💬 MediaChat: A Comprehensive Chat, Voice, Video, and File Transfer Application

MediaChat is a full-featured communication application built using Java Swing for the graphical user interface and Network Sockets for communication. The project aims to provide a comprehensive communication platform that supports text messages, voice calls, video calls, and the ability to send and receive files.

🌟 Key Features

• Text Chat:
  • Send and receive real-time text messages.
  • Organized and attractive user interface for displaying messages.
• Voice Call:
  • Bi-directional voice communication between client and server.
  • Captures audio from the microphone and sends it, and plays received audio through speakers.
  • Visual indicators for microphone activity and received voice activity.
• Video Call:
  • Live video streaming from the client's webcam to the server.
  • Displays local video feed (from the client's camera) within the UI.
  • Visual indicators for camera status.
• File Transfer:
  • Ability to send files from the client to the server.
  • Progress bar and status indicator to show file transfer progress.
• Modern User Interface:
  • Utilizes the FlatLaf library for a modern and appealing look and feel.
  • Employs MigLayout for flexible and easy-to-use component layout.
• Resource Management:
  • Efficient handling of network, audio, and video resources to ensure proper closure and prevent resource leaks.

🛠️ Technologies Used

• Java SE: The primary language for application development.
• Java Swing: For building the graphical user interfaces for both client and server.
• Java Sockets: For network communication between the client and server.
• Sarxos Webcam Library: For capturing video from the webcam (must be added as a dependency).
• FlatLaf: For a modern look and feel for the UI (must be added as a dependency).
• MigLayout: For laying out UI components (must be added as a dependency).

🚀 How to Run

Prerequisites

• Java Development Kit (JDK) 8 or later.
• An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Apache NetBeans.
• A working webcam (for video calls).

Project Setup

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/isaacmahyoub/media-chat.git
   cd MediaChat

   If you don't have a Git repository, you can manually download the project files.

2. Open Project in IDE:

   • Open the MediaChat project in your chosen IDE (NetBeans).

3. Add Libraries (Dependencies): The following JAR files must be added to your project's build path (or Libraries):

   • webcam-capture-x.x.x.jar (from the Sarxos Webcam library)
   • flatlaf-x.x.x.jar (from the FlatLaf library)
   • miglayout-swing-x.x.jar (from the MigLayout library)
   • slf4j-api-x.x.x.jar (often required by Sarxos Webcam)
   • slf4j-simple-x.x.x.jar (for simple console logging, optional but recommended)

   You can usually find these JARs on the libraries' official websites or via Maven Central if you are using Maven/Gradle.

Steps to Run

1. Build the Project: In your IDE, perform a "Clean and Build Project" to ensure all changes and libraries are properly compiled.

2. Run the Server:

   • Navigate to the com.mmmi.mediachat.server.ChatServer file.
   • Right-click on the file and select "Run File" (or its equivalent in your IDE).
   • Confirm that the server starts and listens on the required ports (you will see messages in the console).

3. Run the Client:

   • Navigate to the com.mmmi.mediachat.client.LoginClient file.
   • Right-click on the file and select "Run File".
   • Enter your desired username in the login window and click "Connect to Chat".

4. Start Calls/Chat:

   • Chat: Type messages in the text field and press Enter or the "Send" button.
   • Voice Call:
     • On the server interface, click "Start Voice Call".
     • On the client interface, click "Start Voice Call".
   • Video Call:
     • (After server is running) On the client interface, click "Start Video Call".
   • File Transfer:
     • (After chat connection is established) On the client interface, click "Send File" and select a file.

📸 Screenshots

Login Interface

Chat Server Interface

Chat Client Interface

⚠️ Known Issues and Future Enhancements

• Multi-Client Support: The current design for voice and video services tends to support only one client at a time. Extending this to group calls would require more complex broadcasting logic.
• Error Handling: While error handling has been improved, more robust and user-friendly error messages can always be added.
• Audio/Video Compression: For real-world applications, audio and video compression (codecs) should be used to reduce bandwidth consumption.
• Server-side Video Display: Currently, the server does not display the received video feed from the client. A JLabel could be added to the server's UI for video display.
• Secure Communication: Encryption is not currently implemented. For sensitive applications, security layers (like SSL/TLS) should be added.
• Camera/Microphone Detection: Detection of audio and video devices could be improved to identify default devices or allow user selection.
• Disconnection Handling: Improve how sudden disconnections from either the client or server side are handled.

👥 Contributors

• Isaac Mahyoub Abdullah Abdulkhaliq
• Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Abdullah
• Moayad Abdulghani Abdullah Abdulkhaliq
• Muneef Mustafa Abdullah Ibrahim

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions or improvements, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.