chat app over internet

Hi VB users

i have vb2010 express and fancy having a go at makeing a simple over internet chat application but i am a beginner at all this.

Would anybody be able to give me any pointers as i dont even know where to start.

all i have at min is a form with
1x read only textbox
1x textbox
1x button

and now from that i am lost as i never done anything with networks.

any help would be appreciated.

thanks:o

1st way :install c4f (it's for vb.net) then vb will have chat control in it's toolbox

2nd way :

TCP CHAT


client :

'5 textboxes txtIP, txtPort, txtUsername, txtMain, txtSend
'btnconnect,btnsend,btndisconnect

Code:

---

Public Class frmMainClient
    Private client As System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient
    Private Const BYTES_TO_READ As Integer = 255
    Private readBuffer(BYTES_TO_READ) As Byte
    Private Delegate Sub WriteText(ByVal text As String)
    Private Sub BtnConnect_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles BtnConnect.Click
        If txtIP.Text = "" Or txtPort.Text = "" Or txtUserName.Text = "" Or IsNumeric(txtPort.Text) = False Or txtUserName.Text.IndexOf("|") >= 0 Then MsgBox("Fill text boxes properly") : Exit Sub
        client = New System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient(txtIP.Text, txtPort.Text)
        client.GetStream.BeginRead(readBuffer, 0, BYTES_TO_READ, AddressOf DoRead, Nothing)
        SendMessage("/CONNECT|" & txtUserName.Text)
        txtUserName.Enabled = False
        BtnSend.Enabled = True
        BtnConnect.Enabled = False
        txtSend.Enabled = True
        txtIP.Enabled = False
        txtPort.Enabled = False
    End Sub
    Private Sub DoRead(ByVal ar As System.IAsyncResult)
        Dim totalRead As Integer
        Try
            totalRead = client.GetStream.EndRead(ar) 'Ends the reading and returns the number of bytes read.
        Catch ex As Exception
            'The underlying socket have probably been closed OR an error has occured whilst trying to access it, either way, this is where you should remove close all eventuall connections            'to this client and remove it from the list of connected clients.
        End Try
        If totalRead > 0 Then
            'the readBuffer array will contain everything read from the client
            Dim receivedString As String = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(readBuffer, 0, totalRead)
            MessageReceived(receivedString)
        End If
        Try
            client.GetStream.BeginRead(readBuffer, 0, BYTES_TO_READ, AddressOf DoRead, Nothing) 'Begin the reading again.
        Catch ex As Exception
            'The underlying socket have probably been closed OR an error has occured whilst trying to access it, either way, this is where you should remove close all eventuall connections                'to this client and remove it from the list of connected clients.
        End Try
    End Sub
    Private Sub MessageReceived(ByVal message As String)
        Select Case message
            Case "/Connected"
                ConnectionStatus("Client : Connected")
            Case Else
                WriteToMainText(message & vbCrLf)
        End Select

    End Sub
    Private Sub ConnectionStatus(ByVal Message As String)
        If Me.InvokeRequired Then
            Me.Invoke(New WriteText(AddressOf ConnectionStatus), Message)
        Else
            Me.Text = "Client : Connected"
            BtnDisconnect.Visible = True
            BtnConnect.Height = 36
            BtnConnect.Top = 9
        End If
    End Sub
    Private Sub WriteToMainText(ByVal Message As String)
        If txtMain.InvokeRequired Then
            Me.Invoke(New WriteText(AddressOf WriteToMainText), Message)
        Else
            txtMain.AppendText(Message)
            txtMain.SelectionStart = txtMain.Text.Length
        End If
    End Sub
    Private Sub SendMessage(ByVal Msg As String)
        Dim sw As IO.StreamWriter
        Try
            sw = New IO.StreamWriter(client.GetStream)
            sw.Write(Msg)
            sw.Flush()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
        End Try
    End Sub

    Private Sub frmMainClient_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        BtnDisconnect.Visible = False
        txtMain.ReadOnly = True
        BtnSend.Enabled = False
        txtSend.Enabled = False
    End Sub

    Private Sub BtnSend_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles BtnSend.Click
        SendMessage(txtUserName.Text & ": " & txtSend.Text)
        WriteToMainText(txtUserName.Text & ": " & txtSend.Text & vbCrLf)
        txtSend.Text = ""
    End Sub

    Private Sub BtnDisconnect_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles BtnDisconnect.Click
        SendMessage("/DISCONNECT|" & txtUserName.Text)
        BtnConnect.Enabled = True
        BtnDisconnect.Visible = False
        txtUserName.Enabled = True
        BtnSend.Enabled = False
        txtSend.Enabled = False
        txtIP.Enabled = True
        txtPort.Enabled = True
        Me.Text = "Client"
    End Sub

    Private Sub txtSend_Enter(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles txtSend.Enter
        Me.AcceptButton = BtnSend
    End Sub
End Class

---

server :

'We have
'4 textboxes txtSend, txtUsername, txtPort, txtMain (txtMain is multiline and readonly)
'lblConnection
'btnListen, btnSend, btnSendAll
'listbox lbClient

Code:

---

Public Class frmMainServer
    Private listener As System.Net.Sockets.TcpListener
    Private listenThread As System.Threading.Thread
    Private clients As New List(Of ConnectedClient) 'This list will store all connected clients.   
    Private Delegate Sub StringDelegate(ByVal text As String)

    Private Sub frmMainServer_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'lblRemoveClient.Visible = False
        txtMain.ReadOnly = True
        txtSend.Enabled = False
        BtnSend.Enabled = False
        btnSendAll.Enabled = False
    End Sub
    Private Sub DoListen()
        Dim incomingClient As System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient
        Do
            incomingClient = listener.AcceptTcpClient 'Accept the incoming connection. This is a blocking method so execution will halt here until someone tries to connect.           
            '  Dim connClient As New ConnectedClient(incomingClient) 'Create a new instance of ConnectedClient (check its constructor to see whats happening now).           
            Dim connClient As New ConnectedClient(incomingClient, Me) 'Create a new instance of ConnectedClient (check its constructor to see whats happening now).
            AddHandler connClient.dataReceived, AddressOf Me.MessageReceived
            ' clients.Add(New ConnectedClient(incomingClient)) 'Adds the connected client to the list of connected clients.           
            clients.Add(connClient) 'Adds the connected client to the list of connected clients.
            '    AddHandler connClient.dataReceived, AddressOf Me.MessageReceived
        Loop
    End Sub

    Public Sub removeClient(ByVal client As ConnectedClient)
        If clients.Contains(client) Then
            clients.Remove(client)
            For x = 0 To lbClients.Items.Count - 1
                If lbClients.Items.Item(x) = client.Username Then RemoveClientFromListBox(x) : Exit For
            Next
        End If
    End Sub
    Private Sub RemoveClientFromListBox(ByVal IndexOfClient As String)
        If lbClients.InvokeRequired Then
            Me.Invoke(New StringDelegate(AddressOf RemoveClientFromListBox), IndexOfClient)
        Else
            lbClients.Items.Remove(lbClients.Items.Item(Val(IndexOfClient)))
        End If
    End Sub
    Private Sub BtnListen_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles BtnListen.Click
        If txtPort.Text = "" Or txtUserName.Text = "" Or IsNumeric(txtPort.Text) = False Or txtUserName.Text.IndexOf("|") >= 0 Then MsgBox("Fill text boxes properly") : Exit Sub
        listener = New System.Net.Sockets.TcpListener(System.Net.IPAddress.Any, txtPort.Text) 'The TcpListener will listen for incoming connections at port 43001       
        listener.Start() 'Start listening.       
        listenThread = New System.Threading.Thread(AddressOf DoListen) 'This thread will run the doListen method       
        listenThread.IsBackground = True 'Since we dont want this thread to keep on running after the application closes, we set isBackground to true.       
        listenThread.Start() 'Start executing doListen on the worker thread.   
        txtPort.Enabled = False
        BtnListen.Enabled = False
        txtUserName.Enabled = False
    End Sub
    Private Sub MessageReceived(ByVal sender As ConnectedClient, ByVal Message As String)        'A message has been received from one of the clients.        'To determine who its from, use the sender object.        'sender.SendMessage can be used to reply to the sender.       
        ' If Mid(Message, 1, 1) = "/" Then
        ' Select Case Mid(Message, 2, 8)
        '      Case "Connect:"
        '          sender.SendMessage("/Connected")
        '            SetConnectionLabelText("Connected")
        '        Case Else
        '              WriteToMainText(Message)
        '      End Select
        '    End If
        Dim data() As String = Message.Split("|"c)
        Select Case data(0)
            Case "/CONNECT"
                If GetClientByName(data(1)) Is Nothing Then
                    sender.Username = data(1)
                    AddClientToListBox(data(1))
                End If
                SetConnectionLabelText("Connected")
                sender.SendMessage("/Connected")
            Case "/DISCONNECT"
                removeClient(sender)
            Case Else
                WriteToMainText(Message & vbCrLf)
        End Select
    End Sub
    Private Function GetClientByName(ByVal name As String) As ConnectedClient
        For Each cc As ConnectedClient In clients
            If cc.Username = name Then
                Return cc 'client found, return it
            End If
        Next
        Return Nothing
    End Function

    Private Sub AddClientToListBox(ByVal ClientName As String)
        If lbClients.InvokeRequired Then
            Me.Invoke(New StringDelegate(AddressOf AddClientToListBox), ClientName)
        Else
            lbClients.Items.Add(ClientName)
            If (lbClients.SelectedIndex < 0) And (lbClients.Items.Count > 0) Then lbClients.SelectedIndex = 0
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub WriteToMainText(ByVal Message As String)
        If txtMain.InvokeRequired Then
            Me.Invoke(New StringDelegate(AddressOf WriteToMainText), Message)
        Else
            '  Dim Usr As String
            '  Usr = Mid(Message, 1, Message.IndexOf("|"))
            txtMain.Text = txtMain.Text & Message
            txtMain.SelectionStart = txtMain.Text.Length
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub SetConnectionLabelText(ByVal text As String)
        If Me.LblConnection.InvokeRequired Then
            Me.Invoke(New StringDelegate(AddressOf SetConnectionLabelText), text)
        Else
            Me.LblConnection.Text = text
            BtnListen.Enabled = False
            BtnSend.Enabled = True
            btnSendAll.Enabled = True
            txtSend.Enabled = True
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub BtnSend_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles BtnSend.Click
        If txtSend.Text <> "" And lbClients.SelectedIndex >= 0 Then
            Dim cc As ConnectedClient
            cc = GetClientByName(Convert.ToString(lbClients.SelectedItem))
            cc.SendMessage(txtUserName.Text & ": " & txtSend.Text)
            WriteToMainText(txtUserName.Text & ": " & txtSend.Text & vbCrLf)
            txtSend.Text = ""
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnSendAll_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSendAll.Click
        If txtSend.Text <> "" Then
            For Each cc As ConnectedClient In clients
                cc.SendMessage(txtUserName.Text & ": " & txtSend.Text)
                WriteToMainText(txtUserName.Text & ": " & txtSend.Text & vbCrLf)
            Next
            txtSend.Text = ""
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub txtSend_Enter(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles txtSend.Enter
        Me.AcceptButton = BtnSend
    End Sub
End Class

Public Class ConnectedClient
    Private mClient As System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient
    Private Const BYTES_TO_READ As Integer = 255
    Private readBuffer(BYTES_TO_READ) As Byte
    Private mUsername As String
    Private mParentForm As frmMainServer
    Public Event dataReceived(ByVal sender As ConnectedClient, ByVal message As String)

    Sub New(ByVal client As System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient, ByVal parentForm As frmMainServer)
        mParentForm = parentForm
        mClient = client
        mClient.GetStream.BeginRead(readBuffer, 0, BYTES_TO_READ, AddressOf doRead, Nothing) 'This will start reading from the stream between this server and the connected client.
    End Sub


    Public Property Username() As String
        Get
            Return mUsername
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            mUsername = value
        End Set
    End Property
    Private Sub doRead(ByVal ar As System.IAsyncResult)
        Dim totalRead As Integer
        Try
            totalRead = mClient.GetStream.EndRead(ar) 'Ends the reading and returns the number of bytes read.
        Catch ex As Exception
            mParentForm.removeClient(Me)
            Exit Sub
            'The underlying socket have probably been closed OR an error has occured whilst trying to access it, either way, this is where you should remove close all eventuall connections
            'to this client and remove it from the list of connected clients.
        End Try

        If totalRead > 0 Then
            'the readBuffer array will contain everything read from the client.
            Dim receivedString As String = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(readBuffer, 0, totalRead)
            RaiseEvent dataReceived(Me, receivedString)
        End If

        Try
            mClient.GetStream.BeginRead(readBuffer, 0, BYTES_TO_READ, AddressOf doRead, Nothing) 'Begin the reading again.
        Catch ex As Exception
            'The underlying socket have probably been closed OR an error has occured whilst trying to access it, either way, this is where you should remove close all eventuall connections
            'to this client and remove it from the list of connected clients.
        End Try
    End Sub

    Public Sub SendMessage(ByVal msg As String)
        Dim sw As IO.StreamWriter
        Try
            sw = New IO.StreamWriter(mClient.GetStream) 'Create a new streamwriter that will be writing directly to the networkstream.
            sw.Write(msg)
            sw.Flush()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
        End Try
      End Sub
End Class

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Very Nice Moti Barski

this is really good however i am testing it out now and am trying to have a 3way chat but only the user on the server form can see and reply to both of us, Yet the client forms can only see what is replied from the server and not the other client.??

I have tried looking into the code to see where i could possably change it to work. But as you are aware i am not to good at it yet lol

Do you have any Ideas ?

Thanks

the code is quite fat.

for a 3way chat i think c4f will work, or if you are very lazy you can place a webbrowser control (from the toolbox) and make it surf to a url with a chat like facebook

4th way :

skype (voice over ip)

notes : install skype (voip software), when running skype is running, you signed in it

1 dl skype4com from http://developer.skype.com/accessories
2 extract the zip file (3 files : chm, dll,msm)
3 open vb.net, file, new, project, window application
4 from tool box add :
textbox name : txtCallee
3 radio buttons : radTel, ralCell, radSkype
textbox multiline = true
button btnCall
textbox name: txtMsg
button btnSend
timer name : ChatTimer, true, interval 1000

5 project, add reference, browse , skype4com.dll

6 source code :
global vars : (add below class (after right click form, view code))
Dim oSkype As SKYPE4COMLib.Skype = New SKYPE4COMLib.Skype
Dim oCall As SKYPE4COMLib.Call
Dim oChat As SKYPE4COMLib.Chat

Code:

---

Private Sub Main_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    If oSkype.Client.IsRunning = False Then
        MsgBox("Skype must be running!")
        End
    End If
    Try
        If oSkype.CurrentUserStatus = SKYPE4COMLib.TUserStatus.cusOffline Then
            MsgBox("Your Skype account must be online!")
            End
        End If
    Catch ex As Exception
        MsgBox("Your Skype account must be online!")
    End Try
End Sub
Public Function parseTelNum(ByVal input As String, ByVal defaultIntl As String, ByVal defaultArea As String)
    Dim result As String
    result = input.Replace("-", " ")
    If result.StartsWith("0") Then
        Return "+" & defaultIntl & result.Substring(1)
    ElseIf result.StartsWith("+") Then
        Return result
    Else
        Return "+" & defaultIntl & defaultArea & result
    End If
End Function
Private Sub btnCall_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnCall.Click
    If btnCall.Text = "Call" Then
        If txtCallee.Text = " " Then
            Exit Sub
        End If
        If radTel.Checked = True Then
            Try
                oCall = oSkype.PlaceCall(parseTelNum(txtCallee.Text, "972", "2"))
                btnCall.Text = "Hang up"
            Catch ex As Exception
                MsgBox("Couldn't place the call." & vbCrLf & "Please make sure the input you entered is valid!")
            End Try
        ElseIf radCell.Checked = True Then
                oCall = oSkype.PlaceCall(parseTelNum(txtCallee.Text, "972", "52"))
        Else
                oCall = oSkype.PlaceCall(txtCallee.Text)
    Else
        oCall.Finish()
        btnCall.Text = "Call"
    End If
End Sub
Private Sub btnSend_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSend.Click
    If txtCallee.Text = " " Or txtMsg.Text = " " Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    If radTel.Checked = True Then
        Try
            oSkype.SendSms(parseTelNum(txtCallee.Text, "972", "2"), txtMsg.Text)
            txtMsg.Text = ""
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("Coudn't send the SMS." & vbCrLf & "Please make sure the input you entered is valid!")
        End Try
    ElseIf radCell.Checked = True Then
            oSkype.SendSms(parseTelNum(txtCallee.Text, "972", "52"), txtMsg.Text)
    Else
            oSkype.SendMessage(txtCallee.Text, txtMsg.Text)
            MsgBox("Couldn't sent the message." & vbCrLf & "Please make sure the input you entered is valid!")
End Sub
Private Sub ChatTimer_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ChatTimer.Tick
    txtChat.Text = ""
    If txtCallee.Text <> "" Then
        oChat = oSkype.CreateChatWith(txtCallee.Text)
        Try
            Dim temp = oChat.Messages
        Catch ex As Exception
            txtChat.Text = "No such username or no chat available." & vbCrLf & ex.ToString
            Exit Sub
        End Try
        For Each oMsg As SKYPE4COMLib.ChatMessage In oChat.Messages
            If Not oMsg.Body.ToString.StartsWith("<pa") And oMsg.Body.ToString <> "" Then
                txtChat.Text = txtChat.Text & vbCrLf & oMsg.Sender.FullName & ": " & oMsg.Body
            End If
        Next
        oSkype.ResetCache()
    End If
End Sub

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