[jdev] Jabber newbie developing client - need advice

[Norman Rasmussen]

On 12/27/06, Tan Meng Yu <caojie at pd.jaring.my> wrote:
> I'd prefer to avoid using any libraries since it may not be allowed (I
> need to confirm this).

Check that before you start anything.  The free agsXMPP library sounds
like something that could jump start you into the project.

Generaly when people ask about starting a new client/library they get
that instead of starting something new, they rather contribute to an
existing project.  Feel free to use this comment as leverage to be
able to use an existing library :-)

> I've already read the Jabber Client Developer's cheat sheet, the Jabber
> Programmer's Guide and most of the protocol documentation, but I still
> feel very clueless. What really daunts me is handling all the XML, and i
> don't have experience working with sockets before.

.Net will have most of the tools you need (TCP Sockets tools + XML Parsers)

> 1. Roughly how complex of a project is this? I have about 9 weeks to work
> with. Any advice/warnings/suggestions for a newbie? Or am I just biting
> off more than I can chew?

It really sounds like (if you can), you should be adding a large chunk
of new functionality to an existing client or library.  Have a look
around the Jabber Summer Of Code projects to get an idea of what other
people are attempting.

> 2. Can anyone recommend a good XML parser to use with .NET?

Generally XMPP likes both types of parsers in the puzzel: a SAX parser
to get at the stanza's easily, and a DOM parser to convert the XML
stanza into object form. (okay auth nodes, etc are not called stanza's
but I'm ignoring that for now).  .NET's XML parsers support both of
these types.  XmlReader and XmlDocument if-i-remember-correctly.

-- 
- Norman Rasmussen
 - Email: norman at rasmussen.co.za
 - Home page: http://norman.rasmussen.co.za/