own channels (no feeds), this would probably cause little strain on the home server. The trick is getting the local administration to permit you to do so. One of us might be able to help you here, or even provide a host for you to access, although I defer to someone more experienced with setting up ircd (I don't IRC much).

[shooraijin]

> Ok, if I understand what you're asking correctly, the system is running Linux. (version isn't specified...)

In reference to this original question ...

I was more interested in the webserver itself. You can find this out by sending the webserver a bogus request, like for a file that doesn't exist. If it's Apache (since it's Linux, I strongly suspect that it is), it should announce its version, and any other goodies that are hacked into it unless it has been programmed not to, sigh.

For servlet access you need a servlet runner. I've used Apache-NT with Tomcat when I did a professional servlet installation, but most of that was cookbook and nothing on a custom level. However, if your package is at all worth its salt, it should have some instructions for how to do this.

If your webserver has no servlet runner at all, then you're probably in trouble.

I agree with Master Kenzo in that the best chat environment is the one that meets your needs most directly, regardless of the installation difficulties. We can help you out with some of that. What exactly do you need a chat environment for? Just chat, chat + meetings, chat + meetings + adventuring, ... ?

When I put together the chat environment here, I wanted something that was extensible and could be dynamically expanded, since at the time there was some interest (and still is) in making some sort of online game or activities for people to be involved in. That's why I chose a bigger solution and went with a dedicated LPmud game driver. However, for you, this may be swatting a fly with a Mercedes, and it definitely requires a lot of tech background (I've programmed in LPC for literally almost a decade, so I'm very familiar with LPs).

On the other hand, the little mini chat services may be simple to configure, but will probably show their lack of flexibility in other ways, or may be unwieldy to access and use.

[inkhana]

Well, while the chat will be largely used for general chat (and will probably not have a load such as this site would have for a while), it will mostly be used for prayer meetings whenever necessary. There may be other things later, but these are the only things I have planned at the moment. That's why I was asking; I wasn't at all sure what best fits this particular need. I do have a bought webspace to put it on (500 megs disk, 30 gig transfer), so I'm assuming this increases what I'm capable of doing.

BTW, yes, I believe I am running Apache. However, when I generate a 404, it doesn't specify. The only reason I know it's Apache is because my admin panel has a button that says "Apache Handler".

Does this help...? LOL

[shooraijin]

What will increase your mileage more is the ability to run server programs of your own (or IRC bots). The servlet is one way to achieve this kind of persistent chat room state.

As for your site, if you PM me with a URL, I can probably determine remotely what it is, and what services it offers. If you want to run a servlet, and it sounds like you're definitely above entry level with the capacity you're paying for, ask the administration and tell them exactly that: I want to run a servlet, please tell me the configuration of this server, or how I can insert this code. Provide them with the name of the package, just in case.

[inkhana]

OK, thanks! I'll do that.