[plugin] MSN Messenger (Mar 31 Update)

[SSDNAdmin]

Author: Brett (http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/private.php?do=newpm&u=2768)
Short Description:Connect to MSN Messenger and be notified as your buddies sign on/off or PM you from within any module. Also includes the ability to chat with buddies.
Version Number: 1.2
Status: Stable.
Last Updated: 3/31/05
Release Notes:

Version 1.2 (Released 3/31/05)
Added "Quick Reply" Button: If a user IMs you now you can select between chat now and quick reply. Quick reply will let you select from a list of messages. You can define additional messages by modifying quickreplies.xml (found at: c:\documents and settings\all users\application data\snapstream\beyond media\plugins\msnplugin\)

Version 1.1 (Released 2/19/05)
Added "Chat Now" Button: If a user IMs you now it still shows the popup notification as before, but pressing ENTER will go directly to the chat conversation. Pressing any other key will return focus back to whatever you were doing.

Added Chat History: Chat History will now save your conversations until you exit out of BM. This includes if a user sends a popup notification it will now appear in the chat conversation.

Added "online status" changer: While viewing online buddies pressing left/right will change your online status.

Added default "online status": Under settings, you can now assign the status that is given to your screenname when the plugin signs you on.

Added "basic" Remote Control: Added the basics for remote control by MSN. I am not going to take this idea further, but if someone is interested in remote controlling BTV or something I'll help them implement it into my code. Read Here (http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/showpost.php?p=133668&postcount=9) for more info.

If you change your skin, you must reload Beyond Media for it to work. Also the plugin was only tested in Bluewave and BTV. You may need to adjust the xml skin files to make it look better in your skin. I tried to make them TV friendly fonts.

The first time you log on, select "MSN Messenger" it will automatically goto the settings. Fill these out and escape back to the home screen. Now when you enter "MSN Messenger" it will goto your buddy list.

Enjoy :)

DOWNLOAD NOW (http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/Brett/msnplugin.bmplugin)

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/Brett/msn_notify.jpg

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/Brett/msn_conversation.jpg

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/Brett/MSN_online.jpg

http://www.snapstream.com/ssdn/submissions/Brett/msn_quick.jpg

[merrypig]

Heh, you're just showing off how many buddies you have Brett :)

[portal45]

Does the plugin come with friends? If so, are they cool friends or lame ones? Just curious.... and I'll take my answer off the air. *click*

[merrypig]

Hey .. here's a thought.

I know MSN only has limited 'idle' states. but could get the plugin to either modify your name to add ("watching tv") or something? or just set your status to busy or something when you're watching a movie?

Oh wait, I guess I just don't run the plugin if I'm busy :)

[Brett]

Heh, you're just showing off how many buddies you have Brett :)I don't really use MSN that much, I made the plugin just cause I was bored :)

I will add the ability to change "away" status in a future build, already know how I am gonna go about doing it.

-Brett

[viguera]

Hey .. here's a thought.

I know MSN only has limited 'idle' states. but could get the plugin to either modify your name to add ("watching tv") or something? or just set your status to busy or something when you're watching a movie?

Oh wait, I guess I just don't run the plugin if I'm busy :)

That's a good suggestion, and it leads to another... remote control of the BTV box via MSN Messenger. You could set up an account just for that box, and add only yourself to your contact list... then interact with the box remotely without having to expose the whole web admin to the internet. They do something similar with MisterHouse (check out the project in sourceforge) to let you control the box remotely via ICQ/MSN/AIM/whatever, while leaving the box behind the relative safety of the firewalls.

My guess is that you could start with something simple, like having the box tell you when a recording starts/stops, when it can't connect to the snapstream server for EPG updates, when it grabs recordings, etc.

Geekiness more than anything else, but isn't that the point? :)

[merrypig]

Actually, that's a pretty neat idea.

I could pretend my tv is my friend and tell it 'Record <xxxx> for me tonight dear' and it would! No more calling the missus and having to hope she remembers.

:)

like the feedback messages idea though. It would be handy to get alerted to a problem via MSN since I always have that up (for work). Would be great too if a movie was coming up, btv /bm sees it in the schedule, sets it up to record and sends me a 'coming soon' message ... Ties in with intelligent scheduling/picking of recording jobs. What happened to that - I saw hooks for it all over the place but noone seems to have been bold enough to implement it yet =)

[Brett]

like the feedback messages idea though. It would be handy to get alerted to a problem via MSN since I always have that up (for work). Would be great too if a movie was coming up, btv /bm sees it in the schedule, sets it up to record and sends me a 'coming soon' message ...Interesting... remote control by MSN. I could do that, easily actually. But what would you want? Maybe I could make it so you ping your BM box and it would send your log? I know how to do "most" of that already it would just be tying it together. Having it ping about the upcoming recordings seems like a "more" specialized function, almost worth creating another plugin of several "specialized" functions. If anyone was interested in doing that, my code is always available, so just ask.

On a plus side you could now always check the status of whether BM is on or off. Cause if your IM guy is not online, chances are your box isn't either.

What I think I am gonna do for V1.1 is add the ability to change idle status, and maybe a way to ping for a log. Also any bugs that you guys send me...

What I really would like is to figure out the "error" that occurs when your disconnected remotely (like if you sign on a different box with the same name). Right now it does nothing, but I would like it to change your status to offline atleast.

-Brett

[Brett]

Ok so I added command support for the next version.

You can send a command from any MSN screenname all you do is type:
[MSNPassword]:[Command],[Parameters]

for testing I made one that will change the currently visible screen in BM to any screen in BM. So for example say I want to change it to the Music Screen I would send:
1234:show, MusicScreen

...the issue is I am not sure of what commands would be of "real" use. So here is the body of code


private void SendCommand(string command, string parameters, DotMSN.Contact CMDSender)
{
if (command == "show")
{
ShowScreen s = new ShowScreen(parameters.Trim());
s.Execute();
SendMessage(CMDSender, "COMMAND RECEIVED: " + Changed view to "+parameters.Trim());
}
}


If you can think of other commands, tell me the code and I'll put them in there.

-Brett

[Brett]

Ok...

Now the version also supports changing your status while chatting :toast:, and also a default signon status!

So I am gonna hold off releasing this until the weekend, so if anyone out there is actually using the plugin could send me any issues/bugs they notice that would be awesome.

Thanks,
-Brett

[werb]

Brett, Why aren't you working for SS yet?

You are going in a great direction but I have a request if it is possible. When you get the pop over notification is it possible to do a remote click to open the conversation? Right now when someone starts a convo and I click on them in the contact list the message that was received is not there. Problem if they rattle on and on before you get around to opening the conversation window.


And this is what you do when you are bored .........

[Brett]

Right now when someone starts a convo and I click on them in the contact list the message that was received is not there.

I implemented History for the next build. It will save the conversation until you restart Beyond Media.

Next build will be out in a few days, I am gonna run it through more agressive testing...

-Brett :dude:

[Brett]

When you get the pop over notification is it possible to do a remote click to open the conversation?It was a hassle to figure out, but I got it working :). A final v1.1 is being tested by a few folks. Something should be available tomorrow afternoon. I have a few kinks I want to iron out, but it seems much more "together" now.

-Brett

[werb]

Great! Now what would it take to pop over BTV? Not like I'm asking for much ........ but I know you are up to the challenge :clapping:

[Brett]

Great! Now what would it take to pop over BTV? Not like I'm asking for much ........ but I know you are up to the challenge :clapping:Use my Video Folder module, it works over that ;).

-Brett

[werb]

Well if ALL pluggins would work with BTV Link then .......... Did I get a jab in on that one. Really I wish they would!

[aurigus0]

Brett,

The plugin looks great, keep up the good work!!

[Brett]

Thanks guys!

The new version is now online... I think you'll like it.

Added "Chat Now" Button: If a user IMs you now pressing ENTER will go directly to the chat conversation. Pressing any other key will return focus back to whatever you were doing.

Added Chat History: Chat History will now save your conversations until you exit out of BM. This includes if a user sends a popup notification it will now appear in the chat conversation.

Added "online status" changer: While viewing online buddies pressing left/right will change your online status.

Added default "online status": Under settings, you can now assign the status that is given to your screenname when the plugin signs you on.

Added "basic" Remote Control: Added the basics for remote control by MSN. I am not going to take this idea further, but if someone is interested in remote controlling BTV or something I'll help them implement it into my code. Read Here (http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/showpost.php?p=133668&postcount=9) for more info.

-Brett

[Brett]

I have a new feature implemented, but need some help finishing it off...

The NEXT build will add "Quick Replies" for those moments when a notification popup appears but you just don't want to be interrupted. Regardless, all of my replies are pretty lame. If someone is interested in modifying a real easy to read XML file to add a couple default "quick reply" statements, I'll shoot them the new build. Just reply here and send me a pm.

-Brett

[minn]

??? how have i missed this plug in?? this is definately something i would be interested in... i can't wait to go home and try it
thanks brett

[minn]

I tried this plug in last night and it works pretty cool, a nifty little tool. It would be cool if we could change the font of the messages, or have different colors forourself and the person we are taling to, it gets a bit congested.
Also, is there a way to answer a message and then press a button to go back to what you were doing? I find that when i want to answer a message i have to go into the messenger plugin screen and have to exit out and go back to where i was. Very cool plug in though.

Thanks

[Brett]

I have a working version with "quick reply" it basically lets you use a pre-selected reply (selected from an xml defined list), this allows you to reply without even leaving the module you are currently viewing.

The fonts should be modifiable from the xml but I'll see about making them different colors for each user, not sure if thats entirely possible.

I'm going to get around to posting the new version as soon as I can get a decent xml file of preselected responses ready, right now they all suck.

-Brett

[Baylo]

Brett - how feasible is it to have, say 5 'pre-defined' responses available, but let the user decide on the wording by having this as part of the settings screen?

That way you can provide your text as a default, but don't have to worry about not meeting individual user's needs.

Mark

[merrypig]

Response #1: a/s/l
...

[Brett]

Sorry, I just realized I have been sitting on this code for over a month and it hasn't been posted. So here goes.

Version 1.2 (Released 3/31/05)
Added "Quick Reply" Button: If a user IMs you now you can select between chat now and quick reply. Quick reply will let you select from a list of messages. You can define additional messages by modifying quickreplies.xml (found at: c:\documents and settings\all users\application data\snapstream\beyond media\plugins\msnplugin\)

Now I gotta get back to work on my game library plugin ;).

-Brett

[thomassilcox]

Great plugin...I've been dreaming about this. I've been using regular messenger and sittling real close to the tv when it comes up :lol:

I have a webcam, with messenger plug to auto accept webcam requests so that I can video chat in my living room. But this plug-in version doesn't support the webcam....

Would it be possilbe to do this? Looking forward to your genius :wow:

[redneonrt]

How about a client that supports trillian? Then this could be a pretty versitle chat plug-in.

[twiddler]

Will there every be the ability to use a webcam with this MSN plugin? I think that would be a great addition.

[gossman]

I see that this thread has been dormant for some time... but I am trying (now that I have some time) to extend some of the functionality of my HTPC (I use BTV and BM).... I saw this and wanted to try it.

Problem is that I only had one MSN id (We normally use AOL). So, I created another (<my name>_htpc@hotmail.com). I can log in using windows messenger, but when I use this plug in - no go. I can't communicate.

Any ideas?

[Brett]

It was made for MSN 7.0, it might not work with 8.0 API.

It may need to be updated, anyone else notice this? If I release the code (its small) could someone make the change?

-Brett

[Nortafett]

Any chance this will get updated? =)

[malaspinha]

hi, i istalled the plugin logg in, but i only get a screen with online status and buddies, but no buddies are there, and trust me i have buddies.
what do i have to do ?

[thegreatdano]

this looks fun ill have to try it

[cartoonman]

corrected since I discovered that MSN and AOL instant messenger are compatible. just need to create an MSN account on the machine that uses BM, and then I can use the plugin to talk to other clients on AIM. I guess I have been out of the loop on messaging for, oh, ten years.