Shoutbox

Good news!
This weekend I 'revived' one of my projects: http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=40728&page=1
Note that it's (CyBeRDuDe)'s idea.

What does it do?
It takes control of the large advertisement located at the bottom of the main MSN Messenger window:


Various pages can be loaded into that window:
Winamp Controller:

Windows Media Player controller:

Note taker (lets you view, add, edit, and delete little notes):


I attached a beta version of the project, it's entirely coded in c++, and doesn't use any SetParent stuff Also it doesn't patch anything, so I suppose it's completely legal.

Note that the attached version isn't a plugin, but standalone. I will convert it to a plugin as soon as possible. (So please don't move this thread to another forum).

Just extract the files into a new folder, run 'adcontrol.exe', and when everything went alright your adspace should look like the first screen above. Then right click to select a 'page'.

Known bugs:

• The rightclick menu doesn't dissapear when you don't select an item, this can be annoying and I'll look for a solution.
  
• Only the Winamp controller, WMP controller, and notetaker are working. When you choose any of the other options Messenger will probably 'shutdown the ad'.
  
• There might be a security flaw, other people on the network/internet might be able to change your song, and take notes, etc. Got to build in an ip filter.
  
• When you enable the program at first it might not always show the 'startup screen' in the ad. But you can still right click the msn ad to change it.

Keep me updated with your findings.
Also, let me now what different kind of pages you'd like to see in the controller (not only media controllers for different media players -I'll probably do that anyway-, but also think of more unique ideas, like a shoutbox etc.).

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UPDATE 6/6
Today I released a new test version, with the following new features:

• Controller in conversation window
  
• iTunes Controller
  
• Plugin version

The new version requires patching of the main file. It should easily patch files which have already been patched by A-Patch, Ghost, or Messpatch. it will even bring back the control-spaces if you chose to remove them. However, it does NOT support skins like Wave11/NeoWin yet (sorry guys, probably later).

Anyway, just read the instructions.txt file

Also you do not need to comment the skins yet. This release is just to test whether it works for most users. I know the winamp buttons in the conv window are terribly small, this will all be improved.

ow, I made it .rar because .zip was over 1mb, which is not allowed here.

Enjoy!

hey man, first of all, nice job, good to see you got this project up and running

but here are a few suggestions :

1- Where's the Itunes controller ?
2- What about making the jukebox controller appear in the windows conversations as said before?
3- When the plugin is running.. we should have something on msn appear.. like maybe another clickable text like the Plus! one or anything.. so we know it's running..

Now about the bugs.. I told you some on msn..  but here are the main ones :

-AdControl doesnt work if its running more than once at the same time ( thats why we would need suggestion #3.. )
-It freezes out the whole msn messenger if you right clicked but didnt choose anything..
-When clicking on "About", you have to click twice for the "credits" to appear.. twice..! loll ( maybe these aint credits.. just assuming they are due to "Created By..."
-Wmp Controller, Winamp Controller, Note Taker work.. the others, not rlly..
-When you click on an option that doesnt work.. your msn ads come back, ad you have no other otpions to get your AdControl running, except for ctrl+alt+del, closing AdControl, and resignin into msn messenger, then re running AdControl..

that's about it.. Ill update the post if I find something else..

Hey, thanks for testing!

1) Coming up soon!
2) I'll look for that later, takes a whole new approach, but I'll probably implement it.
3) Don't know exactly what you mean, but when I made the plugin version, it'll be running all the time, so I don't think it's a real problem

Freezing thing, + the fact that you shouldn't click certain options were already listed @ the known bugs.
When you click for example: shoutbox, it tries to access a page on my server that doesn't exist yet. MSN then 'closes the ad', by showing its logo. I'm currently having problems with my server, so I can't upload the correct pages yet.

I don't have any trouble with double clicking or something, and I know the about+credits thing is a bit stupid (double), but the credits page is just the 'home page'.

This might not be possible, but i spose its worth asking.

I'm using the Wave 11 skin which can be downloaded from here http://www.afizicalpresence.com

This skin comes with its own ad bar which advertises free smilies. Your adcontrol doesn't take control of this ad probably because it is made in a different way.

Would it be possible to take over this ad? Thanks in advance.

Great plugin but i've patched my msn and don't have the backup so i can't be bovered to reinstall msn

quote:

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Originally posted by Absorbation
Great plugin but i've patched my msn and don't have the backup so i can't be bovered to reinstall msn

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A lot of people have their msn patched and have removed their banner. I think a good idea, if it were possible, would be to have an option in Adcontrol to put the ad banner back in if it has been removed by a patch.

quote:

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Originally posted by monster.rat
A lot of people have their msn patched and have removed their banner. I think a good idea, if it were possible, would be to have an option in Adcontrol to put the ad banner back in if it has been removed by a patch.

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A great idea and it can be done quick and easy

Or if it can somehow 'inject' itself into the space the ad usually goes in, so even on patched MSNs, it displays in the corrent location.

Which, to implement, will most likely be pretty difficult.

I think it would be possible to make a feature to 'reenable' the adbanner. But I don't have any experience with automating reshacks (yet).

@monster.rat: I succeeded enabling the banner with wave 11:


It required a little reshack + a tiny code change. It will probably be a nice option as well in the final installer.

quote:

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Originally posted by Juzzi
I think it would be possible to make a feature to 'reenable' the adbanner. But I don't have any experience with automating reshacks (yet).

@monster.rat: I succeeded enabling the banner with wave 11:


It required a little reshack + a tiny code change. It will probably be a nice option as well in the final installer.

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Thanks Juzzi, is this updated in the attachment of your first post or only for the final installer?