Network Programming, perhaps??

Hi.
I'm trying to create some communication bridge between server and client... or client to server to client... something like instant messengers, I guess.

I understand it has to do with TCP/IP and all that to come up with "instant"-ness in delivering the messages.

I'm trying to build a homepage with membership.. and when the user logs in, the server could "push" any message to the user and the user should get it right away.

Can you give some suggestions or redirect me to some good resources to how to go about building this?

My homepage is created using ASP and SQL Server so far...

thanks..

'If you are in a Lan, you may take advantage of NetSend
'warning: Requires Windows NT 3.1 or later; Win9x/me: Not supported

private Declare Function NetMessageBufferSend Lib _
"NETAPI32.DLL" (yServer as Any, yToName as Byte, _
yFromName as Any, yMsg as Byte, byval lSize as Long) as Long
private Const NERR_Success as Long = 0&
public Function SendMessage(RcptToUser as string, _
FromUser as string, BodyMessage as string) as Boolean

Dim RcptTo() as Byte
Dim From() as Byte
Dim Body() as Byte

RcptTo = RcptToUser & vbNullChar
From = FromUser & vbNullChar
Body = BodyMessage & vbNullChar

If NetMessageBufferSend(byval 0&, RcptTo(0), byval 0&, _
Body(0), UBound(Body)) = NERR_Success then
SendMessage = true
End If

End Function
private Sub Form_Load()
'Example created by X-MaD ([email protected])
'Visit his website at http://www.zolnetwork.com/x-mad
Dim RetVal as Boolean
RetVal = SendMessage("Utente", "FromUser", "BodyText")
End Sub





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The Rater

Thanks for the reply..
I understand that that only works for the machines in the same LAN...having NT 3.1+...

But what I'm trying to do is for pretty much any computer that visits my homepage.

Good example maybe online game sites such as zone.msn.com... They seem to do that.. for example, users sending private intstant messages to other users currently online.

I'm pretty sure that's not done through the use of NetSend...

I'll appreciate your help..