Author: Gizmo (James of VNC Web Design)



Requirements:

• Valid UBB.Threads 7.0 install and license
• pjIRC (freely obtainable from pJIRC.com)

About:
This addon will allow you to integrate the freely available Java IRC client pJIRC.

Unlike other jIRC applets out there, this one is free, and open source. It has a large community built behind it, and has excelled in features compared to others for years.

Demo:
I currently don't have a demo of this available on my test site (as I don't need it integrated into my forum) however you can see the pJIRC script itself in action here.

File History
2245 - Chat Addon v0.1 (2245-chat.zip) - Released: 07/30/2006 - Initial build.
2329 - Chat Addon v0.2 (2330-chatv02.zip) - Released: 01/01/2007 - Bug Fixes, Feature Additions, etc.
2330 - Chat Addon v0.2 Reloaded - Released: 01/01/2007 - Fixed a quick syntax error in chat.tmp
2337 - Chat Addon v0.3 (2337-chatv03.zip) - Released: 01/08/2007 - Added several new "advanced strings", including restricted/allowed commands/channels strings (with ticks in the main configuration in the language file).
2491 - Chat Addon v0.4 (chatv04.zip) - Released: 09/30/2007 - Spaces in nicknames are now converted to _'s so that user PDN's display properly when logging in (spaces in nicknames are not allowed according to the IRC standards). Also updated the revision in the readme for once ... I've also added instructions to the readme that show users logged into the chat in the WOL.
2526 - Chat Addon v0.5 (chatPre73v05.zip) - Released: 05/12/2008 - Repaired a syntax error in the language file and preformed some minor code updates to go in line with the 7.3+ version.

As of v0.2 this addon supports every major option that the pJIRC has, there aren't (yet) ticks for every option in the language file; but advanced users can edit the template file to edit the standard options (I've included all of the major options set to default values in the template file).

NOTE
This script, by default, assumes you have pJIRC installed in a /irc directory under your forum install; you can override this directory in the configuration.

Future Plans

• I'm giving thought to a process of providing a smilies legend for the smiley support which will allow users to select smilies from the legend and have them populate into the chat box.
• I'm contemplating utilizing a pjirc.cfg file vs defining everything in the html.

NOTICE:
It has come to my attention that some people are assuming that you must run your own server in order to utilize this modification. It is NOT a requirement to run your own IRC Server to run this addon; you can use any of the millions of irc servers online (a large list is available here) to connect to. Additionally I also operate an open irc server that anyone is welcome to use; by default this is the server in the configuration (irc.undergroundnews.com).

nice, thank you

NP, saw plenty of people use the UBB.c version for jIRC; figured I'd offer everyone a FREE alternative (as jIRC isn't free, yet pJIRC is; plus has more features) .

This was my next project Gizzy I've already integrated pJIRC with my classic and I was going to convert it to integrate with Threads 7.

Well, you're more than welcome to poke with what I have and provide input and sugguestions Ron hehe...

Bug Fix:

in /scripts/chat.inc.php
Change {$ubbt_lang['LOGIN_PROMPT']} to {$ubbt_lang['CHAT']}

in /readme.txt
Find:
// EDIT: languages/english/genaric.php
Replace with:
// EDIT: languages/english/generic.php

Also, you should name your folders in your zip exactly how they are in the UBB7 Zip to prevent confusion.

I already have a pJIRC install on my server. I ended up hacking the tpl file to point to my existing directory. I didn't want to have 2 instances of the same software on my server unless I absolutely have to. Might not be a bad idea to move that to the lang file with your default assigned to the pref, but allow the user to edit the lang file to point to an existing install instead of forcing /forums/irc.

I saw the placeholder URLs for this thread. I didn't bother pointing those out becaue I assumed those were a FIXME for you already

I'll do a refresh when i get a little more time; i ahve some things i wanna update

Very nice job

So, will this allow only logged-in (Threads 7.0) forum members to enter the room (without lurkers)? Or would I need the RaiderSoft Platinum version...?

Thanks,

JG

This doesn't use Raidersoft... this uses the pJIRC script; and it allows only logged in users to utilize the module...

I only asked cuz the "demo" link allowed me to log in, while not a member of that site. I want a chatroom that will TRULY incorporate into Threads (you need to be logged into Threads to enter the chatroom) cuz I don't want unauthorized guests. AND, it'd be cool -- as the Raidersoft hack post said -- for Who's Online to also report who's in the chatroom.

I'm kinda assuming that I'd need the other hack (and the Raidersoft Premium account) to do this... right? Or no?

You can set it to allow public users or to only allow members, theres a switch in the one file (chat.inc.php):


By default it is set to only allow regged users, you can set it to "0" to allow anyone to access it.

I'm not entirely sure how to add it to the WOL yet, but I'll take a gander in a future revision.

21 downloads so far; if you install please let me know your forum, I'd love to take a gander

I'll be shooting for v0.2 here within the next week, been doing some work and found some duplicate code in the applet section, so it'll be more code cleanup than anything... I'll be adding some triggers in as well to allow you to adjust things easier (versus having to look them up you will be able to change the values)

Updated to build v0.2, I fixed all of the reported bugs, and built in all of the standard options, however a lot of them must be adjusted through the template file (advanced users only).

I built some added ticks in the language file for some features, including colors. Additionally I added functionality for Ron's request to allow users to indicate the url of an already installed pJIRC versus having to add a second install to their server (should someone already have the pJIRC installed).

I've also built in the ability for sounds to be used, this is mainly through the /beep command and private messages.

I'm thinking that in the next build i'll add a smilie legend if you have graphical smilies enabled; then make it so users can click the smilies and they'll be inserted into the chat... The best part of graphical smilies is that users with "normal" clients just see the text variable for the smilie; Such as:

I refreshed the download for v0.2, there was a syntax error in the chat.tmp file (basically i defined the language strings improperly so the color matching wasn't working).

Only one person grabbed this before I noticed, so if you've already installed 0.2 please replace your chat.tmp file with the one in the current zip.

Gizzy.. I just installed your V0.2 and pJIRC for the first time on my site (with UBB.t 7.02). Works great. There is an inherent bug however that should be addressed. It has to do with working around the iirc requirement dateing back decades that the first character in a user name on IRC may not be a number. So a Message Board user with the name 123Sam will get an "Invalid User Name" error. Can you modify the script to sense the first character of the screen name (I'm assuming that's the field you're using.. at least I hope so), and if numeric, to prepend the user name with some character or string defined by the admin? That would be great. This same problem existed on the old jIRC hack for UBB.c. It may have been corrected in later versions.

I've installed it on my site.. but it's only visisble to members. Feel free to sign up Gizzy.

Thanks!

Yeh by default it's only viewable to members (iirc i set it to regged only in the script file).

As for the bug you've mentioned, you've got a point; I'll take and give some thought into it...

Thanks for looking into it Giz. By viewable to members, I meant I placed it in the header in such a way that it is only viewable to members who've logged in. Are you saying I didn't need to do that.. that the board already senses the Regged only flag and will display the chat link only to members? Oh well.. it works.

As for the user name issue.. let me revise to say any non-Alpha character (A-Z) as the first character needs special handling. I'm not sure of the breath of allowable characters in users names for UBB (special characters enabled). Looking at my user list, I see I have some usernames on the message board that start with an apostrophe ('), others that start with a dash (-), and many that start with a numeral (0-9).

Thanks