MyChat 6.8 — voice and video calls on Android

  1. Voice and video calls on Android
  2. Install MyChat Client directly from your server
  3. New tool for system protocols
  4. Integration with GeoIP: determine user’s city and country
  5. Integration with Telegram (improvements)
  6. Linux + macOS: program configuration
  7. Scripts, what’s new?
  8. Blocking by HardwareID
  9. Limit the number of registrations from IP/MAC/HardwareID addresses
  10. No conflicts with Windows Firewall
  11. Various improvements
  12. Full list of changes + development history

1. Voice and video calls on Android


Incoming call in MyChat for Android Video call in MyChat for Android

Now you can make calls on Android between Windows, Linux, macOS, and in a browser.

We also made convenient file downloader for various files in conference and private conversations:

File downloader for MyChat on Android


2. Install MyChat directly from your server


Right after the launch of MyChat server all your users see the following WEB page:

MyChat Services

Share a link to this page with your co-workers for quick installation of MyChat client applications from your server.

You don't have to type the server address, register a user, and answer to the installer questions. All can be done in three steps.


3. New tool for system protocols


Every Admin knows that he can find any information about the issue in logs. MyChat Server stores logs with errors, various notifications, and warnings. We also added log levels:

Log levels on MyChat Server

At the bottom are the serious ones, everything is recorded, so logs becomes bigger. At midnight the server transfers the logs on the default level (in case if an administrator forgot to do that).

Previously, we used text files, but in v.6.8 we changed to the database. This improvement gives higher speed for data selection, you can make filters, receive help about errors (error links are located in log texts):

History of protocols on MyChat Server

Database file with system protocols does not "grow" uncontrollably — old entries are cleaned automatically. Database stores from 500 thousands up to 1 million of recent entries. In regular mode, if the VERBOSE logging is disabled, this can be enough for months.


4. Integration with GeoIP: determine user’s city and country


MyChat is used for support chats on internet market websites. People ask questions in a browser, directly on a website:

MyChat WEB support window

Now a support operator can determine website visitor’s country and city in his MyChat Client:

Information about a website visitor in MyChat Client

To make this feature work, you have to download the database with IP addresses and connect it to your server.


5. Integration with Telegram (improvements)


We made possible to register and activate Telegram users to MyChat automatically.

It works as follows: as soon as a Telegram user subscribes to messages from the bot, MyChat Server immediately registers an account in MyChat and links it with the Telegram account.

Auto-registration and auto-activation of Telegram user on MyChat Server

A person nickname, name and surname will be automatically written in MyChat user profile if this information is specified in the Telegram account.

Additionally, in the Admin interface, the name of your Telegram-bot is displayed, so you do not have to remember it when you need to subscribe new users.


6. Linux + macOS: program configuration


Main settings of MyChat Client are available in macOS and Linux:

Linux and macOS main settings

Use templates of server settings for MyChat users in macOS and Linux. All work the same way as for MyChat Client on Windows, though the interface a bit different.


7. Scripts, what’s new?


In each new MyChat version we add new functions of the built-in engine for writing extension programs.

In v.6.8 these are GeoIPGetFullInfoAsJSON and GeoIPGetQuickInfo functions to work with user geographical locations by their IP addresses. "Fetch" function — to work with strings and "mSetUserRoleID" to assign rights group.

Use mAddUserToCommonContacts to add a user to the tree-like common contact list.

mGetUsersListByEmailAndState and mGetUsersListByEmailAndState functions are used to get lists of users by nicknames/emails and network statuses.


8. Blocking by HardwareID


HardwareID — is a special string, unique for computer, on which MyChat Client is running.

This string depends on the type of microprocessor and hard drive model. You can check information about user HardwareID in the "User list" section of Admin Control Panel.

Now you can block user computers or smartphones by this unique parameter in the tool "Filters", "HardwareID filters":

Blocking by hardwareID on MyChat Server


9. Limit the number of registrations from IP/MAC/HardwareID addresses


To avoid possible attacks or fake registrations we made this feature is for public servers that are opened in the Internet.

By default the protection is enabled, the maximum number of identical IP — 100, for MAC/HardwareID — 10 pcs.

Registration limitation on MyChat Server


10. No conflicts with Windows Firewall


MyChat Server — is quite difficult network application. We are trying to make it as friendly to admins as it possible. We understand that you have enough tasks and work apart from corporate messenger.

In the new version the server adds itself to the Windows Firewall exception list automatically:

MyChat Server in the Windows Firewall exception list

Modern antivirus software, that filters traffic, usually pays attention to Windows Firewall and its settings, so administrators won’t have additional problems when configuring MyChat Server.


11. Various improvements


We added the context menu to the announcement board for copying and pasting, and made more space for text:

Context menu in MyChat announcement board

Use "Ctrl+Enter" for quick message publication.

When you receive files in the chat, MyChat Client will remember the last folder, where they were saved. By default files are saved to the "C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Documents\MyChat\" folder that has the sender’s name. However, you can change the folder for a specific user, and the program will remember it:

Context menu in MyChat announcement board

If you need to save files from all users to the default place (ignoring personal folders that have ever been selected), then just uncheck this box.

In the server settings, you can set a folder for user files and work protocols. We made a separate section for folder settings to avoid searching them in the whole interface:

MyChat Server settings to choose folders for user files and work protocols


12. Full list of changes + development history


MyChat 6.8 development history with comments

MyChat Client

[+] (Android) voice and video calls on Android;
[+] (Android) new file downloader for conference and private conversations;
[+] (Linux and macOS) added the settings section, where you can find main chat properties and behavior;

[*] improved logic of the "Remember the selected folder for every user" setting to receive files in the chat;
[*] improved local IP address determination for the direct file transfer system, bypassing the server;
[*] if the folder with the call plug-in is deleted, MyChat Client automatically restores it;
[*] if the interface language settings are corrupted, the program will automatically switch the language to English and will start anyway;
[*] if MyChat Client receives the file directly on top of the same file that is already opened in another application, an error message appears, and the file receiving is interrupted;
[*] (Bulletin board) added context menus to copy and paste the text; enlarged text input window, "Ctrl+Enter" for quick message publication;
[*] maxmind.com service to determine user geographical position in the profile window view;

[-] error in the determination of local MAC addresses, 8-octet addresses are added to the list. Fixed;
[-] incorrect displaying of user IP address in the incoming message from WEB chat in a browser. Fixed;
[-] error when processing parameters HOME_COUNTRY and WORK_COUNTRY in the settings of client information displaying in private window. Fixed;
[-] registration of a new user in the first launch wizard does not work. Fixed;
[-] error when registering a new user from the MyChat Client interface. The process "hangs" and users are created on the server endlessly. Fixed;

MyChat Server

[+] (Admin) settings tool for choosing location folder to save server files;
[+] (Admin) rule to access the tool for blocking HardwareID users;
[+] (Installer) command line key /IgnoreRunServer to ignore the running server when launching the server installer;
[+] (Installer) command line key /KillServer to kill process of the running server before the update beginning immediately after the installer launching;
[+] (Admin) new logging tool;
[+] new system for initial server installation and client application deployment;
[+] (MSL) mGetUsersListByEmailAndState and mGetUsersListByNickAndState functions to get a list of users by their nickname/email and network statuses;
[+] (MSL) mAddUserToCommonContacts function to add a user to the tree-like common contact list;
[+] (MSL) mSetUserRoleID function to set rights group for a user;
[+] (Integrations) integration with GeoIP service using a local database;
[+] (MSL) added GeoIPGetFullInfoAsJSON and GeoIPGetQuickInfo functions;
[+] (Admin) automatic registration and activation of Telegram users in MyChat;
[+] (Admin) new tool to block users by HardwareID;
[+] (Admin) settings to limit user registration number from the same IP address or HardwareID;
[+] (Admin) permission management. "Rights Groups", "Profile", the rule "View remote user profiles";

[*] (MSL) added the mGetServerServiceFolder function;
[*] (Core) Improved interaction with Windows Firewall. The server adds itself to the exception list automatically (Core / WEB and TURN);
[*] (MSL) GetNextSt function replaced by Fetch function. Old version left for compatibility;
[*] the dot is used as a fractional separator instead of the value of the current system locale (comma, etc.) to make the script work on different operating systems;

[-] (Admin) "Settings", "Backups", "Full delete all data" functions do not work. Fixed; [-] (Admin) error "unable to open database file" occurs sometimes, when launching the server. Fixed;
[-] error "Cannot open file "C:\Program Files (x86)\MyChat Server\languages\russian.ini"". The system can't find the specified path. Fixed;
[-] (MSL) JSONGetDateTime function returns incorrect data. Fixed;
[-] (Core) fixed domain user login from MyChat Client without transparent authorization (domain/login) if MyChat Server connects to Windows Server via LDAP using encryption;
[-] (Admin) "Tools" -> "Announcements board" -> "Actual", the "Clear" button leads to the server crash. Fixed;
[-] (Admin) problems when importing users from the domain with big size photos. Fixed;
[-] (Admin) in the "Auto-created conferences" user groups do not display. Fixed;
[-] (MSL) if there is a wrong data in the StrToFloat function then the script ends its works with an entry in the log "function ... has an invalid list of parameters". Fixed;
[-] (Admin) when editing or creating a message for the Bulletin board, the text turns from a multiline string into the one string. Fixed.

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