ChatApplication

Prerequisites

The following dependencies are required to compile and run the program:

• cmake
• gcc, g++ (minimally C++20)
• boost

Ensure that TCP traffic on port 12345 is permitted between the Server and Client machines.

Setup

Copy source files into the Linux machine:

scp -r ChatApplication/ username@hostname:/home/username

Ensure cmake is installed:

# If not installed run the following commands:

# For Debian-based:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install cmake

# For CentOS or RHEL:
sudo yum update
sudo yum install cmake

cmake --version

Ensure development tools and compilers are installed:

# For Debian-based:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential

# For CentOS or RHEL:
sudo yum update
sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools"

gcc --version
g++ --version

Ensure boost library is installed:

# For Debian-based:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libboost-all-dev
dpkg -l | grep libboost

# For CentOS or RHEL:
sudo yum update
sudo yum install boost-devel
rpm -qa | grep boost

Here's the full command:

# For Debian-based:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install cmake
sudo apt install build-essential
sudo apt install libboost-all-dev

# For CentOS or RHEL:
sudo yum update
sudo yum install cmake
sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools"
sudo apt install libboost-all-dev

Generate build files:

mkdir build
cd build

cmake ..

Build the project:

make

Testing

Run 2 instances of ChatApplication, either in the same machine or in 2 different Linux instances.

./chat_application server
./chat_application client

On the client, enter the server's ip/hostname into the console.

This application has been tested between:

• 1 Windows Linux Subsystem (localhost)
• 2 Amazon Linux instances
• 2 Ubuntu instances

Guide

• To send a chat message, type your message and press enter.
• The client will receive the message and send an acknowledgement back to you (the server).
• You will receive the ack and the Round Trip Time (RTT) will be displayed.
• Likewise, if you receive a chat message, you (the server) will send an acknowledgement back to the client.

Limitations

• Reading of user input stops at the \n delimiter. This means that pasting a text with multiple lines would cause it to be read line by line.
• Also, pasting multiple lines would only enter all lines except the last one, so the user would have to press enter again to input the last line. This is a console/terminal limitation.
• There is no GUI, this application is text-based only.