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MSN Messenger Activity API

MSN Messenger Activity API. Scott Swanson COM301 Group Product Planner Microsoft Corporation. Agenda. What are MSN Messenger Activities? Activity Application Demo Creating an Activity Application Provisioning/Deploying an Activity Application Debugging an Activity Application

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MSN Messenger Activity API

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  1. MSN Messenger Activity API Scott Swanson COM301 Group Product Planner Microsoft Corporation

  2. Agenda • What are MSN Messenger Activities? • Activity Application Demo • Creating an Activity Application • Provisioning/Deploying an Activity Application • Debugging an Activity Application • Activities Application Building Contest • Summary

  3. What Are Activity Applications? • One or two user applications built on the MSN Messenger communication infrastructure • Connect Peer to Peer or through the MSN Cloud • Work across firewalls and proxies • Run in an IE window attached to the MSN Messenger Conversation window • Can be hosted on the Internet or intranet • Interact with • Messenger conversation stream • Messenger user Info • Launch from inside or outside MSN Messenger • Contact based invitation model • Launch ability provisioned by MSN

  4. Messenger Activity Platform • Applications can be built using DHTML or ActiveX • Development options • ASP.NET, C/C++, C#, Visual Basic®, VBScript, JScript®, HTML, DHTML, XML, and more… • Great international support! • MSN Messenger Worldwide Support • 25+ languages • 45+ Markets • Can be market and/or language specific

  5. MSN Messenger Activity Application Scott Swanson/Carmen Zlateff Group Product Planner/Lead Program Manager MSN Messenger

  6. Building An Activity Application

  7. Design Considerations • IE 5.01 or greater required • Max window size 500 x 500 pixels • Connection Types • Indirect – via Messenger cloud • Data rate 195k per minute • Direct – Peer to Peer • Data rate limited by connection bandwidth • Security considerations require that ActiveX applications be certified by MSN • Application should include a Help link • No adult, gambling, or hateful content

  8. Messenger Activity Objects • External – Parent object • Channel – Client to client communication • Error – Error code and data • FileInfo – File transfer operations • Messenger – Shows Options dialogs • User – User properties • Users Collection – Enumerates user list Access restricted

  9. Required DefinitionsApplications must sync these events function Channel_OnRemoteAppLoaded() { // The remote application is loaded and ready; start multiplayer } function Channel_OnRemoteAppClosed() { // Remote application is shutting down; game over } function Channel_OnDataReceived() { // Data received from remote app, inspect value of Channel.Data } function Channel_OnDataError() { // Error during SendData, may need to retry. } function Channel_OnTypeChanged() { // Inspect Channel.Type for the state of the connection (Direct, Indirect, Disconnected) } function Channel_OnAppClose() { // Messenger is shutting down, clean up application }

  10. Let’s Write Code…

  11. Provisioning An Activity Application

  12. What Is Provisioning? • Two step process • Enable you to test your application • Make application available to MSN Messenger users • Why does MSN require provisioning? • Verify apps use the Activity API properly • Verify app compliance with Terms of Use • Give Messenger users a great experience

  13. Provisioning SettingsCreating the msgrp2p.xml file • Enables MSN Messenger to load an unprovisioned application for testing • Same XML as used by MSN servers • Adds item to the “Actions” menu • Start (Name) • (Name) defined by the Name element • Needed on both machines for testing

  14. Creating msgrp2p.xmlImportant values to set • EntryID = ‘7’ for test apps • Category = ’50’ for test apps • Sequence = ’10’ for testing • Name = String displayed in Actions menu • URL = HTTP address of Activity web page • Type • App=application • Dir=game • Height • Max=500 • Width • Max=500

  15. Provisioning Restricted Functionality • SendIM • Exposes EnterIM & SendIM methods in the Channel object • ReceiveIM • Exposes OnIMReceived event and IM property (ro) • ActiveX • Load ActiveX controls in local user security context • EnableIP • Allows access to local & global IP addresses • ReplaceIM • Exposes OnIMReceived event and IM property (rw) • SendFile • Exposes file xfer PEMs in the Channel object • UserProperties • Exposes Email and Name in User object

  16. Launching An Activity Application • Launch from Actions menu • Start (Application Name) • Works prior to MSN provisioning • Launching From a Web Page • Only works after MSN provisioning • Invoke MSN Messenger by calling • http://messenger.msn.com/Resource/games.aspx?appID=APPID • The APPID value • Uniquely represents your Activity application • Assigned by MSN during provisioning

  17. Creating The msgrp2p.xml

  18. Debugging Activity Applications

  19. Debugging Setup • Enable debugging in IE Advanced Tab • Uncheck “Disable script debugging (IE)” • Uncheck “Disable script debugging (Other)” • Place app and resources on web server • Multi-user apps require 2 machines to have 2 Messenger logins • Edit msgrp2p.xml to reference web server • Place msgrp2p.xml on test machines • C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger

  20. Debugging Tips And Tricks • JavaScript: Use the “debugger” keyword to start script debugging • Place “debugger” keyword at top of page • Enables variables in locals window • Enables setting breakpoints • Use Channel.SendIM to output debugging text to conversation window • Reopen conversation to reload msgrp2p.xml • Application is reloaded on every invocation • Antispyware apps can change IE settings!

  21. Running And Debugging

  22. Worlds Greatest Application Contest • http://activity.msn.com for details • Contest runs 9/12 to 12/31/2005 • Entrant apps published twice/week • Enter as many apps as you like • Great Prizes • 3 Alienware PCs, 10 Oakley Thump glasses, 65 copies of Visual Studio 2005 Pro • Prizes awarded world-wide • Apps must be submitted in English • Winners announced Feb 2006

  23. Community Resources • At the PDC • Hands On Lab: COMHOL34, Daily • Ask the Experts Table: Thurs 9/15, 5:30-9:30pm • MSN Messenger Booth • After the PDC • Messenger Developer Center • http://msdn.microsoft.com/msn/messenger • MSN Messenger forum • http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=23 • Messenger Activity application contest • http://activity.msn.com

  24. Conclusion • Focus on the app, not the infrastructure… • MSN communications infrastructure simplifies crossing firewalls, routers, etc… • Messenger Activity API is available today • Reach 170 million users world-wide • Activity applications are ideal for • Interactive communication scenarios • Games • Photos, maps, sports, shopping, financial

  25. © 2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This presentation is for informational purposes only. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, in this summary.

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