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For well over a year now *off and on* we’ve been developing a Yahoo! Messenger targeted add-on that will offer a large variety of features when it’s available to the public. This program functions as an Application Layer Gateway and has the ability to do lots of great things to improve Yahoo! Messenger’s already established full-featured functionality and features. For those of you familiar with the heavily popular commercial application “Y!TunnelPro” this will function identically to it in nature with most of it’s features and features unique to only it at this time.
The application we’ve developed is called Yahoo! ToolKit Pro or YTK Pro for short. The professional version of this program will be at a cost (still reviewing the introductory price) while the YTK “Standard” version with less features will be entirely free. YTK Pro’s development is almost complete for it’s first version 1 beta release and it’s been beta tested by several individuals (privately). This application is extremely stable and fast (written in Delphi 7 (no .NET framework required!)).
The current feature list for YTK Pro version 1.0 is as follows:
– Launch at Windows startup
– External Activity Logger with image identification of events
– Orange Alert Bar
– Content Tab Creation
– Audible Alerts
– Automatic Font Resizing (scales messages to 10 pt size)
– Automatic Font Effect Stripping (eliminates Alternate and Faded text effects)
– Smart Font Face Adjustments (makes unreadable font faces readable)
– Recently Joined Rooms List *Join chat room window enhancement*
– Embedded Chat Room Activity Logger *chat window enhancement* w/ line count customization
– Option to disable Messenger auto-voicing in chat rooms
– Remove all advertisements in Messenger
– Show Yahoo!, LCS and WLM friend’s status messages on-screen in chat rooms
– Friend & Safe List Join & Leave chat room on-screen notifications
– Mic Locker/Holder in chat rooms
– Custom clear chat screen hotkey combination creation (works with global scope)
– Built-in external Vox (nice for having voice in one room and voice in Messenger’s vox in another)
– Automatically ignore “voice bots” when voiced
– URL Blocking (PMs and chat room messages)
– Smart IP address Blocking (PMs and chat room messages)
– E-mail address Blocking (PMs and chat room messages)
– Custom ignore message creation (WYSIWYG) w/ chat room broadcasting
– Window Filter settings for the chat room screen including a blur effect, flipping the text on-screen horizontally or vertically and an x-ray effect.
– Font Weight (makes all on-screen text bold)
– Font Variation (makes all on-screen text small and capitalized)
– Chat screen background color chooser (color palette selection and accepts custom hex color code input)
– Username auto-complete in chat rooms (also supports nickname auto-completion if nicknames are on)
– Enlarged chat room text input area
– Enlarged (widened) chat room user list
– Room Knocker/Buster
– WinAmp song broadcasting to chat rooms
– LaunchCAST song broadcasting to chat rooms
– Alias Auto-“Cloaking” for Anti-Boot
– TCP Voice for chat rooms and conferences instead of default UDP voice
– Ability to disable the local logfile that Messenger creates (privacy issue)
– Blocking of Yahoo! Messenger (YMSGR: ) crash links involving the URL handler
– Global Ignore Bin (only limited to physical memory) w/ auto-pruning and search capabilities
– Unlimited Global Safe List w/ search capabilities
– Chat room filtering for duplicate chat room messages (slider levels)
– Chat room filtering for flooding & auto-ignore (slider levels)
– Chat room message inspection and spam filtering (slider levels)
– Auto-ignoring of chat room bots with similar names (slider levels)
– Bounce Bot protection in chat rooms (slider levels)
– Enhanced voice ignore support *stronger than Messenger’s*
– Auto-ignore of chat usernames that exceed a # of characters (user-specified amount)
– Block ignore messages from other YTK users
– Block WinAmp broadcasts by other YTK users
– Show contents of blocked chat room messages in the activity logger
– Logging of YTK events, Connection events, chat room events, voice events, PC-2-PC call events, unhandled events and unknown packet variant logging system (UPV)
– 4 “Zones” created for PMs: Friends, Safe List users, Chat room users and Unknown users.
– Allow, Block, Block but save PMs, Allow only if contacted, Strip IMVironment content from PMs, Block Buzzes/Dings, PM web search queries, ASL, Magic Word Spam challenge check verification all independently enabled/disabled per group “Zone”
– 4 “Zones” created for all invitations:
– Allow or block independently per group the following types:
Add Buddy Requests
Voice Chat requests in PM
Webcam Invitations
Game Invitations
Chat room invitations
Conference invitations
File Transfer Requests
Send Contact Details
Request Contact Details
Buddy List Sends
Photosharing Requests
Audibles
IMVironments
Plug-ins
– PC-2-PC Calling options to block or allow based on the 4 groups: Allow, Block or Allow only if you’ve called them
– VoiceMail Message Screening (auto-deletion) based on 4 groups
– Offline Message management based on 3 groups with the following options to allow/block:
Offline Add Buddy Requests
Offline PMs
Offline Send Messenger Lists
Offline Send Contact Details
Offline Request Contact Details
– Enable Webcam Fix (Enables VFW for lesser supported webcams)
– File Transfer and P2P configuration (for direct file transfers behind routers)
– Chat 2 protocol “Bridge” w/ full inbound buddy status message support and PC-2-PC calling
– SOCKS4/5A proxy support
– Privacy settings including:
-Do Not advertise my webcam status as “on” when I join chat rooms
– Block P2P connectivity
– Hide my PM “Typing” notifications from others
– Idle status spoofing
– Webcam Checker *scanning*
– Clear Blocked and Authenticated *saved* PMs
– Recent Rooms List manager
– Working Deny-A-Buddy for Yahoo!, LCS and WLM/MSN users
– Full WLM and LCS network support for PMs, status messages and add buddy management
– Added back Show Nicknames OR IDs in chat rooms
– Create New Room button added back to Join chat room window
– Right click clear screen option in chat window
– Several custom menus added for full integration and convenience
– Remove user’s text from chat room screen
– Remove user from chat room list and add to Global Ignore Bin
– Chat room window and buddy list window transparency settings
– Clear embedded chat room activity logger support
– Command-line support in chat rooms
– Packet profiling technology (advanced malformed packet rejection system)
– Help File and community forum tech support
– Offers full compatibility with Messenger versions 7.02 through version 8.0 non-beta builds
– Supports Windows XP Pro/Home/MCE, 2K and 2K3 operating systems (32-bit support only with 64-bit support on the way)
– Ability to run in Limited Account environments (does NOT require administrative privileges)*** More features are on the way and some are being considered. Among these are: Tabbed PM window support, cam recording and playback, voice freeze protection (system’s already finished), voice recording and playback, PM and conference message encryption, Importing and Exporting ignore lists and multiple Messenger instance support (supporting multiple Messengers open at once).
If anybody has any questions feel free to ask and I’ll answer them. Some screen shots will be available of this application at my earliest convenience.
Here is a collection of numerous screen shots of the program in it’s beta form (26 shots split into 2 separate zips). Feedback is appreciated. The GUI and some of the option’s placement isn’t completely finalized yet in these screens.
Will do, kingofchaos. As it stands YTK Pro is currently along the lines of ~60,000 lines of code not counting header includes. It’s definitely been a long haul and a lot of work and time spent developing it. It’s going to be aggressively updated (since there’s myself and another developer involved with it) and will support anything new and exciting that Yahoo! Inc. decides to throw into their new Messenger versions as they’re released. Feature suggestions of course are always welcome too.
I’m glad you liked the screens. The road ahead is definitely going to be interesting in this uncrowded market for this type of application. 😉
LOL well I would hope you guys would update it in a timely fashion as new Yahoo versions came out because that guy over at Y!TunnelPro is sure slow to update his program. His version 2.5, which came out in June, is still in beta even after Yahoo 8 has gone gold. So just a suggestion, make sure each new version of Yahoo is compatible with it and all its features before trying to implement new features. But if you guys priced it in the right price range against Y!TunnelPro you guys could make a killing.
Enigma, that’s exactly our intention to update it for compatibility immediately with Yahoo!’s new versions. The WLM/MSN support we added and the plug-ins support for 8.0 (with the new support for the newer packet types) we finished within about 2 solid days. Tested and had it fully working with no issues (this also includes supporting all the new status messages, add buddy system, offline/online notifications, buddy list key/value pair delimiter changes etc). While it took some work we tackle new updates extremely fast. When something new hits we’re on it just as fast as it comes out. While our policy so far has been to not officially support beta builds we might be able to make exceptions based on demand.
As for Chet Simpson, we are in good relations (I’ve been a good friend of his for a few years now) so I can’t comment on whether he should be more timely with his releases or not. He is programming Y!TunnelPro in C++ while we’re using a language that’s known to be more productive. He’s also only one person while our team consists of two.
I have some ideas/suggestions for this….
1. Skinnable interface which will allow us to change how the settings look (like different colors, ect).
2. Plug-in/scripting interface for other programs (HyperIM compatibility, iTunes compatibility, ect).
3. Custom emoticons in IMs, Chats, ect.
4. Show Yahoo!, LCS and WLM friend’s status messages on-screen in IM windows (like all versions of Yahoo did before Yahoo 7.0).
5. Some type of editor built in that can arrange around Yahoo’s menu objects in memory without needing to edit res_msgr.dll.
6. Wingdings/Webdings “tattoos” in chat and IM windows.
7. Custom chat icons (like YahELite/Y!Tunnel) in chat rooms, and IMs.
That’s all I can think of for now. I’m full of ideas, and really interested in the progress of this program.
Question though, will the activity logger have the ability to be saved to a .log file or something? And one more thing, will some type of error system be implemented that will save all the error data and send it to a server if any type of errors occur?
kingofchaos6669;208219 wrote:4. Show Yahoo!, LCS and WLM friend’s status messages on-screen in IM windows (like all versions of Yahoo did before Yahoo 7.0).This is one of Yahoo!’s old features i miss the most! I liked when it appeared in the IM window.
And Torseq, sounds like a great application. I’ve never used anything other than the basic Yahoo! Messenger, but your YTK sounds like it’d be great to use.
Yes, the activity logger’s contents can be saved to a text file for later viewing. The ability is already there. About your error reporting question, if an error occurs it can be logged locally and submitted if the user chooses to do so or submitted to the server automatically. I don’t like the idea of it being done automatically so for the time being this can and will be done locally to a file.
Regarding your suggestions. The skinning can be made available as well as adding tattoos to chat room messages and PMs quite easily. Scripting support will also be possible down the road (when the details are sorted out). The chat icons could be added but there were polls in the past on various IM forums and believe it or not chat icons were voted against lots of other features as being the least desirable. This doesn’t mean they’ll never appear it just means that they weren’t at the top of the list for the first version’s release. Your other suggestion regarding the menu editor is doable but I’ll need to give it some more thought. A bit more detail regarding that and I’ll see what I can do. Granting that ability definitely would be easy to do without the need to modify/edit any library of Yahoo!’s (YTK doesn’t modify any of Yahoo! Messenger’s library dependencies or even use them).
Well, by editing the menus, I mean changing them around. Like moving “Chat” from Messenger to it’s own menu item (kinda like Y!Tunnel does).
Oh, and one more thing, is there going to be some type of hotkey system to open certain functions of the program (settings, deny-a-buddy, ect)?
Are any plugins for Yahoo 8 going to be made for this? Like a activity logger plugin?
Other suggestions I have are…
1. Selective ad blocking (Like blocking certain ads, but not others)
2. Autostarting Yahoo when opening YTK, like Y!Tunnel does.
3. Offline archive viewer
4. ASCII/Wingding art in IMs like Y!Emote has.
5. Built-in emote editor (for Yahoo’s chat emotes)
6. A built-in function that allows those without mics to play music in chatroom via the soundcard.
7. Ability to move the Chat Room Activity Logger to the top of the chat (or bottom like Y!Tunnel has it).
8. Have the ability for YTK to detect those who sign on that are not on your buddy list (to hide the ghost logins issue Yahoo has).Well, there’s some more suggestions for you, if you want them. =P
A hotkey system for accessing other parts of the program can be done. A hotkey can be customly created for clearing the chat room screen, the screen can be cleared from the menus we’ve added, cleared from the command-line and even cleared by right-clicking on the chat screen and selecting the option. Since a hotkey was originally added to make it more convenient to clear the screen adding them to access other parts of the program would make sense. Consider it done.
2. Autostarting Yahoo when opening YTK, like Y!Tunnel does.
It already does this, by design.
5. Built-in emote editor (for Yahoo’s chat emotes)
Could be easily added, good idea.
7. Ability to move the Chat Room Activity Logger to the top of the chat (or bottom like Y!Tunnel has it).
The mini activity (embedded) logger is placed in an area where it makes the most sense to put it. The standard activity logger however *has images* can be moved around, sized etc to your liking.
8. Have the ability for YTK to detect those who sign on that are not on your buddy list (to hide the ghost logins issue Yahoo has).
This has already been handled with the on-screen offline/online friend notifications and was already planned to be finished completely. Thanks for all your suggestions. Some of them would make nice additions.
As for creating plugins for Messenger 8.0 we could do this but I haven’t fully explored the Yahoo! Developer Network SDK yet. While I know what’s possible and what it can do the plugins are limited to only running in the buddy list window or in IM windows (to the best of my knowledge). While Yahoo!’s new SDK sounds promising it’s not something we’d really need to take advantage of since we can do much more without even needing to tap into it.
Kingofchaos, what type of editing would you need done for Yahoo!’s emotes? I could create an editor to interface with Yahoo!’s emote_user.dat file and allow you to add or delete the ones you want. Is that what you were suggesting? If not then give me some more insight and I’ll get it done and working by tonight.
Torseq Tech.;208228 wrote:Kingofchaos, what type of editing would you need done for Yahoo!’s emotes? I could create an editor to interface with Yahoo!’s emote_user.dat file and allow you to add or delete the ones you want. Is that what you were suggesting? If not then give me some more insight and I’ll get it done and working by tonight.Yes, that was exactly what I was suggesting, but with the ability to format them as well (font, color, size, ect).
If you need anymore suggestions, I’m full of them. 😉Another suggestion I could make would be to add a feature to fix a bug in Yahoo 7.5 and above. The Chat Word Filter always stays on, regardless of being set to None. You can fix this by deleting everything inside of filter1.enc, but, I’m wondering if there can be a way to correct this in memory as Yahoo runs?
Here’s one more feature suggestion, removal of the Yahoo search bar from the top of IM windows.
And I still have plenty more ideas, including a multiple user system (having different settings per Windows account/Yahoo account), voice chat recorder (oh wait, you already mentioned this on the first post, my mistake), ability to save/backup voice messages, ect.
The price structure is very interesting to me. Are you considering a one-time charge, or a recurring annual charge? And how similar will it be to that of, YTunnelPro?
Sounds like this will be fun. Thanks for sharing it on BBB!
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