Copyright 1995 Roel Vertegaal, Dept. of Ergonomics, University of Twente, Netherlands. <R.Vertegaal@wmw.utwente.nl>
What is it?
If you are using video conferencing software such as CUSeeMe, or audio conferencing software such as Netphone (or Maven), but do not want to run these programs all the time, this applescript applet might well be for you. It provides your web page with an interface to automatically start up video or audio conferencing software on both sides (UNIX machines do it all the time...Macs should too...). If the caller uses Netphone, he/she actually only needs to press the "Call" button to get a connection (when will CUSeeMe or Maven start using bookmark files??????). Webphone should be used in conjunction with MacHTTP 2.0 (or other CGI AppleScript compliant) WorldWideWeb Server software running on Macintosh computers.
How does it work?
This applet proves that the idea works on a Mac, though conferencing program developers should be a bit more aware of the possibilities of the world-wide web. The script uses the Common Gateway Interface standard, and is operated via Apple Events (thanks to Jon Wiederspan for his excellent example code!). It starts up when a caller clicks its hyperlink on your home page. It will look what type of connection should be set up (audio or video). The script will play a sound, and will show a dialog on the receivers machine asking him whether the call should be answered. If the receiver the presses answer button, a file will be returned to the caller's webbrowser. If audio is requested it will return a file of MIME type audio/conference. This is actually a Netphone file. If video is requested it will return a file of MIME type video/conference. This is actually just a text file with the ip address of the receivers machine in it (CUSeeMe doesn't use bookmark files, so after it's started up, you still need to type in the recipient's address). If the caller has instructed his browser which helper applications to launch when these MIME types are downloaded, the browser will automatically start up the appropriate application. Meanwhile, the applet will have started up the same application on the receiver's side.
Installation
-Get a Connectix Quickcam.
-Put the applet in the same folder as MacHTTP 2.0.
-Then put the following html code in your home page html document:
Call me <A HREF="/Webphone.cgi?audio">by audio</A> or
<A HREF="/Webphone.cgi?video">by video</A>
The path in front of the ? sign tells MacHTTP where to find the Webphone.cgi applet, the selector after the ? sign tells Webphone what type of communications program to run: an audio tool or a video tool.
-Download the Netphone demo application from /info-mac/comm/tcp/net-phone-111-demo.hqx
-Download the CUSeeMe videoconferencing application from /info-mac/comm/tcp/cu-see-me-070b1.hqx
-Launch Netphone, and create a bookmark file with the address of your machine. You do this by calling yourself, and then choosing save. This bookmark file should be saved as "CallMe.nph" in your MacHTTP home directory. This is the file that will be sent to the caller to start up his Netphone application.
-Now open your MacHTTP.config file and add the following MIME Types:
TEXT .CUC CUce * video/conference
BINARY .NPH EMC8 * audio/conference
You can also simply replace your config file with the one provided with this applet.
-Include these MIME types in your Netscape preferences helper applications dialog. Choose Launch application as the default option. There is only one problem: Netscape's preferences dialog is still buggy as hell. It doesn't set Netphone's file type correctly. If you want this to work, use ResEdit to open the resource file included with this software, select all, copy, and paste into the Netscape Preferences file. This will add the correct 'MIME' resources to your Netscape preferences. Alternative, you can replace your Netscape file with the one included. If you might ask, but I can't require every user to hack around with Resedit, your perfectly right, but SOMEONE has to make clear to both the developers of Netscape and CUSeeMe that they are missing some vital points in their software, which inhibits their interoperability.
-Put the sound file "Ring" into your system folder.
As an example of its use, check out my home page: http://reddwarf.utwente.nl/
And please, ONLY call when you actually have something to say to me. When abused, I'll simply remove the link.
Requirements:
Applescript, MacHTTP 2.0, and the following OSAXen:
This software comes on an as-is basis. The author does not accept any liability whatsoever for damage resulting from its use.
This software is e-mail-ware. If you use this software, please send me an e-mail with the URL of the web page where it is utilized.
Non-commercial utilization only! The software may not be sold or in any other way used in a profitable manner without my prior consent. This software may not be distributed without this read me file.
I will not answer questions by e-mail which clearly demonstrate that you did not read this read-me file carefully.
