Badger Messenger, an MSN clone that uses the MSN Network.

[Wokawidget]

IMPORTANT: (updated 25 Feb 2010) In the last few months Microsoft have stopped the MSN network using the MSNP9 protocol. This means the following project does NOT work since it replies on this protocol. See posts 118 to 120 in this thread as to why this doesn't work in more depth. I will be looking at writing a newer .NET version using the latest protocol later this year.

Ok, here it is.
Still rough, but it's good enough to put up here now.

This is the source code to a version of MSN messenger I have written.

The original source code I got this from was posted here a week or so ago by alkatran. The link for this thread is here:

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=323108

Cheers, for posting your code, not many do, more should


Badger Messenger so far doesn't actually do much.

You can log into your MSN account, see your contacts, change your status, add and delete groups. You can sort contacts numerous ways too. That's it.
There's a lot more coded into the DLL, I just haven't added the functionality in the UI yet.

Conversations don't work yet. I had them working but refractured the code and haven't got round to putting it in. The old code is just remarked out.


SOme of the features include:

• Set initial status before login
• Add Group
• Delete Group
• Rename Group
• Set Contacts Nickname (different to their displayname. The nick name is a name you can give them and see them by)
• Set your displayname
• Set your status
• Remembers last login and settings
• List contacts by email, nickname or displayname
• See which of your contacts DO NOT have you on their contacts list

The MSNMessenger code is in a DLL, so you can refernece this in any of your apps and easily write your own UI for it.
You can even link it to your corporate DB and only allow certain emails to be registered as contacts, ie for a site engineer, the MSN network is great to chat to your mates but it's really for contacting ya boss back at the office.


Think that's it so far.

The site I got the MSN protocols from was quite handy:

http://www.hypothetic.org/docs/msn/n...le_session.php


Comments are most welcome.

Future revisions will be posted here frequently over the next week.

Just unzip the file, and then run Test.vpg

This code ain't for the faint hearted


A newer Version can be foound 2 posts down...the attachment on this post is the old version, but is left here for historical reasons


Even newer post!
Updated 20th Sept 2005: See post #34

Woof

[Wokawidget]

2 screen shots. Quite basic.

[Pc_Madness]

Bad Woka bad!

SetDisplayName hammers the msn server till it disconnects you.

And you still haven't fixed the line in vbMSNMessenger.modMSPassport:GetPassPort()

mobjHttp.SetRequestHeader "Authorization", "Passport1.4 OrgVerb=GET,OrgURL=http%3A%2F%2Fmessenger%2Emsn%2Ecom,sign-in=" & pstrEmail & ",pwd=" & pstrPassword & "," & pstrProtocol

to allow the use of nonstandard characters.

[Wokawidget]

OK, here's the new version.

It has a few more features added.

Most of the above features have now bneen fully implemented in the UI.
Auto login feature, plus initial login status.

Change displayname and status.

Contacts in RED do NOT have you on their contact list

Easily see who's on your banned and allowed list.

You can now initiate a chat, or receive a chat.

The code is a little buggy in some places, it's still only an alpha release, but it's comming along.

Need more testers and feedback.

Woof

[theasker]

VERY NICE! lolz, a good thing to add to this would be the ability to send files to your contacts, so if you have friends using msn 6 or 7 and u sign on usng this, you are still able to send and receive files from your contacts, please can you help me with this, i need help sending files accross msn 6, i want to set up a file server at home where when a message is received, it check it and if it is something then it will send that file to that person, how to send files over msn please

[gunner]

i cant get it to an exe from some reason

[gunner]

sorry for double post but..

Woka i did what you sayd but it says:

The Project 'DemoUi' can not be build because it references project '*my path*\vbMSNMessenger.vbp' That Has Not Been Build

i dont understand why it doesnt work =\ im a vb newb kidda..

[Wokawidget]

Yes. You have to change the reference that it points to.
Toools...References....Now select vbMSNMessenger, but the DLL version. Remove the current vbMSNMessenger ref as this looks at the project.

Woka

[gunner]

i still cant get it...
so what your saying is that i have to remove the vbmsnmessenger reference?

Gunner

[gunner]

Hi,
when i send it to other persons it requiers dll's well woka said all ref things , so thats what i did. but he still cant run it

also im trying to change the status pictures but it doesnt work =\

[Pc_Madness]

You need to remove all the references, compile each of the projects in the project group and then add the references again.

If you want to give it to someone else then you'll need to get them to register the dll files, which can be done using an installer or, from Run the regsvr32 command, but I can't remember the syntax... I think its just 'regsvr32 Pathtodllgoeshere'....

And my understanding was that "display pictures" weren't support at the moment, its using the protocol before display pictures? And even then, he hasn't included support for it.

[gunner]

yes i know but what are the dll files i need to send to them?

and i mean status pictures: like away and busy and stuff like that.

[RobCrombie]

Hi Wokawidget,
As you know(from my postings), I like to keep things simple.
Thus I usually avoid VBG's and DLLs etc, so an idiot like me can compile and distribute very easily.

I recently was looking at a project which required a DLL. The author pointed out that we should not register his DLL. Instead we just ensure it is in the same path as the exe. Or if we like, we can place it in the Windows\System32 folder.
That sounded 'like a piece of cake' to me.

This question may expose my lack of knowledge regarding DLLs, but could yours be made like that ?
Or are there apples and oranges with DLLs (different types, with different requirements) >

[Wokawidget]

The DLLs in my project definately require registering.

AxtiveX Usercontrols, OCX files, can be placed in the apps folder, or System32, and they will get registered automatically. Not sure about different DLLs though.
Mine DO require installing.

I have heard you mention keeping it simple before

But what is even simpler is learning Inno setup and using that to install the app.
ALL vb apps require DLLs. Even a simple EXE requires 3 DLLs for the VB runtimes. Most PCs have these installed from other apps, and so your app works. But this will not always be the case.

What people fail to realise is that using an installer is JUST as important as any other process involved in your app. I have nevr quite understood why people are scared of them

Woka

[Pc_Madness]

Generally a case a of hosting size restrictions and being on dial up is usually the reason for wanting to avoid Installers... espiceally when the program is a 50k exe and a 20k dll.


Remind me to show you my blocking code, it works but when you log back in again it nolonger recieves the contacts display Name.

[Arachnid13]

hey, nice code, do you think you could make something that runs alongside msn7 and changes ur name at certain time interval... for example.. you could have your name, with a smiley bouncing left and right through ur name:

Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13
Arachnid13

i've been wanting to do this for ages and been trying to find code to do it but i havent been able to

[Pc_Madness]

You can only change your name so many times and then the server will block the command for a while.

[Arachnid13]

hmm, well i may just have to design my own chat network then!

[asgsoft]

it is very good i ihave to say, is there a way of making it get info from my site regesterants. so only people who are in my site can chat.

[Wokawidget]

Yup.
This is what I wrote it for....as a demo to my boss that we can use the MSN network for our engineers, but you can check your own local DB for permissions as well as having an MSN account.
In the frmMain you have the following function:

Public Sub SignIn(ByVal pblnAutoLogin As Boolean)
Dim strEmail    As String
Dim strPassword As String
Dim enmStatus   As vbBadgerMessenger.vbBadgerStatusConstants
Dim blnLogin    As Boolean
    If pblnAutoLogin Then
        strEmail = GetSysSetting(SECTION_LOGIN, SETTING_LOGIN_EMAIL)
        strPassword = DecryptData(GetSysSetting(SECTION_LOGIN, SETTING_LOGIN_PASSWORD))
        enmStatus = ctlLoginStatus.Status
    End If
    If Len(strEmail) > 0 And Len(strPassword) > 0 Then
        blnLogin = True
    Else
        If GetLoginDetails(strEmail, strPassword, enmStatus) Then
            ctlLoginStatus.Status = enmStatus
            blnLogin = True
        End If
    End If
    If blnLogin Then
        If pblnAutoLogin Then
            SetSysSetting SECTION_LOGIN, SETTING_LOGIN_STATUS, ctlLoginStatus.Status
        End If
        Screen.MousePointer = vbHourglass
        mnuSignIn.Enabled = False
        cmdSignIn.Enabled = False
        mobjMSN.SignIn strEmail, strPassword, enmStatus
    End If
End Sub

The line of code that logs you in is:

mobjMSN.SignIn strEmail, strPassword, enmStatus

So, what you want is something like.

'rest of code from function
If CustomLogin() Then
   mobjMSN.SignIn strEmail, strPassword, enmStatus
End If
'rest of fucntion code
 
Private Function CustomLogin() As Boolean
   'code to validate engineers login against your DB
End Function

You may want to open another username password form so they can enter their site details, but I wud just validate the email address to be fair, something like:

Private Function CustomLogin(ByVal pstrEmail As String) As Boolean
   'code to validate engineers login against your DB
End Function

What code here completely depends on your system, or how your uses are going to validate against your DB.
If the DB in on a local LAN, which is what it is in my case, then I can just use ADO to connect to the SQL DB, or access, and validate the email address.
If you are doing this via the web, ie the DB is on your web server, then there are a number of ways to do this. I would go for a WebService written in .NET, but this does require you to learn webservices and have a copy of .NET.
You could also use ADO again, and by specifying the IP of the server you may be able to connect to your remote DB. Klienma, an admin here, does this all the time so you may want to ask him about this.
The other method would be to use a INet control on the form. You then write a web page that handles an Email param. Then using JS and VBscript or PHP, whatever, you can take that param and validate it. Then all you need to do is write a response to the page of True, or False. Your Msnger client will then just look at the text of the web page to see if it's been valdiated or not.

Hope that points you in the right direction. If you have any questions then give me a shout.

Woka

[asgsoft]

OK i don't know how i can connect to sql db using vb how can i do it? i will be using a remote server will it be possible?

[kleinma]

connecting to a SQL Server using ADO is pretty simple, and just as simple connecting to a remote one as a local one.

this function will return an open connection to a SQL Server... replace the DBNAMEHERE,PASSWORDHERE, etc with your own values.

Public Function OpenCN() As ADODB.Connection
 
On Error GoTo EH:
 
    Set OpenCN = New ADODB.Connection
    
    '*********************************************
    'SQL SERVER CONNECTION
    OpenCN.ConnectionString = "Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=false;User ID=USERIDHERE;pwd=PASSWORDHERE;Initial Catalog=DBNAMEHERE;Server=SERVERNAMEHERE;Database=DBNAMEHERE;Locale Identifier=1033;Connect Timeout=10;Use Procedure for Prepare=1;Auto Translate=True;Packet Size=4096"
    '*********************************************
    
    OpenCN.Open
    
    Exit Function
 
EH:
    MsgBox "Error connecting to SQL Server.", vbCritical
    Set OpenCN = Nothing
End Function

[Wokawidget]

Cheers Klienma...where would you put an IP address in there?

Woof

[kleinma]

sorry, IP would be the server name...

something like this

"Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=false;User ID=kleinma;pwd=kleinmaspassword;Initial Catalog=kleinmasdb;Server=42.36.101.5;Database=kleinmasdb;Locale Identifier=1033;Connect Timeout=10;Use Procedure for Prepare=1;Auto Translate=True;Packet Size=4096"

standard port for SQL Server (2000) is 1433, the connection will use that by default. If the port is different you specify it like this

IP,PORT
like this

"Provider=SQLOLEDB;Persist Security Info=false;User ID=kleinma;pwd=kleinmaspassword;Initial Catalog=kleinmasdb;Server=42.36.101.5,2433;Database=kleinmasdb;Locale Identifier=1033;Connect Timeout=10;Use Procedure for Prepare=1;Auto Translate=True;Packet Size=4096"

[asgsoft]

can this be used to connect to mysql?

[kleinma]

you could connect to mysql, but the connection string provided is for SQL Server only. Each type of DB server has its own set of information needed to connect.

check out this site: http://www.connectionstrings.com/

you can find connection string configurations to virtually any DB you can imagine

[asgsoft]

the link only does vb.net wile i am using vb6?

[kleinma]

a connection string is a connection string so even if its says its .net, thats because its showing you a connection using .net objects, but the actual string sent to the database is still the same

for example under MySQL ole db connection info, it shows
Provider=MySQLProv;Data Source=mydb;User Id=UserName;Password=asdasd;"

this would still be the same in VB6

[RodCosta]

hi woof, how can i help you with this vb clone to the msn network ?

OK, here's the new version.

It has a few more features added.

Most of the above features have now bneen fully implemented in the UI.
Auto login feature, plus initial login status.

Change displayname and status.

Contacts in RED do NOT have you on their contact list

Easily see who's on your banned and allowed list.

You can now initiate a chat, or receive a chat.

The code is a little buggy in some places, it's still only an alpha release, but it's comming along.

Need more testers and feedback.

Woof

[Wokawidget]

errrr...i am not sure. random feedback is always good;

woof

[uniquegodwin]

Can you give me some advice on how I can make a similar kind of thing for yahoo messenger using vb.net? If you have any plans of making it,I would Love to help doesnt matter even if its for msn..but,using .net.

[Wokawidget]

I have no idea what type of advice to give.
The main structure and implementation of a yahoo messenger would be very similar, just a different protocol.
I am currently writting badgermessenger.Net although it's quite a way off yet. Still playing with it.

If you find any info on the yahoo protocol then that would be great,

Woof

[uniquegodwin]

Oh sure,Ill be checking it out and ill ask you if I have doubts

[Wokawidget]

OK. The new version is here.

I've had it for ages, and not posted it. Sorry

Have been writting BadgerMessenger .NET and have switched to the new MSNP12 protocol, which MSN Messenger 7.5 uses.

I noticed some old bugs to do with payloads that my old app had, so I have just fixed them, and decided to post the newer version here.

Badger Messenger.NET will be forthcoming, but I don't know when.

If anyone has any MSNP12 code they would like to share then that would be great.

Woka

[Wokawidget]

Here are the screen shots of said new version:

[RobDog888]

You should update the first post to let members know that the updated version is in post #34 now.

I bet your going to get allot of spam now too with your email in the SS's

Hey, where am I?

[..:RUDI:..]

OK. The new version is here.

I've had it for ages, and not posted it. Sorry

Have been writting BadgerMessenger .NET and have switched to the new MSNP12 protocol, which MSN Messenger 7.5 uses.

I noticed some old bugs to do with payloads that my old app had, so I have just fixed them, and decided to post the newer version here.

Badger Messenger.NET will be forthcoming, but I don't know when.

If anyone has any MSNP12 code they would like to share then that would be great.

Woka

Is this project still going???

And MSNP13 is now in use, with MSNM 8 (Which I of course, do have )

[Wokawidget]

Yup. Sort of. Am writing Badger Messenger .NET that uses MSNP12.
When did they release 13?

Wof

[..:RUDI:..]

Don't know for sure, but MSN Messenger 8 uses it

[Wokawidget]

Can you download a demo of this?
Is MSN 8 the one that includes Yahoo IM?
That protocol will be all over the shop.

Woka