javascript mud client 2

Michael Barton — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:04:14 +0000

I woke up early this morning and decided to start from scratch on my javascript mud client. After writing the single worst implementation of a web server ever (it would have gone nicely with my networking final project, which included the single worst implementation of a web client ever), I was able to get it working.

Basically, I rewrote the MUD to accept HTTP requests and wrap a javascript call around the output from each pulse. Taking Matt's advice, I decided to use <b> tags with short class names, rather than the <span style=”color:…”> stuff I was doing before.

Example (mud prompt): <script>parent.push('<br><b class=g><20hp 100m 100mv> <b class=X>');</script>

The browser downloads this “page” inside a hidden <iframe> (using the hack I previously posted for Internet Explorer, just a plain iframe for FF). The push() function in the frame’s parent creates a new <pre> tag, stuffs the argument text inside it, then appends it to the display <div>. Then the div’s scroll is set to the bottom.

Mud input uses a form submit handler, which takes the value of the <input> and sticks it into an XMLHttpRequest, which is sent to the aforementioned worst web server implementation ever.

I hacked it into QuickMUD rather than my own code base so that, should I ever decide to clean it up, other people can use it.

Okay, so it’s pretty trivial. But it was fun.

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javascript mud client 2