How to make a multiple connection chat room?

[da404LewZer]

I'm designing a chat room with visual basic 6 enterprise.. and i'm usin da winsock control.. but how can i let more than 2 people talk.. kinda like an aim/icq chatroom.

any help is welcome
-da404LewZer

[parksie]

If you use threads, then you can start a new connection per thread. Other than that, use the Winsock2 API, to avoid the overhead of multiple control instances.

[da404LewZer]

I have never heard of that api command before... do you know where i can get sum info on it?

[kb244]

It's not an API command it's more of a concept, your program will have to be capable of multitasking(which isnt possible in VB6, but may be possible if you use one of the controls to manage it for you)

It depends on your design of the program, typically with ICQ, and IRC, etc, you have a main server that keeps track of everyone, well on IRC you talk to the server, and the server publishes your response.

with ICQ, theyre is a main server, more like a directory server, that lets you know where everyone is, and it directly connects to each person you want to talk to, but for every new instance (task) you have to create a new connection to that person, or you have a Server collaborate all the data it receives(which would have to be multitasked itself) Personally I would feel much more confortable writing a Multithreaded connection software in C++, or at least write the control to handle it in C++.

Check http://www.planet-source-code.com and search "Chat". I am sure you will find a few things on how to make a chat with multiple users.