MRC enhancements: Nicklist toggle, timestamps, and improved default alias

The nicklist is now hidden by default when starting up the MRC client. This is done by simply setting maxlen to 0. Chatters may show/hide the nicklist by issuing /toggle_nicks.

Timestamps added to messages.

Default new alias now includes a prefix and suffix character. Not having a prefix by default causes the /nick_prefix command to strip off the first letter of the user's alias.

xtrn/mrc/mrc-client.js

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ load(js.startup_dir + 'mrc-session.js');
 
 var input_state = 'chat';
 
+var show_nicks = false;
+
 var f = new File(js.startup_dir + 'mrc-client.ini');
 f.open('r');
 const settings = {
@@ -73,9 +75,9 @@ function pipe_to_ctrl_a(str) {
 }
 
 function resize_nicklist(frames, nicks) {
-    const maxlen = Math.max(1, nicks.reduce(function (a, c) {
+    const maxlen = show_nicks ? Math.max(1, nicks.reduce(function (a, c) {
         return c.length > a ? c.length : a;
-    }, 0));
+    }, 0)) : 0;
     frames.nicklist.moveTo(frames.top.x + frames.top.width - 1 - maxlen - 1, 2);
     frames.nicklist_divider.moveTo(frames.nicklist.x, 2);
     frames.nicks.moveTo(frames.nicklist.x + 1, 2);
@@ -86,10 +88,12 @@ function resize_nicklist(frames, nicks) {
 
 function redraw_nicklist(frames, nicks, colours) {
     frames.nicks.clear();
-    nicks.forEach(function (e, i) {
-        frames.nicks.gotoxy(1, i + 1);
-        frames.nicks.putmsg(colours[e] + e + '\1n\1w');
-    });
+    if (show_nicks) {
+        nicks.forEach(function (e, i) {
+            frames.nicks.gotoxy(1, i + 1);
+            frames.nicks.putmsg(colours[e] + e + '\1n\1w');
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 function init_display() {
@@ -124,7 +128,7 @@ function append_message(frames, msg) {
         }
         frames.output.gotoxy(1, frames.output.height);
     }
-    frames.output.putmsg(msg + '\r\n');
+    frames.output.putmsg("\1k\1h" + (new Date()).toLocaleTimeString() + "\1k\1h " + msg + '\r\n');
     frames.output.scroll(0, -1);
     if (input_state == 'scroll') frames.output.scrollTo(0, top);
 }
@@ -151,11 +155,13 @@ function set_alias(alias) {
 }
 
 function new_alias() {
-    const alias = format(
+    const prefix = format("|03%s", "<");
+    const suffix = format("|03%s", ">");
+    const alias = prefix + format(
         '|%02d%s',
         PIPE_COLOURS[Math.floor(Math.random() * PIPE_COLOURS.length)],
         user.alias.replace(/\s/g, '_')
-    );
+    ) + suffix;
     set_alias(alias);
     settings.aliases[user.alias] = alias;
 }
@@ -211,6 +217,7 @@ function main() {
             + ', eg. /nick_color 11'
         );
         display_server_message(frames, '\1h\1w/\1h\1cnick_suffix \1h\1w- \1n\1wSet an eight-character suffix for your handle, eg. /nick_suffix <poop>');
+        display_server_message(frames, '\1h\1w/\1h\1ctoggle_nicks \1h\1w- \1n\1wShow/hide the nicklist');
         display_server_message(frames, '\1h\1w/\1h\1cquit \1n\1w- \1h\1wExit the program');
     });
     session.on('message', function (msg) {
@@ -306,6 +313,11 @@ function main() {
                                 session.alias = settings.aliases[user.alias];
                             }
                             break;
+                        case 'toggle_nicks':
+                            show_nicks = !show_nicks;
+                            resize_nicklist(frames, session.nicks);
+                            redraw_nicklist(frames, session.nicks, nick_colours);
+                            break;
                         default:
                             if (typeof session[cmd[0]] == 'function') {
                                 session[cmd[0]](cmd.slice(1).join(' '));