Everybuddy Chat Room/Conference Implementation Notes

This document describes the internal workings of the chat room functions
of Everybuddy.  It is only of use to you if you plan to work on the code.

NOMENCLATURE:

	"Chat Room" -- the virtual channel where a group chat takes place.
	"Chat Room Buddy" -- participant in a Chat Room.

DATA STRUCTURES (from chat_room.h):

typedef struct _eb_chat_room_buddy
{
	gchar alias[255]; /* These might be different (like in the case of ICQ) */
	gchar handle[255];
} eb_chat_room_buddy;

typedef struct _eb_chat_room
{
	gboolean  connected;
	gchar     id[255];         /* The ROOM's ID */
	gchar     room_name[1024];
	GtkWidget *window;         /* The Chat Room window */
	GtkWidget *conversation;   /* The upper part of the window */
	GtkWidget *entry;          /* The textentry for talking back :) */
	GtkWidget *online;         /* GtkCList: list of members in the Chat Room */

	GList     *fellas;  /* holds a list of eb_chat_room_buddy structs */
	
	eb_local_account *chat_room_account; /* local account in the chat room */
	void *protocol_local_chat_room_data; /* for protocol-specific storage */
} eb_chat_room;

UI FUNCTIONS (from chat_room.c):
	
	/* Handles receipt of a remote chat room message and updates the 
	   conversation widget */

	void eb_chat_room_show_message(eb_chat_room *room,
			gchar *user, gchar *message);

	/* Creates the UI to handle the chat room */

	void eb_join_chat_room(eb_chat_room *room);

CALLBACKS (from service.h, defined in the services):

	/* Send "public" message to all participants in a Chat Room. */
	void sendchat_room_message(eb_chat_room *room, gchar *message);

	/* Join a chat room */
	void join_chat_room(eb_chat_room *room);

	/* Leave a chat room */
	void leave_chat_room(eb_chat_room *room);


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here is the flow of control

when you try joining a chat room, eb_start_chat_room gets called
this in turn calls the make_chat_room callback as defind in service.h
and appends it to the list of available chat rooms

make_chat_room creates the chat room and also tries to initiate a connection
(if any are required).

once the person has successfully entered the chat room/conference the service 
calls eb_join_chat_room() to display the group chat window
