[Node-devel] Node 0.33 Framework

[<dio...@us...>]

Hello,
Today I completed programming the New Framework for Node 0.33. A brief =
overview of the modifications and the differences with the previous =
framework, as well as the OOP structure follows. If you are a developer =
or interested in understanding the structure of the new code, please go =
through these descriptions at least once before you use the new =
framework or go through its source.

New OOP Structure

The first change regarding the classes structure you will notice when =
you load the project is three new classes, clsWS, clsWSArray and =
clsActiveServer. The two first classes are not very important for the =
new framework, but the third class has a main role. Here is a small =
description of these classes:

clsWSArray
  This class represents a WinSock object array with WithEvents support. =
While defining an object=20
  as this:
  Private WithEvents MyWinSock() As WinSock
  would not work, defining it as this
  Private WithEvents MyWinSock As clsWSArray
  will now work. This way, a WinSock array object that supports =
WithEvents is possible.

clsWS
  This class represents a WinSock control, and is used by the class =
clsWSArray to load all the children WinSock objects. The basic usage is =
that it will callback methods from clsWSArray when specific WinSock =
events are fired, which will then be passed by clsWSArray to the main =
program.

clsActiveServer
  This class represents a Server which a user can connect to. Each =
server class contains all the basic methods, properties and functions of =
IRC networking. Some of them are listed below:

  HostName: The hostname of the server.

  Description: The "Display As" property of a server. The string =
displayed on the Connect Panel for the server.

  ConnectTime: If connected, this variable contains the time when the =
connection was established (returned in GetTickCount() long format)

  IRCData: This array was known as txtStatus in the past. It contains =
the messages that appear in all channel, private, and status windows of =
the certain IRC Server.

  Tabs: A reference to the respective frmMain.tsTabs control. See below.

  WinSockConnection: The WinSock connection of the server. See below.

  TabInfo, TabType: These collections have been moved to =
clsActiveServer, as each server has its own Tabs control, its own =
channels, private tabs and its own status tab.
  IRC Procedures: Some procedures related with IRC Networking have been =
moved to this class. These are: RealDataArrival_Proxy, RealConnect, and =
preExecute, previously defined at frmMain. They are used similary to =
their previous usage; the only difference is that calling them will =
require the programmer to know the server (obviously, for example, for =
RealConnect). These procedures need to know the ActiveServer where the =
IRC Networking method should take place, in order to perform their =
operations.

  There are also several other properties and methods specific to each =
certain server: SessionPerformFile, DoSessionPerform, bCLSorting, =
IPSender, AltNickVal, etc. which have been moved from frmMain to here.

Modifications to Node 0.32 Framework
  ActiveServers: This array defined at mdlNode, contains all the loaded =
servers where the user may be connected to. Its type is clsActiveServer. =
To get a server's index inside ActiveServers, use the function =
GetServerIndexFromActiveServer.

  DCC Properties: There are many properties for the DCC Files Transfers, =
as they are stored as arrays inside the clsActiveServer class. They can =
be read by providing the Index of the DCC Transfer and a Boolean value, =
indicating whether the transfer is a DCC Send or a DCC Receive (usually =
passed with the RCV argument). Some examples: DCCFile_Progress, =
DCCFile_StartTime, DCCFile_WinSockIndex, DCCFile_FileName, =
DCCTransfer_Speed. All the DCC Chat properties are stored in the same =
class, too: DCCChats_WinSockIndex, etc.

  DCC Methods and Callbacks: There are several methods used to perform =
DCC Transfer and Chat operations. Some examples include: =
DCCFile_CancelTransfer, DCCChats_Disconnect, etc. All the callbacks that =
need to be called by the WinSock objects defined at frmMain are also =
included in the new class: DccSend_Connected, DccSend_ConnectionRequest, =
DCCTransfer_Accepted and so on.

  Note that now that the transfer and chat details are stored in DCC =
arrays inside each instance of the class clsActiveServer, while the =
WinSock objects are defined at frmMain, the WinSockIndex of a transfer =
or chat will not equal the DCCIndex of it. To get the WinSock Index from =
the DCC Index use the WinSockIndex property of each DCC item. To get the =
DCC Index of a WinSock DCC Transfer or Chat use the appropriate methods =
defined at clsActiveServer: clsActiveServer.GetDCCFileIndexFromWsIndex =
and clsActiveServer.GetDCCChatsIndexFromWsIndex.
  In case you don't know the clsActiveServer of a transfer use the =
following two methods of mdlNode: mdlNode.GetServerFromDCCChatWsIndex =
and mdlNode.GetServerFromWsDCCIndex.

  Get Functions: The several methods defined at mdlNode and frmMain to =
get a TabIndex from a ChannelID, the ChannelID from a TabIndex, and so =
on have now been moved to the new class, clsActiveServer. Some more =
methods have been implemented in order to get the server index from =
other known details: mdlNode.GetServerFromBrowser, =
GetServerFromDCCChatWsIndex, GetServerFromWsDCCIndex, =
GetServerFromWsIrcIndex, GetServerIndexFromActiveServer. Some other get =
methods are, again, included in the new class: GetEmptyChannelID, =
GetStatusID, GetTabFromNick.

  wsIdentD, wsNDC, wsDCC, wsDCCSend, wsDCCChat: These controls have been =
changed from WinSock Object arrays, to clsWSArray objects, and are only =
defined inside the code (unlike the old WinSock controls, which were =
defined as Form Controls)
  WinSockConnection: The wsIRC control is no longer defined at frmMain, =
but it has been moved to clsActiveServer, as each server has its own =
connection. It is now named clsActiveServer.WinSockConnection.

  tsTabs: As you will notice, this control rarely appears in the code, =
as the Tab control of the current server is usually used: =
CurrentActiveServer.Tabs, which is actually a reference to a tsTabs =
object.

  TheServer, TheServerIndex arguments: There arguments that must be =
provided in some frmMain procedures require the caller to know the =
server. This is required, because all these methods call specific =
procedures of one clsActiveServer instance or send commands to the IRC =
Server. TheServer argument is of type clsActiveServer, where as =
TheServerIndex argument is an index that defined the item from =
ActiveServers() to use.

The source of the new framework of Node is available for download via =
our CVS Repository. Although everything is not fully working while we =
are converting the code, the current version will allow you to connect =
to one server with the new framework. Before you start using the new =
framework from the CVS please refer to the end of this message*. If you =
read the descriptions above, you must have noticed that the main purpose =
of the new framework is to add mutliple servers support to the program, =
so this feature will be added in a few days. If you have questions or =
comments about the new framework or generally about the developement of =
Node 0.33, don't hesitate to use this mailing list or the Open =
Discussion Forums at =
http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=3D327488.

Thank you,
dionyziz.

* There have been some problems reported with the new framework. As only =
the basic things have been converted to the new framework, please do the =
following in order to be sure it works for you:
- Use regsvr32 to register the component prjNodeMenu.ocx, located at the =
folder misc/NodeMenu. The ActiveX has been updated and is necessary if =
you want to run the program using the new FrameWork.
- Download and copy the files of the skin `Aqua' to the directory =
data/Skins. This is the only skin that has been tested with the new =
framework.
- Before you proceed, disable the Startup with Web Site feature. From =
the Options Dialog select Other Options > Misc and uncheck the box =
"Startup Web Site" (or set the registry value =
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program =
Settings\Node\Options\StartAWeb" to "False")
- Restore all other settings to their default values.