Re: programming a javachat

From:

Knute Johnson <nospam@rabbitbrush.frazmtn.com>

Newsgroups:

comp.lang.java.programmer

Date:

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:45:52 -0700

Message-ID:

<lfdIi.277078$BX3.124941@newsfe13.lga>

Brian wrote:

Hi all

I'm going to program a chat in java. In the beginning there will be
50-100 users - later maybe more.

I think of making a multithreaded server that creates one thread per
client connected. (other suggestions welcome )

See my simple example of a Java Applet based chat system at

http://www.knutejohnson.com

Is it possible(or a good idea) to keep the connection open between the
client and the server or should I close it after each transmission. If
closed then the client have to ping the server frequently to recieve
messages.

Keeping it open is probably the simplest way.

Shall the client have a thread running that pings the server and
another thread waiting for user input? What might be a better
solution?

Use the standard text components for client input. You can have a
thread running that receives data from the server.

The used bandwidth is also important in the beginning - the server
will run on my home computer. How can I calculate the amount of
traffic on the server?

A hundred users typing 20 characters and sending them at the same time
is 2000 characters. Assuming they arrive within the same second that is
approximately 20kbit/sec. You should be able to do that with a dialup
connection. And I doubt that the 100 users will be able to type another
20 characters in the next second.

Hope that some of you have some good advice for me :)

Brian

--

Knute Johnson
email s/nospam/knute/