CBIRC, An Up-To-Date IRC Client for eComStation

From OS2eCS Organization

By Steven Douglas Taylor

Introduction
[CBIRC] is a smooth running [Internet Relay Chat Client] Java 1.42 applet. It has a multitude of features as indicated by the settings page. Plus it is free ware! You can not beat that! The developer has a web page which details all the IRC commands to utilize on the input line, and hosts a CBIRC forum, which can also be accessed through the help menu in CBIRC. There is even a ratings web site for it. I rate it with a 5, since it is the best Java IRC applet I have used yet!

Using CBIRC
First make sure you have Java 1.4.2 installed on your system. I installed [InnoTek OS/2 Kit for Java 1.4.2_09] using the [eComStation Maintenance Tool] (eCSMT v2.1.9.3) on my eComStation 1.2R (Media Refresh) system. Then follow the instructions in the readme.txt file [of the InnoTek OS/2 Kit for Java]. It contains detailed instructions for setting up the "webstart" feature in your browser. I'm using Seamonkey 1.0.6 but this should work also with Firefox 1.5 or 2.0. In order to install support for the Java Plug-In, for Mozilla for OS/2 or IBM Web Browser for OS/2, copy the following files from the JRE \bin directory to the plug-ins directory of the browser: Do not copy any additional files.
 * npj2.dll
 * npj2_j11.dll
 * npj2_j12.dll
 * npj2_j13.dll
 * npj2_j14.dll
 * npj2_j32.dll
 * npj2_jpi.dll

Then go to the "preferences" settings in your browser [assuming your using Mozilla, or a derivative].

In the browser settings, open the helper application settings and define a new type. Use the following values to define the entry:
 * Description of type: Java Web Start
 * File Extension: jnl jnlp
 * MIME type: application/x-java-jnlp-file
 * Application to use: \jre\javaws\javaws.exe


 * Note* When installing the JRE, javaws.exe will be located in x:\javaws\ (X: being the installation path of where you installed Java.) If you are using eComStation, then it will be located in X:\Programs\Java142\javaws\ (X: being your boot volume.)

If this type is already there, just edit it too make sure it matches the above settings.

Reload the browser and go to: http://www.bratschi.net/cbirc/

Click on "Webstart me now" button:

The Webstart process will begin downloading and running CBIRC. When it asks to add or integrate to the desktop, click "yes". This will create an object on the desktop, so you will be able to start it by double-clicking the Object/Icon.

I copied the object to my eCenter to make it easy to start. Once you execute CBIRC and it finishes loading, the main CBIRC screen appears. This screen contains the following settings:

Click on the "File" menu item and then select "Connect" as in the following picture:

The network options will appear, then select the server you want to use:

In my example I choose the [Undernet].

After you save those settings, then proceed by clicking on the "connect" button. You can then proceed to close the current window after the IRC server screen appears:

Don't close it until the server is finished loading! Your given nick will be at the bottom of the screen. If you want to change the default nickname, just type "/nick " (Exclude the quotes when you type.) Then hit the "Enter" key. To join a channel, type this command: "/JOIN #"Channel Name" (Again, exclude the quotes when you type and hit the "Enter" key.) I of course hang out in #os2-ecs, so if you need any further assistance you can reach me there. My nick is "ecslurker". The [OS2eCS Organization] provides a wide range of assistance to OS/2 and eComStation users there.

To get a listing and description of IRC commands use the "Help" menu:

Finally, CBIRC also has it's own web site, so you can easily view CBIRC's homepage for more information.