WS_Chat - A chat application for windows using the TCP/IP protocol. -------------------------------------------------------------------- This is version 3.00 of ws chat. It enables you to chat over the internet by the use of the TCP/IP protocol. Therefore it doesn't matter whether your friend lives down the hall or at the other side of the world. It replaces all previous versions of ws chat. Features: --------- Real-time Bi-directional Chatting over the internet using physical or SLIP/PPP connections. Easy to use automated Address-book. Customisable for your particular use. Event driven programming: uses almost no processor time when not in use. Leave it minimised on your desktop. Tested with: * WfW 3.11, should work for 3.1 though. Appears to work with NT -> see 'set up'. * trumpet winsock 2.0b TCP/IP 32 (Wolverine) ver 3.11b RC * TIA (The Internet Acces) in combination with trumpet. Only works for connecting to people; you can't listen to incoming connections. This disadvantage can be by-passed by 'stealing' a free port from your UNIX host. I wish to refer to the TIA faqs or th e comp.datacom.slip-emulators newsgroup for details. * Should work over standard SLIP/PPP connections as well. Basic requirements ------------------ At least 386 PC with internet access (either physically or using SLIP/PPP). WfW 3.11 or 3.1, and a TCP/IP package: TCP/IP 32 Wolverine (Free at ftp.microsoft.com), Trumpet winsock (shareware, found at several ftp sites around the globe), Chameleon (not shareware, a try before you buy package is available at several ftp-sites). Regsistration ------------- WS chat 3.00 is beggerware. Registration is not required for ws chat version 3.00. That means that it's free to use this software. For information about distributing this software, see the disclaimer section at the end of this document. However, I had to invest 50$ in the IPDaemon and IPPort custom controls, and a lot of time went into this program. Therefore, I would appreciate it if you sent me 5$ if you keep using this program. I will then notify you of updates of ws chat. If you have special requests, tell me what they are and I'll see what I can do. Future versions of ws chat will not be free. If you register your copy now, you will get a 5$ discount on future versions. My address is: Danny Brands Molukkenstraat 122-L 1094 BV Amsterdam The Netherlands Manual ------ This manual will only contain some basic information, see the help file for details (press F1 while running WSChat or run the test.hlp file from program manager. Set up ------ Start by installing the package. Unzip the Zipfile. You can do this by typing pkunzip ws_chat2 -d. This will create a wsc_tmp directory. From program manager choose File - Run and browse for setup.exe in the wsc_tmp directory. Choose OK and follow the ins tructions. Alternatively - when setup fails - you can manually install the package by following the instructions for NT users below. Setup for Windows NT users and for people running windows from a network ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Users reported that ws chat is compatible with Windows NT. The setup program however is not. You should manually decompress the .XX_ file with the expand utility that came with windows. People running Windows from a network should do the same. You can do this by typing expand -r filename.xx_. Starting ws chat ---------------- Double click the ws chat icon and the ws chat flyer appears (click on it). The WS Chat window will appear. If anything went wrong until now, you probably have no TCP/IP package (properly) installed (trumpet, TCP/IP 32, Chameleon etc.) don't ask me anything about that, refer to your network administrator. WS Chat has two modes, a listening mode (default) and a hailing mode. In listening mode, WS Chat will accept incoming calls. The hailing mode is for connecting to other people. You can toggle the modes by clicking on each of the four buttons (explained be low). Watch the line under the remote box, it will give information on what's happening. In order to chat, a copy of WS_Chat of your friend will have to be in listening mode (automatically entered at start-up by default). You will then have to type in the IP name *or* IP number of your friend in the correct box and a port number at which you r friend is listening. If you do not understand the port thing, just leave it at 22. You can then make a connection by hailing your friend by clicking on the "HAIL" button. Watch the line under the remote box, it will say what's happening. It does first try to resolve your IP name or number, then it will try to contact the other side. Whe n the line says: "Connected with xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx on Port yy" (where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is your friends IP number and yy the port number your friend is listening at) you can start typing. You are now ready to Chat! If nothing happens your friend probably did not have WS Chat in listening mode or something else is wrong (Do you have a TCP/IP package, is the IP and the Port number right?). If you use dynamically addressed SLIP or PPP connections, your friend might have trouble contacting you, since you do not have the same IPnumber or name every time you log in. However, WS Chat now has a System info menu under help, so you should always be able to find out your IP name or number. TIA and Twinsock users: see trouble shooting. Running ws chat from a network ------------------------------ If you are running ws chat from a network, you can specify the directory where ws_chat can find ws_chat.ini (initialisation file) and ws_chat.msg (auto-answering message file) with with the -i command line option. So if you have the ws_chat.ini and ws_cha t.msg files in the 'c:\ws_chat' directory you would start ws_chat with: wschat.exe -ic:\ws_chat DISCLAIMER & Copyrights ----------------------- This Software is owned by Danny Brands. Danny Brands grants to the user a nonexclusive license to use this WS_Chat Software solely for its internal business purposes. The user may not commercially distribute, sublicense, resell, or otherwise transfer for any consideration, or reproduce for any such purposes, the WS_Chat software or any modification or derivation thereof, either alone or in conjunction with any other product or program. Further, the user may not modify the WS_Chat Software, other than fo r its own internal business use. THIS WS_CHAT SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED TO THE USER ''AS IS.'' Danny Brands MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS WS Chat SOFTWARE AND/OR ASSOCIATED MATERIALS PROVIDED TO THE USER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY OF MER CHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR AGAINST INFRINGEMENT. Danny Brands DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE SOFTWARE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, OR THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, OR T HAT DEFECTS IN THE SOFTWARE WILL BE CORRECTED. FURTHERMORE, Danny Brands DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE SOFTWARE OR ANY DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED HEREWITH IN TERMS OF THEIR CORRECTNESS, ACCURA CY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY Danny Brands SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY -- Danny Brands is NOT LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIMS OR DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT, LOSS OF PROFITS, OR INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS, OR FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, HOWEVER CAUSED, WHETHER ARISING OUT OF BREACH OF WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE.