suxchat

A Nifty Java Client-Server Chat Tool

Back in the days when we were giving consultancy service to a company which limited the internet usage of its employees, I’ve developed a simple solution for our inside-company basic communication problem with a nifty tool written in Java.

Features

• Keep alive mode, which prevents connection loss due to inactivity for a long period.
• Operator mode to kick out users, which is enabled with a special password.
• Entrance password mode can be enabled to lock out strangers.
• Normally all messages are broadcasted to all clients and private messaging feature allows secret communication between any two client.
• Listing of currently logged on users.
• A nice Swing GUI for the client, which flashes its icon in dock when it receives a new message.
• Uses UTF-8 as its string encoding, so you can use accented characters.
• Messages are time stamped by the server.
• Communication is done via plain sockets.
• Configuration is done via properties files.
• Unlike many other tools, there’s no bug and runs perfectly.

Instructions for Server

1. Download suxchat-server.jar
2. Run it by double-clicking on it or typing java -jar suxchat-0.3.7-server.jar.
   Server does not have a UI, it will work as a backgroud process.

Instructions for Client

1. Download suxchat-client.jar
2. Run it by double-clicking on it or typing java -jar suxchat-0.3.7-client.jar.

Commands Reference

Regular Commands

• message send message to everyone online
• U view online users
• P user message Send a private message to user

Special Commands

• AUTH password authorize yourself as operator with password
  (Default password: 1122, configurable in server.properties)
• K user (requires operator) kick user from the server