Discussion: Chat logger for forums

Exactly what it says. Could be modified to use email or IM, and/or multiple scripts in a prim to store long, long chat logs.
Rez, touch to log, then touch again to listen back when all is quiet.
Or pick up and re-rez somewhere quieter.

From a recent test:
(unedited lines of output from longer log)

Alisa Honey: only if i get a copy if it works loll
Patch Lamington: loggin is on...
Alisa Honey: hello logger
Patch Lamington: I will be making it public domain....
Patch Lamington: to replace the web tool recently lost
Patch Lamington: though it will need more work to prevent out of memory errors
Alisa Honey: i could use one when i teach my classes its a pian copying and pasteing
Patch Lamington: sure... currently it has playback by ownersay, but that could be changed
Patch Lamington: everyone say YEAH!
Alisa Honey: yeah loll
Dallas Harrington: yeah

list names;
list speech;
list colours=["002EB8","FF6633","006600","660066","660033","663300","1A9900","FF14B1","001A99","#B88A00"];
list unique_names;

default
{
    state_entry()
    {
        llSetText("This is a chat logger - currently only for testing",<0,0,0>,1.0);
        integer i;
        integer c;
        for (i=0;i<llGetListLength(names);i++)
        {
            c = llListFindList(unique_names,llList2List(names,i,i));
            while (c >= llGetListLength(colours)) // dont crash if I run out of colours
                c -= llGetListLength(colours);
            llSetObjectName("" + llList2String(names,i) );
            llOwnerSay( llList2String(speech,i) + "" );
        }
        names = [];
        speech = [];
        unique_names = [];
        llSetObjectName("Patch's Funky Chat Logger");
    }

    on_rez(integer i)
    {
        llResetScript();
    }
    
    touch_start(integer total_number)
    {
        if (llDetectedKey(0) == llGetOwner() )
        {
            llSay(0, "logging on!.");
            state logging_chat;
        }
    }
}

state logging_chat
{
    state_entry()
    {
        llListen(0,"",NULL_KEY,"");
    }

    on_rez(integer i)
    {
        llOwnerSay("Logging still on! Touch to get playback");
    }
    
    touch_start(integer total_number)
    {
        if (llDetectedKey(0) == llGetOwner() )
        {
            llSay(0, "chat logging now off - replaying log!.");
            state default;
        }
    }
    
    listen(integer channel, string name, key id, string message)
    {
        if(llListFindList(unique_names,[name]) == -1)
        {
            unique_names += name;
        }
        names += name;
        speech += message;
    }

}

Isn't chat logging against CS?



I suppose you could technically use this for personal, non-public purposes, but still...

There are plenty of useful applications for chat loggers in general - minutes of meetings, lectures, griefing reports...

Chat logging is against the TOS without permission but not against them if you have permissions I believe.

As I've commented elsewhere I have a logger that does something similar. It ignores people who haven't given it permission (by touch, renewed each session) to record them and also makes it abundantly clear it is recording - name changes big hover text sign etc.

Under those conditions it's been used by NA for a while and works very well.

Permission for test was requested...
The test chat was logged at the New Citizens Inc. Plaza,
Both of the quoted individuals gave verbal consent. I obviously gave myself consent

I recently hosted a meeting at which a Linden was present - while I have not yet posted the chat log, I did ask if anyone objected to one being posted. As no one did, that was ok.

The normal forum rule about naming-names still applies, however. So if you post a chatlog where someone bitches about someone else, or makes comments that could be taken as negative, then you would be advised to edit the log.

As one person did not consent, I had to cut out most of demo text - I was planning to work on a version that would work along lines similar to Eloise's - but if that is fully featured, then there isnt much need for me to work on mine

ps It has always been possible for individuals to cut and paste from their chat history window - as my script requires manual start and stop, it can hardly be said to be 'remote'
pps It was posted to help develop a replacement for a colouring tool that used to be available on the web until recently.

Patch, dont explain yourself to the TOS thumping idiots.

Good work, keep it up

Well thanks Jokey.

Here I am trying to help him avoid getting ARed and I get called a TOS thumping idiot.

I'm no lawyer, and if you think you need the advice of one, consult one.

If we are going to get legal about this...
In an area where there is no expectation of privacy, ie a public meeting, then as long as they don't actively invade your privacy it's permissable. For example, taking pictures of someone's house during the day from the street, generaly permissable; taking pictures of their house at night with heat sencing, not permissable. Likewise with SL. It's not permissable to record a conversation in most states without all or most parties expressed permission; doing so falls under federal and state wiretapping laws. Recording video without audio doesn't fall under wiretapping laws (though recording the text chat in the video would fall under them most likely). Confused yet? Basicly this area of the law is subjective.

The reason for these rules is so LL doesn't EVER have to deal with this ugly ball of wax.

As long as you use your scripts responsably, you won't have any problems. If you have to ask your self if it could cause you problems, it probably could and you shouldn't.

I rarely keep my chat histories, unless they have some sentimental value or for whatever reason, for my personal use. But I thought it would be nice to have some idea of the passage of time while looking over the chat history. So I made this script, put it in a tiny sphere prim (0.050 x 0.050 x 0.050) named "ChatClock" and attached it to the top center of my HUD, made it blue with 50% transparency. Not obtrusive at all. Maybe you will find this idea useful enough to use in your chat logger script. It uses an llOwnerSay every 5 minutes, so I dont annoy anyone else. Plus its kind of a nice reminder of the passage of time..which often gets away from me in here.

 // ChatClock Date-Time Stamp Injector
  // Editor:  Cazzj Brearly
  // 2006-01-28
  
  
  // Create the Date-Time Stamp...Based on the following date-time script:
  // source: http://secondlife.com/badgeo/wakka.php?wakka=llGetWallclock
  
  string timestamp()  //returns Second Life Date/Time stamp in 24-hour mode
  {
      integer    t;
  
      integer    hours;
      integer    minutes;
      integer    seconds;
      
      string    hourstring;
      string    minutestring;
      string    secondstring;
  
      t = (integer)llGetWallclock(); // seconds since midnight
  
      // one hour has 3600 seconds
      hours = t / 3600; // get hours (integer division chops off the decimals)
      hourstring = (string) hours;
      if (llStringLength(hourstring) == 1)
      {
          hourstring = "0" + hourstring;
      }
  
      // the modulo operator % gets the remainder of a divison
      minutes = (t % 3600) / 60; // divide by 60 because we want minutes, chops off decimals again
      minutestring = (string) minutes;
      if (llStringLength(minutestring) == 1)
      {
          minutestring = "0" + minutestring;    
      }
      
      return (string) llGetDate () + "\t" + hourstring + ":" + minutestring + " SLT";
  }
  
  
  default
  {
      state_entry()
      {
          llSetTimerEvent(300); // Update timer every 5 minutes
      
      }
  
      timer()
      {
          llOwnerSay((string)timestamp()); //Say date_time_stamp that only the owner can see.                    
      }
  }

Thanks all for this useful discussion,

Cazzj,
timestamping would certainly be useful, and I'll look at adding that (Ive already broken my promise to only do FL work for the next week)

Strife,
Thanks for the legal framework, beyond TOS - useful to be aware of how this is not simply a TOS issue, but a US federal legal one. I'll certainly be very careful when testing the logger.

And Eloise, I didnt think Jokey's comment was aimed at you so much, but I may be wrong.
I wonder if it'd be possible to meet in world to chat about chat loggers? I'll drop you an IM sometime if that's OK? Its a great idea to only log chat from users who have checked a dialog to confirm agreement - and also a easy way of filtering chatter from both noisy objects and random passers-by.

Eloise, I have the utmost respect for you as a scripter, and called on you frequently in my learning days. Please dont take any offense to my comments, as they weren't directed at you. They were more geared towards people like Paolo who feel the need to drop in and quote the TOS, with nothing more constructive to add. This does nothing more than sidetrack the original posters creative discussion into more or less putting them on the defensive and having to explain the specific use of said script and how it wont violate the TOS.

My point is, any time someone creates a script that even remotely has the ability to land in the grey area of the TOS, regardless of their intentions and diligent efforts to remain within the TOS, suddenly people who could give a rats dick about scripts or scripting, FLOCK to the thread to start whining.

Sorry Jokey, serves me right for reading the forums and posting at after 1am my time!

As long as permission from all parties is granted, no one is going to have a problem with it, just make sure you let people know that you obtained permissions first - the people who mention things about this are just giving the heads-up that there is potential for disciplinary action. (at least most of the time)