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re: here's the spawn of my algorithm

>Have java open a winsock to the client.  Send login and password.  Then 
>send a command string like @java on.  This modifies look_self to add an 
>ecoded url to the look self.  the encoding will be something simple like 
>(*&)http:...  When the jave client receives these strings, it doesn't 
>send them to the screen, rather, tells the other window to go to the 
>specified url.

This is called "Out of band" data.
I worked on a project that does exactly what everyone is describing.
There were a number of different windows on the user's screen, and
the MOO would send strings like:

#$# image=URL pane=whichpane

Which the Java client (it was an applet, I encourage writing this thing
as a java application) would intercept and display URL in whichpane
(the panes were named, by the server, at connect time)
Hooks were also sent to play sounds, change the background image, etc.

There is more information about how the MOO server supports Out of band
communication in the programmer's manual.

In the one I worked on, there was little need for the client to tell
the server something out of band, but I'm of the opinion that in
order for it to be really robust, the protocol would have to be designed
to allow successful bi-direction OOB communcation.

Also, I suggest you take a look at MCP (of which I beleive information
can be found somewhere relative to JH and the folks there), which is
an already existing method for client and server OOB communication.
It may provide the kind of functionality you need; you may need to 
extend it though.

Andy
ThwartedEfforts
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