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MSN via php

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 2:35 pm
by redhair
Yes i have a weird question..

I want to make a webpage that acts as a msn messenger.

Why?

Noughty..

At school my students are not allowed to msn BUT they can email.
I want to create a webpage that looks like a email message compose window, yet acts as a msn client.

Is there anybody out here that know about a exsisting script that may help me out?
It's probably going to be more than php..and it's also going to be a server of my own where this script would run. None the less I thought i'dd give it a try here..

Since you all like a good laugh :)

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 2:48 pm
by Ambush Commander
You're looking for something like:

1) a shoutbox
2) a chatroom

Shoutbox can be made with PHP, google it. Chatroom is client side, so you'll need an applet or something for that.

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 2:55 pm
by shiznatix
java for the chatroom, i dont think its possible to do a LIVE chatroom via php but the shoutbox is a very good idea, thats what i made so me and all my friends could talk to eachother durring school no matter what classes we were in. if you want personal conversations then just use a database but if you just want a group chat just use a txt file (ultra easy). if you want my code for the txt file shoutbox that i used just ask

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 2:58 pm
by Archy

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 2:59 pm
by John Cartwright
You actually want to make an msn client?
What about webmessenger? :arrow: http://webmessenger.msn.com/

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 3:17 pm
by redhair
Hi again :)

Thanks for the coop in this scam.
Web messenger is knowen at the computer room.
People caught using that will also get kicked out..
I do need a simular thing, yet it HAS to look like an email compose window, since they allow that,..and they know what it looks like (they think...)

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 3:32 pm
by Burrito
is JS enabled?

if so, you could use xmlhttp to request pages off of a server every second or so so it would look and feel "realtime", but you wouldn't have to hassle with Java or Flash or some other client/server relationship.

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 4:12 pm
by Archy
Hmm, how about CGI:IRC?

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 5:19 pm
by shiznatix
or just a shoutbox that you make look like a email service? that could be done with a little creativity in css :wink:

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 8:54 pm
by hawleyjr
RedHair I like your attitude. When I was in school we only had a small computer lab. However, a handful of us had pagers and were able to communicate using code such as 14 for hi….etc….

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 9:23 pm
by Ambush Commander
Judging from what kind of restrictions you have, I'd have to say a few things:

1) Real time updating will be out of question ("hey, why's your email client scrolling with new messages?" "er... new feature?")

Which makes actual "chatting" a bit annoying (although nothing ReloadEvery or meta refresh couldn't fix).

Posted: Tue May 24, 2005 9:28 pm
by Burrito
Ambush Commander wrote: 1) Real time updating will be out of question ("hey, why's your email client scrolling with new messages?" "er... new feature?")

Which makes actual "chatting" a bit annoying (although nothing ReloadEvery or meta refresh couldn't fix).
not entirely true...xmlhttp is your friend. I have actually developed a chat application which I've shown a few of you already that works flawlessly (almost). I'd share it, but there are still a few issues I need to work out before I "release" it.

it can fetch new updates (in this case, chat messages) w/o refreshing and it looks completely real-time to the end user.

AC hit me up on msn if you'd like to take a peek. I'm always anxious to get other's opinions to improve on it.

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 12:21 am
by Revan
I used this as a template for my web MSN version:

http://flumpcakes.co.uk/php/msn-messenger

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 12:25 am
by redhair
Revan wrote:I used this as a template for my web MSN version:

http://flumpcakes.co.uk/php/msn-messenger
This looks like what i need.. Thanks! I'll verify tonight.

Posted: Wed May 25, 2005 3:34 am
by timvw
I would use a php-irc class/module and write a script that uses that...

And then it's only a matter of choosing a bitlbee server (an irc gateway to msn/jabber/aol/icq/...) and logging in into your accounts :)



Currently i use screen + irssi on my shellserver and connect to im.bitlbee.org. This way i can stay online on msn etc and chat from every place where i can ssh to the shellserver...