Local Chat 1.4 Released

This release adds scripting utilities to the lchat client. This includes sending messages to the local chat room and the creation of chat bots.

The message, -m, option

This allow scripts and programs to send messages to the local chat room. For example: lchat -m "That's it, I'm all done"

The chat bot, -b, option

The -b option expects a command which lchat will redirect the standard input and output for to the local chat room. A simple fortune bot, fortune-bot.sh, might look something like:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

function debug() {
    echo "$@" >&2
}

read -s LINE
RRES=$?

while [ $RRES == 0 ]; do

    debug "Got line \"${LINE}\""

    case "${LINE}" inx
        *\:\ !fortune)
            debug "Sending fortune"
            fortune -s
            ;;
        *\ has\ joined\ the\ chat.)
            WHO=$(echo "$LINE" | cut -f1 -d' ')
            echo "${WHO}: Type !fortune if you want hear a furtune"
            ;;
    esac

    read -s LINE
    RRES=$?

done

lchat -b fortune-bot.sh