Please pull down the Chatroom source zip file.
It contains the skeletons, &c. Please also, as with the last lab, pull
down a copy of a compiled example for
reference.
Basically, what we'd like you to do is this. First, review the code
and make sure you've got the "big picture" of how it works -- but,
keep in mind, understanding each detail isn't necessary.
Second, we removed most of the major pieces of RMI code from the
solution and replaced them with comments -- add them back and get
it working again.
Third, and this is the really fun part, expand the programs capabilities
by adding new features. For example, the ability to send pictures and
sounds to the group (Hint here: start by being able to pop them up
or make them play on your own system).
Another idea is to add a "person-to-person" chat, in addition to the
group chat. I'd begin this by adding a selectable list of members to
the client's GUI, and then I'd add functionality to the server to
send an individual client a reference to another client's object.
There are tons of possibilities here. Be creative. And, remember,
we're here to help.
And, to give credit where credit is due, the example chat room
solution was written by Dattaraj Rao.
