What's New in Director 8.5 > Using the Shockwave Multiuser Server and Xtra > Creating multiuser movies > Creating text connections |  |

Creating text connections

Another way the Multiuser Xtra can communicate is through text-based servers such as Internet Relay Chat, Internet mail servers, or even proprietary text-based servers. These servers are called text-based because they respond to simple text commands that are used to control them. You make a text-based server connection by adding the integer 1 or the symbol `#text` to the end of the `connectToNetServer()` command, depending on which form of `connectToNetServer()` you are using. This statement tells the Xtra to enter text mode:

    errCode = gMultiuserInstance.connectToNetServer("Bob", \
    "MySecret", "mailserver.mycompany.com", 110, "Tech Chat", 1)

or

    errorCode = gMultiuserInstance.connectToNetServer \
    ("mailserver.mycompany.com", 110, [#userID: "Bob", #password: \
    "MySecret", #movieID: "Tech Chat"], #text)

The port number must also change to reflect the port your text-based server is using for communication. In this example the port is 110, which is commonly used with Internet mail servers. Consult the documentation for your text-based server to determine which port it uses.

In Shockwave, if a user tries to make a text-based connection to a text server that resides in a different domain name than the connecting movie, a security dialog box appears on the user's computer.

After the connection is made, you issue commands to your server with `sendNetMessage()`. Use System as the recipient and place your command into the content parameter. The subject parameter will be ignored. The following example sends a command to a mail server to retrieve the first piece of mail in the mailbox.

    command = "RETR 1" & RETURN
    errCode = gMultiuserInstance.sendNetMessage("System", \
    "anySubject", command)

The server responds with whatever data is appropriate. The Xtra retrieves the data as the `#content` property of a typical incoming message property list.