a second try

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

I asked a question the other day about using javascript to do TCP, but nobody responded. What I want to do is simple enough: I just want to use javascript to send a request to the server at dict.org. Is that possible?

Thanks,

JAS

kaht · Dec 21, 2007

With ajax, yes.

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

Bandenjamin · Dec 21, 2007

This might help you find better answers

--Dan
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
Mark Twain

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

OK, but I thought ajax did not permit cross-domain stuff. Do you know of an example of this sort of thing that I could start from?

Thanks.

JAS

kaht · Dec 21, 2007

Do you know of an example of this sort of thing that I could start from?

Yes.

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

OK, I'll play. Where can I find this example.

kaht · Dec 21, 2007

http://www.google.com

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

Last try: I have googled all sorts of possibilities

ajax tcp

javascript tcp

javascript socket

etc.

and I found no example of anything like what I was looking for.

Plainly, I have annoyed you with my simple question, and I apologize for that, but I do need some real help.

Thanks,

JAS

kaht · Dec 21, 2007

You have googled all sorts of possibilities, but have you tried any of them to see if they work? Did you try modifying some of the code to see if you could get it to do what you want? You said that ajax won't work across domains but you weren't sure - did you try to see if it's a possibility?

This isn't a helpdesk to answer all your questions. You'll retain an answer to any of the questions you've posted above if you try it yourself first and see the results.

If you make an effort to solve this yourself and get stuck on the code, come back and paste it in this thread. Someone will examine your code and give you a suggestion based on the work you've done. That is what this forum is for, not to spoon feed you an answer to any question you might have. That is what google is for.

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

kaht · Dec 21, 2007

If you make an effort to solve this yourself and get stuck on the code, come back and paste it in this thread.

You know... I think I have posted this comment probably no less than 50 times in this forum, and off the top of my head I can't remember one instance where someone actually did it. That means 100% of the time they just assume their not going to get someone to do the work for them and they just give up.

Please jaschulz, make a liar out of me.

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

OK

According to RGC 2229, dict.org listens for TCP requests on port 2628 and should respond to the request "SHOW STRAT" by listing the available search strategies. So, I have tried:

var http_request = false;

function getContent() {
http_request = false;
if (window.XMLHttpRequest) { // Mozilla, Safari,...
http_request = new XMLHttpRequest();
if (http_request.overrideMimeType) { http_request.overrideMimeType('text/xml'); }
} else if (window.ActiveXObject) { // IE
try { http_request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP"); }
catch (e) { try { http_request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); }
catch (e) {} }
}
if (!http_request) {
alert('ERROR: Cannot create an XMLHTTP instance');
return false;
}
http_request.onreadystatechange = showContent;
http_request.open('GET', '

http://www.dict.org:2628

SHOW STRAT');
http_request.send(null);
}

function showContent() {
if (http_request.readyState == 4) {
if (http_request.status == 200 || http_request.status == 0) {
alert(http_request.responseText);
}
} else {
alert('Error: Code(' + http_request.status + ')');
}
}

But all that gets me is the following error:

uncaught exception: [Exception... "Component returned failure code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE) [nsIXMLHttpRequest.open]" nsresult: "0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE)" location: "JS frame :: file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/James%20A.%20Schulz/My%20Documents/CODE/WorkBench/test%20dict/testajax.js :: getContent :: line 18" data: no]

kaht · Dec 21, 2007

If you paste "

http://www.dict.org:2628

SHOW STRAT" into your browser, what happens?

Initiating an ajax request is no different than typing the request string into your browser. If your browser won't return the data you're expecting, then you can't expect ajax to.

typing "

http://www.dict.org:2628

SHOW STRAT" into my browser (firefox) redirected me to a google search page.

typing "

http://www.dict.org:2628"

just timed out

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

But then we're back to my first question: how do I make a TCP request with javascript.

A couple years ago, I wrote a dict client (in Delphi/Pascal) and it worked (and works) fine. I want to remake that application as a FireFox AddOn, but I am not making much progress so far.

You said at the beginning that I could do TCP via Ajax, but now you seem to be saying the opposite. I'm confused.

JAS

Sheco · Dec 21, 2007

This frustration might be a terminology issue.

When you write that you want to make a "request" do you mean an HTTP Request?

Or do you just want to send some raw text packets to some port on some remote box and capture the reply as plain text?

Because the words REQUEST and RESPONSE have special meaning to web developers that is quite different than the plain English meaning.

jaschulz · Dec 21, 2007

I want to send raw text packets and capture the reply as plain text.

JAS

theEclipse · Dec 22, 2007

As far as I am aware you cant do TCP packet handling with javascript. The main reason being that it was designed to be an addon to html. I think you will have to go to a lower-level language in order to pull this off.

Now coding for a FF addon might be completely different. Its javascript....but its not. I haven't done much at all with addons so I cant even point you in the right direction.

For the record (to clear up any possible misunderstanding, and not assuming ignorance) Ajax is not an extension of javascript it is an application of it and a few other technologies. If javascript cannot do it ajax cannot do it.

Robert Carpenter
Remember....eternity is much longer than this ~80 years we will spend roaming this earth.
ô¿ô

http://www.robertcarpenter.net

theEclipse · Dec 22, 2007

kaht - While I realize an agree that good questions produce good answers and that people sometimes need to write better posts I don't think making somebody jump through hoops is at all necessary. Especially in a case like this where the apparent problem is sort-of in the "I don't even know where to start on this one" class.

Robert Carpenter
Remember....eternity is much longer than this ~80 years we will spend roaming this earth.
ô¿ô

http://www.robertcarpenter.net

jaschulz · Dec 22, 2007

For what it's worth, I found some stuff on yahoo(jslib.js, socket.js) that looks as if it might be what I need. If it works, I will report back.

Thanks to all.

JAS

kaht · Dec 26, 2007

kaht - While I realize an agree that good questions produce good answers and that people sometimes need to write better posts I don't think making somebody jump through hoops is at all necessary. Especially in a case like this where the apparent problem is sort-of in the "I don't even know where to start on this one" class.

Thank you for your opinion Robert - but in this case we will just have to agree to disagree.

-kaht

Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way. - Homer Simpson

[small] <.[/small]

glenmac · Dec 27, 2007

kaht - While I realize an agree that good questions produce good answers and that people sometimes need to write better posts I don't think making somebody jump through hoops is at all necessary. Especially in a case like this where the apparent problem is sort-of in the "I don't even know where to start on this one" class.

Here Here!

Glen

http://lantzvillecomputers.com

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