Epistula - AmigaOS Modular Instant Messenger Client

Latest version

50.18 - August 2006
Download it from http://www.the-snakepit.co.uk/projects/ or os4depot.net

Requirements

- AmigaOS 4.0
- MUI 3.8+. AmigaOS4 already has MUI installed as standard.
- MUI Custom Classes: NList.mcc, NListtree.mcc, BetterString.mcc and NBitmap.mcc. OS4 native versions of these classes are provided in the installer archive for your convenience.

What does this program do?

Epistula allows you to connect to muliple instant messenger chats services from one application, whilst retaining the individual functionality of each protocol and providing a modern and fully up to date interface to do so.

Some Epistula features include...

- Multiple IM client protocol ability via plugin system
- Plugin Development Kit to allow other to write plugins
- Intuitive and easy GUI for application and plugin configuration
- 32bit colour customisable images for the entire interface
- Customisable Emoticons for instant messages
- Application and Chat logging capability
- 'Mason Icons' AISS support
- Full PDF manual and plugin documentation
- Blocked, pending, allowed and reverse contact lists *
- Automatic away support with optional message *
- Very latest AmigaOS 4 functionality
- and much more...

* where plugin allows.

Languages Supported

English built-in with support for multiple languages via LOCALE

Betas

Beta versions of Epistula will be made available to registered users after version 50.19 and will be made available via a secured location on the Epistula homepage.

All registered users are alerted via email to both full and beta versions of the software as and when they become available.

Epistula is shareware software, and thus imposes a 10 minute online limitation for all plugins to unregistered versions. Registration can be gained by simply donating what you deem an appropriate amount of money to the project.

You can register Epistula at http://www.the-snakepit.co.uk/projects/ where you should click on the 'Donate' PayPal button situated on the left of the screen.

Homepage and Contact

Homepage: http://www.the-snakepit.co.uk/projects/

E-Mail address: daniel (@) the-snakepit (.) co (.) uk

Latest Changes

2006-11-15 Daniel Allsopp
* Epistula: Redesigned plugin configuration to accomodate more pages of information, for example to provide lists for pending and blocked users etc.
* MSN: Fixed a few outstanding bugs. A lot more to go however!

2006-10-18 Daniel Allsopp
* Epistula: Finally added support for emoticons!

2006-08-25 Daniel Allsopp
* Epistula: Added support for Mason's AISS Toolbar set
* Epistula: Using a new BltBitMapTags() function available to AmigaOS 4 32bit alpha images can now be used with Epistula and my NBitmap.mcc MUI custom class.

2006-08-16 Daniel Allsopp
* Epistula: Replaced instances of FindName with the non-case sensitive version FindIName when contacts are being searched
* TOC: The plugin will now ask for each contacts initial status when they are added to your buddy list and update them accordingly
* TOC: Added add and remove group functionality
* TOC: New buddies are created in a new group called 'Buddies' which is created if it doesn't exist
* TOC: Added more capabilities to an AIM contact when they first connect

Last edited by Slash on 29-Nov-2006 at 01:27 PM.

_________________
This fire is burnin' and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop, It's rock n' roll - GN'F'N'R

@Slash

Thanks Daniel, looking forward to trying it.

With the recent release of AmigaOS 4 final, I can now release the latest version of Epistula to the public.

All information and downloads at the usual location: Epistula Homepage.

Enjoy!

_________________
This fire is burnin' and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop, It's rock n' roll - GN'F'N'R

@Slash

Even more software for me to try out. Thanks.

Hans

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https://keasigmadelta.com/ - More of my work.

@Slash

Another great Xmas present to download.
Thanks Slash and Merry Xmas.

_________________
---------
AmigaClyde

µA1-C 750GX@800 using OS4.1

@Slash

Fantastic news. Thank you.

_________________


AmigaOne XE-G4, 512MB RAM (AmigaOS 4.1)
Radeon 9250, Terratec Aureon 5.1
CDRW, DVDRW, SII0680

Experimental debug version is now available and will be updated regularly until all the bugs are fixed.

Usual place: Epistula Homepage

Last edited by Slash on 31-Jan-2007 at 12:06 AM.

_________________
This fire is burnin' and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop, It's rock n' roll - GN'F'N'R

@Slash

Wonderfull news. Be prepared to be spam'd ;)

@Slash

I've just uploaded a new debug version of Epistula to the usual place (Epistula Homepage) for you all to try out.

In case registered Epistula users haven't noticed, the preliminary stages of my bug tracker are now ready. You now should be able to log in with the details from your key file and add an alternative email address if required as well as opt to subscribe to bug reports and announcements when they happen.

Change Log
-- Release 52.3 --

2007-02-06
* Epistula: Now compiles with a different debug option which will now
work with the version of addr2line I have. Thanks to Thomas Frieden.

* Epistula: Oops, accidently freed all of the memory for the internal
lists and then tried to access them again when logging back on. That
will solve the problem in the function 'tree_changestatus()' for those
of you who noticed that that was the culprit.

* Epistula: Fixed a potential problem with using locale support before
locale.library was actually opened.

* Epistula: A few more checks done on the possibility that any memory
had already been freed.

* Epistula: Custom contact names are now unallocated when the plugin
itself is freed.

* Epistula: As AISS support is not finished, I've found a bug in which
Epistula will crash if AISS is on and you attempt a smilie in an
instant message. Quick fix is to have one or the other, but not both.

* TOC/MSN: Debug plugins are now provided which will throw out a lot of
data to the serial line.

* TOC: Errors are now classed as 'Non Fatal' meaning they won't kick you
off the server when something bad happens but will instead output the
error code to the serial line (Krister I need these codes :)).

Thanks to Matthew Treasure, Krister Skrtic, Pål Nygård and Dave Fisher
for their crashlogs. Your help and patience is appreciated!

Last edited by Slash on 06-Feb-2007 at 11:25 PM.
Last edited by Slash on 06-Feb-2007 at 11:24 PM.

_________________
This fire is burnin' and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop, It's rock n' roll - GN'F'N'R

@Slash

Tested the TOC and sent you some sashimi output and logs.
I hope the codes you want is in them.

@Slash

Checked it and seems more stable than before. I don't have sashimi installed. If you want output of it I could install it and send you what you want.

I tried AISS and seems to work ok, although I prefer the default icons. More clearly recognisable.

Finally, Epistula becomes stable and usable on my system. Keep up the good work.

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@Slash

Nice, so far no hang, this version definitely seems to be more stable. However when I type stuff the text area doesn't automatically scroll down to show the newly entered lines, I have to keep scrolling down manually to see what the other person is typing (and also when i type something).

@COBRA

Oops, just after I wrote that, I had a DSI... :( I'm sending you an email...

Something I find annoying: it takes the focus away when somebody's status changes or they type something. This is the kind of thing which drives me nuts on Windows, let's not make this a fashion on Amiga software too :)

@COBRA

Thanks for the feedback Stephen :)

Quote:

However when I type stuff the text area doesn't automatically scroll down to show the newly entered lines

Yep, I know about this one. It's on my to do list.

Quote:

it takes the focus away when somebody's status changes or they type something.

Focus away from what? Please provide more details. A status change shouldn't take the focus away from an instant message window for example.

Regarding your email, I haven't received anything yet. What e-mail address are you sending it from incase I've got it in my SPAM list (although I'm sure I allowed all of your addresses last week).

_________________
This fire is burnin' and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop, It's rock n' roll - GN'F'N'R

@Slash

Takes the window focus away. Say I'm typing this in IBrowse, as soon as somebody on MSN in Epistula says something, the focus is taken away and I cannot keep typing here. Another example was when I was typing on IRC in AmIRC and suddenly the focus change to the Epistula main window which lists the users. I had a look and the only thing that was different compared to last time I looked was that one of the users had a busy state enabled (e.g. its icon changed to one with a clock)

@Slash

you haven't received the email because I've only just sent it :) It's from the same address you wrote to me last time.

I've just uploaded another new debug version (52.4) of Epistula to the usual place (Epistula Homepage).

Note that the debug plugins haven't changed for this version from the last but are included in the archive for completeness.

I think one of the main bugs people are coming across is caused by a call to strlen() and I think this is somewhere in the Emoticon code; so if you've got them turned on please turn them off and see if the crashes still occur.

@COBRA

I've identified the 'focus' problem, it's more to do with the quick and easy route I've chosen to send messages from the plugins, but Epistula is partly to blame too so I'll fix that one ASAP.

Change Log
-- Release 52.4 --

2007-02-07
* Epistula: Disabled the AISS functionality until alternate icons from
the AISS set can be found for all of the standard icons
* Epistula: Now adheres to the users' option of using graphical smilies
or not. Previously they were always turned on.
* Epistula: Fixed the instant message window scrolling, which should now
scroll to the bottom of the list as new messages are sent or received.

_________________
This fire is burnin' and it's out of control
It's not a problem you can stop, It's rock n' roll - GN'F'N'R

@Slash

Sounds good, I found another problem, when I try to quit Epistula by closing the chat windows first then finally closing the main window with the user list/etc. in it, I get a 'disconnecting' text appear for MSN but from that point on nothing happens, pressing the mouse inside the window has no effect, the GUI seems to be completely frozen. I'll have to investigate some more...

@Slash

is there 68k version?

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