Running Chat

Inq requires Java^TM J2SE 1.5 or better. If necessary, download it for your platform from JavaSoft.

Go to the Download page to get the latest Inq distribution and install it as follows:

1. Unzip the jar file to a suitable directory. If you are running on a MS Windows platform please ensure the directory path contains no spaces.
2. Optionally, set the environment variable INQHOME to the directory created by the extraction. If you don't do so then the Inq launcher scripts will try to work it out. For example:

   Windows: set INQHOME=C:\inqwell\inq1_0

   Linux/Unix: export INQHOME=/home/me/inqwell/inq1_0

3. Optionally include $INQHOME/bin on your path.
4. On Linux/Unix, make the launcher script executable:

   chmod +x $INQHOME/bin/inq

Change directory to the root of the distribution, e.g.

cd \inqwell\inq1_0

Assuming the distribution's bin directory is on the path, start the server as follows:

inq -server

The by default, the server binds to port 6556, so this needs to be available. You should then see output like this:

Inq Server
Copyright (c) InqWell Ltd 2002-2008
Java Compiler Compiler Version 3.2 Copyright (c) 2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
DeadlockScanner Started
Server Started
speakinq Socket Listener Started on port 6556

In a separate terminal window, change to the same directory. Load the chat application into the server as follows:

inq -load
    -u admin
    -p inqwell
    -serverHost speakinq://localhost
    -package system.server
    -url file:examples/chat/chatBoot.inq

Note that the -url argument specifies a relative URL. This is primarily to make these instructions the same on all platforms but, as noted elsewhere, this URL is resolved by the server, not the loader client. The relative resolution is thus with respect to the server's current working directory.

To start the client enter the following

inq -client

The login window should then appear - fill it in as shown:

As discussed earlier, the chat package does not define a Login service so any password will do. All being well the chat application window will then show. At the moment, nobody else is logged in, but you can still talk to yourself. Try File->New Private...:

The File->New Group... option creates a new private conference and joins the creator as the first participant. Other users can then be invited. File->New Public... creates new public chat rooms that can be joined using File->Join Public....

Obviously, you'll want to install the Inq runtime on other clients and have them connect to the host where you are running the server. See also tips on webstart below.

Unless specified otherwise the Inq client sets the default look and feel for the platform. When this is GTK under Linux we have experienced some problems with missing (or perhaps differently named) UIDefaults. If this is the case exceptions are thrown and the client does not run. For the time being you can switch to the Java L&F:

inq -client -lookandfeel none

Yes, well this is a bit weak while we are still running Java 1.5 and cannot make use of the java.awt.Desktop class. Have a look at the clickOverUrl() function in chattab.inq and perhaps change it to your liking.

Yes. The distribution contains the example chatinq.jnlp file in the examples/chat directory. You can modify this for a suitable webserver you run and you'll need to create a signed version of inq.jar (which when we do it we name inqs.jar)