Chat module

Content

1. Introduction
2. Installing the module
3. Configuring a chat room
4. Managing a chat room
5. A chat room on the site

1. Introduction

The chat module in Site@School has the following features:

  • Site@School users, teachers and pupils can login in chat rooms with their own Site@School login name and password.
  • The chat rooms are closed to the public. Guests can get a password for entering a chat room. It's possible to completely disallow public access to a chat room.

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    2. Installing the module

    The module needs to be connected to a page before it is usable. Read the 'Module manager' chapter on how to do this.

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    3. Configuring a chat room

    When you click on Module manager > Chat, you see:

    [ add chat ]
    mod_chat_add_chat.jpg
    Explanation:
    1. Add a chat: Click on this link to add a chat page.
    2. Go back: To return to the previous page.

    When you click on 'Add a chat', the configuration window for a chat room opens:

    [ configure chat ]
    mod_chat_config.jpg
    Explanation:

    1. Page name: Chat rooms are bound to pages. Each chat room operates on a single page. The page name must be identical to the page name given in the 'Page manager'.
    2. Welcome text login page: The welcome text for the login page for this chat room. You can use HTML tags.
    3. Welcome text chat page: The welcome text for this chat room. Also here HTML tags can be used to markup the text. However, keep in mind that the text occupies space that cannot be used for the chat room itself.
    4. Width chat box in px: Set the width to your site's layout.
    5. Height chat box in px: Set the height of the chat box.
    6. Allow public access Yes No: When you want public access, set to 'Yes'. When no public access is required, set to 'No'. In that case the chat room can only be used by users, teachers and pupils of Site@School with a username and password.
    7. Password public access: When public access is possible, a password can be set for the chat room. Choose your passwords with care; i.e. make a password that's easy for the user of that room, but difficult for others.
    8. Screen refresh in seconds: Sets the time interval in seconds between screen refreshes. When you have many chat rooms and a short refresh rate, this can be a high load on you server and degrade performance for other tasks. Set with care. For a interactive chat between classes, 10 seconds might be a good value. For a chess game, 1 minute seems more than enough.
    9. Show time in front of message: With this option set to 'Yes' the time will be in front of the message. This occupies extra space on the chat, leaving less space for the messages.
    10. Cancel: To cancel your work and return to the previous screen.
    11. Save: To save your work and return to the previous screen.

    When you have filled in all the fields, click on 'Save'. You are back at the chat module opening window and the chat room is added:

    [ ]
    mod_chat_chat_added.jpg
    Explanation:
    1. Trashcan icon: Click to delete a chat and its log files.
    2. Edit icon: Click to edit the chat room properties as set above.
    3. Message log icon: Click to open the log window, see below.
    4. Chatpage name: The name of the chat page.
    5. Add a chat: Click to add another chat room.
    6. Go back: To return to the previous page.

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    4. Managing a chat room

    When you click on the 'Message log icon' [3], the log window opens:

    [ ]
    mod_chat_log.jpg
    Explanation:

    1. Message log for chat page: Here the page name for the chat is given.
    2. Number of items on page: Chat sessions can be rather long. After n lines, a new page is opened and you find the '<<< Previous page' and the '>>> Next page' signs under the page.
    3. Checkbox: Here you can mark a line for deletion.
    4. Date: Date and time of an entry in the logfile.
    5. Username: The login name of the user is given.
    6. Messages: What the user wrote.
    7. IP address: The IP address of the originating computer.
    8. Download log: When clicking the button, a window on your computer opens and you can download and save the log file on your computer. See also below.
    9. Checkbox Select/unselect all messages: You can select or deselect all messages on a page for deletion.
    10. Delete: To delete lines.
    11. Go back: To return to the previous page.

    We have downloaded the file with the name 'chatlog_chat page.txt'. The page name is visible in the second part of the filename. When you open the file with a text editor,

    [ ]
    mod_chat_log_txt.jpg

    you see the details of the chat session.

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    5. A chat room on the site

    When you go the 'chat page' page on the site you will see:

    [ ]
    mod_chat_site_login.jpg

    After entering a valid username and password, you see:

    [ ]
    mod_chat_site.jpg
    Explanation:

    1. Welcome text: The welcome text made in the configuration of the chat room.
    2. Messages section: Here you find the send messages. When a message is displayed an audio signal is produced when audio is enabled on your computer.
    3. Login name: The name of the user.
    4. Text entry field: Here you can enter your text. Hit the [Enter] key on your keyboard to send the text to the other participant(s).
    5. Send private message: When you open the dropdown menu, you can send a private message to one of the participants in the room. Select the person and send the message. It is not seen by the other participants.
    6. Logged in users: The list of logged in users. When a user has the 'idle' word behind her login name the user has not been active for more than 10 minutes.
    7. Key icon: When you want to leave the chat, click on the key icon. The other participants will receive a message that you have left the room.

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    Author: Dirk Schouten <schoutdi (at) knoware (dot) nl>
    Last updated: 2006-04-12