This is an beta version. Use at your own risk.

About / What is QuickChat
-------------------------

QuickChat is a small utility for network chatting. So designer for server/client usage,
the client also supports direct connections (host/server) for two clients

As long there are bugs or requests, QuickChat is under development.
The latest official version can be found at http://www.ctuser.net.
For suggestions, questions, requests or bug reports, send eMail to info@ctuser.net.

QuickChat Client has now approximate 120 kb / compressed 40 kb. The source code &
resources take about 80 kb (1600 lines / 28 kb pure code).

QuickChat Server has now approximate 70 kb / compressed 25 kb. The source code &
resources take about 30 kb (550 lines / 12500 bytes pure code).
  
This document will give you additional information of QuickChat

System requirements
-------------------
(according to Microsoft)
- Pentium 90MHz / high
- VGA 640x480 or higher
- 24MB RAM for Windows 95 / 32MB for Windows NT.
- Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 / 95 or later.
  (Windows 95 users may need DCOM update (or at least one file of)
- A working network, fixed IP addresses recommend

Copying / License / ...
-----------------------

QuickChat and QuickChat server are free software; you can redistribute them
and/or modify them under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
published by the Free Software foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple
Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA

If you have any questions, suggestions or bug reports about this product,
contact me: info@ctuser.net; Do not contact me about general B.A.S.I.C. language
or A.P.I. issues

Files (depending on which package you downloaded, not all files may be included)
 - License.txt   license    GNU General Public License
 - msvbvm60.dll  required
 - QChat.exe     required   executable
 - QChat.txt     readme     information / help
 - QChatSv.exe              required when connecting more than two clients
 - vb6os.zip     source     Source code (Visual Basic 6) and related readme
                            files, also contains a copy of the GNU General
                            Public License

If you want to localize QuickChat, please contact me: info@ctuser.net

How to set-up
-------------

Basically QuickChat is designed as a server/client solution:
  One server (one computer running the QuickChat server) connects all clients
  (QuickChat currently supports up to 254 clients with one server only)
  The server manages all message transfer and information handling (connect,
  renaming, disconnect, ...). When quitting the server or when it crashes
  (good servers should not be able to [be] crashed, except on hardware failures
  or operating system; Somehow I doubt QuickChat server is that stable, but it
  should not matter as it is a chat only).
  If you want to chat from the computer running the QuickChat server, simply
  start a client from that computer.
 --> Start server and all clients. Check each client if the IP address of the
     computer running the QuickChat server is set (Settings dialog)

Alternate, QuickChat can act as peer to peer solution:
  When the QuickChat client cannot connect to the specified, it will simulate
  a server, allowing ONE other client to connect to, without need for the
  server. In this mode, ALL USER MESSAGES are private messages. QuickChat will
  popup on any user message.
 --> Start two clients. Setup ONE client to use the IP address of the computer
     running the other client. For faster connections, you can remove the IP
     address from the other client, that will prevent that client from searching
     for a server.

The Client interface
--------------------

On the left side is a list showing all users connected to the server
(This list is empty when not connected to a server)
If a user in this list is select, your messages will only be sent to that user.

On the right side is a list (text box) showing the last messages and / or
informations. Below that list is a textbox where you write your messages;
Pressing "Enter" will send the current message

The settings windows and other stuff should be self-explaining.

Version history
---------------

New: New feature
Bug: Essential bugfix (Programm hangs, ...)
Fix: Other bugfix (Display, ...)
Chg: Changes (Optimation, ...)
Del: Removed 'feature' (Automation, ...)
Lng: Language related fix/change

(Some bugs may not affect the previous version, but an unreleased pre-beta
version)

1.00 beta 4:
 - New: Windows XP Skin support
 - Chg: Autostart information stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER

1.00 beta 3:
 - Bug: This IS NOT MY FAULT! I just previously used a api declaration as
        provided by Microsoft... And it worked well on Windows 98/Me, and even
        under Windows XP (conditionally)
        Manually processing GetCommandLineA api return value (receiving pointer
        to string that is copied using lstrcpynA instead of using Visual Basic
        to receive that string) for Windows XP compatibility

1.00 beta 2:
 - Fix: Connections problems
 - Chg: Tabstop now on textbox on startup
 - New: Sound support
 - CHg: Line break, no vertical scrolling
 - Chg: Some other small fixes / changes
 - Chg: Now published under the GNU General Public License
 - New: Info screen
 - New: Special usercontrol for IP addresses

1.00 beta 1 (First release)

Known problems, Behaviours, Bugs, Errors, Problems
--------------------------------------------------

Of course I'm testing my software and find most errors myself. Additionally, a
good friend of mine tests any version (alpha, pre-beta, beta, ...).
If you find an error anyway (that's why it's a beta), try to find out what you
did that caused the error (bug) and find the fastest / easiest way to reproduce
this error and eMail your report (info@ctuser.net). Please also check if the
error depends on one or more settings

Credits
-------

Jan Vorel (thats me):
 - Programming
 - Layout (design)
 - Testing
 - Readme file
 - Homepage (Text, screenshots, ...)
   
Christian Falk:
 - Beta tester

Ali Chaudhry:
 - lots of discussions resulting in better performance
 - Showed me UPX

Thomas & Marlene Vorel
 - Testing

------------------ General Credits: ------------------

Angus Johnson
 - Resource Hacker

Carlos J. Quintero
 - MZ-Tools

Eugene Roshal
 - WinRar
 - Rar ('DosShell' / HexViewer)

Grennady Feldman
 - Win32Pad (Notepad replacement)

Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer & Laszlo Molnar:
 - UPX

Microsoft:
 - Windows 95/98
 - Visual Basic
 - MSDN

PlanetSourceCode:
 - Visual Basic Source Codes to see how to use API

Toshi:
 - ExeScope: Additional resource operations / checking

ULEAD System:
 - Photo Impact (best image editing programm)

Lothar Rossipaul:
 - Wörterbuch (For some translations)

and many other...
