Introduction

Welcome to DutchPIPE

With open source DutchPIPE software, web developers can make virtual multi-user environments. Each web page becomes an abstracted environment or location where visitors and other items on the page are visualized. This status is retained as visitors move around. A lot of real-time interaction is possible. The result: Persistent Interactive Page Environments. DutchPIPE uses AJAX and the DOM for the browser - it works without Java, Flash, plug-in or firewall adjustments. On the server, PHP 5 is used.

Warning

This is "beta" software. Beta-software has bugs and the usual disclaimers apply. This software is aimed at experienced developers.

Directory Layout

DutchPIPE has the following directory structure by default (directory locations can be changed):

• config/

• Configuration files

• dpuniverse/

• Your "universe", you can build a site inside this directory without worrying much of what goes on beyond it

• lib/

• The DutchPIPE server/engine and other DutchPIPE components

• locale/

• Language files for internationalization and localization support

• public/

• Web enabled and publicly reachable directory

• script/

• DutchPIPE server startup script

• template/

• Templates for building web pages

Troubleshooting/Getting Help/Giving Feedback

DutchPIPE has been tested on a number of platforms, but obviously not all of them. Feel welcome to share your experiences or particular pains and problems with the DutchPIPE installation.

See the Developer's Lounge, Mailing Lists and The Author sections below for information and contact details. If you solved a particular installation problem, please also let us know, so the software and/or documentation can be updated.

Homepage

For the latest releases, news, et cetera, see the DutchPIPE website at:

http://dutchpipe.org/

Developer's Lounge

If you're experiencing problems, want to share ideas or just want to lay back and sip on hot coffee, visit the developers lounge at:

http://dutchpipe.org/dpclient.php?location=/page/lounge.php

Mailing Lists

There are a number of DutchPIPE mailing lists, for instance to talk about DutchPIPE or to discuss installation problems. For an overview and to (un)subscribe, browse to:

http://dutchpipe.org/mailman/

If you're a serious developer, dutchpipe-talk is the best way to discuss issues.

The Author

DutchPIPE was made by Lennert Stock. Feel free to send comments and bug reports to the author at:

ls@dutchpipe.org

Roadmap

A few of the things on the wish list:

Drag drop to take, drop and give items.

Improve free movement system, which is currently in test phase.

Debugging and making DutchPIPE more secure.

Animated objects.

Debugging and enhancements on running DutchPIPE on .html pages. Making it possible to run DutchPIPE on pages on another server. For this we need a proxy script to forward AJAX requests as AJAX cannot be used across domains for security reasons.

Make options to let visitors make their own objects and "area".

Distributed DutchPIPE: Make it possible for DutchPIPE sites to see, communicate and switch to other DutchPIPE sites, making it one big, sprawling universe.

Better dpuniverse/std library. The library provided for the universe is very basic now, and lots of functionality will be added.

More showcases.

For all open tickets see:

http://dutchpipe.org/trac/report/3

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute in any way, be it code, bugs or documentation, please mail ls@dutchpipe.org. The DutchPIPE "noosphere" is huge and for the taking. This will be a free project in any sense, if you shine at some particular skill or knowledge, you'll be able to pretty much give it shape any way you please.