Delphi 7: Handling events in console application (TidIRC) - delphi

Question

I'm trying to make a console application based on Indy's IRC Component (TIdIRC) but I'm having trouble with events. Here's my code:
program Project1;
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}
uses
SysUtils,
Classes,
Math,
IdBaseComponent,
IdComponent,
IdTCPConnection,
IdTCPClient,
IdIRC;
type
TEvents = class
public
procedure Raw(Sender: TObject; AUser: TIdIRCUser; ACommand, AContent: String; var Suppress: Boolean);
end;
const
IrcServ = 'gr.irc.gr';
IrcPort = 6667;
IrcChan = '#lalala';
var
Irc: TidIRC;
Event: TEvents;
uName, rName: string;
function Log(s: string): string;
var now: TDateTime;
begin
now := Time;
result := FormatDateTime('[hh:nn:ss] ', now) + s;
end;
procedure TEvents.Raw(Sender: TObject; AUser: TIdIRCUser; ACommand, AContent: String; var Suppress: Boolean);
begin
Log(AUser.Nick+' '+ACommand+' '+AContent);
end;
begin
Event := TEvents.Create;
Irc := TidIRC.Create(nil);
Irc.OnRaw := Event.Raw;
Randomize;
Write('Nickname: ');
ReadLn(uName);
rName := 'IDM' + IntToStr(RandomRange(1000, 9999)) + uName;
with Irc do begin
AltNick := 'IDM' + IntToStr(RandomRange(1000, 9999)) + uName;
Nick := rName;
Username := rName;
RealName := 'I.D.M.';
Host := IrcHost;
Port := IrcPort;
//MaxLineAction := maException; <-- [ERROR] Undeclared identifier: 'maException'
ReadTimeout := 0;
UserMode := [];
Connect();
Join(IrcChan);
end;
ReadLn;
end.
I've tried so far everything i could think of, but, although the app is connected successfully, it won't return any raw message... What am i missing?

Answer 1

TdIRC uses an internal worker thread to receive data. The OnRaw event is triggered when that thread is parsing data. The thread uses TThread.Synchronize() to do that parsing. Since your main thread does not have an active VCL message loop, you can pump the Synchronize() queue manually. After you connect, call the CheckSynchronize() function from the Classes unit in a loop while you are connected to IRC, eg:
begin
...
Connect;
try
Join(IrcChan);
do
CheckSynchronize;
Sleep(10);
until SomeCondition;
finally
Disconnect;
end;
...
end.
For good measure, you can assign a handler to the WakeMainThread event in the Classes unit to help control when CheckSynchronize() should be called, so the main thread can go to sleep while the IRC connection is idle, eg:
program Project1;
{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}
uses
SysUtils,
Classes,
Math,
IdBaseComponent,
IdComponent,
IdTCPConnection,
IdTCPClient,
IdIRC;
type
TEvents = class
private
FSyncEvent: TEvent;
public
constructor Create;
destructor Destroy; override;
procedure Raw(Sender: TObject; AUser: TIdIRCUser; ACommand, AContent: String; var Suppress: Boolean);
procedure Wake(Sender: TObject);
procedure CheckSync;
end;
function Log(s: string): string;
begin
result := FormatDateTime('[hh:nn:ss] ', Time) + s;
end;
constructor TEvents.Create;
begin
inherited;
FSyncEvent := TEvent.Create(nil, False, False, '');
end;
destructor TEvents.Destroy;
begin
FSyncEvent.Free;
inherited;
end;
procedure TEvents.Raw(Sender: TObject; AUser: TIdIRCUser; ACommand, AContent: String; var Suppress: Boolean);
begin
Log(AUser.Nick+' '+ACommand+' '+AContent);
end;
procedure TEvents.Wake(Sender: TObject);
begin
FSyncEvent.SetEvent;
end;
procedure TEvents.CheckSync;
begin
FSyncEvent.WaitFor(Infinite);
CheckSynchronize;
end;
const
IrcServ = 'gr.irc.gr';
IrcPort = 6667;
IrcChan = '#lalala';
var
Irc: TidIRC;
Event: TEvents;
uName, rName: string;
begin
Event := TEvents.Create;
try
WakeMainThread := Event.Wake;
Irc := TIdIRC.Create(nil);
try
Irc.OnRaw := Event.Raw;
Randomize;
Write('Nickname: ');
ReadLn(uName);
rName := 'IDM' + IntToStr(RandomRange(1000, 9999)) + uName;
with Irc do begin
AltNick := 'IDM' + IntToStr(RandomRange(1000, 9999)) + uName;
Nick := rName;
Username := rName;
RealName := 'I.D.M.';
Host := IrcHost;
Port := IrcPort;
//MaxLineAction := maException; <-- [ERROR] Undeclared identifier: 'maException'
ReadTimeout := 0;
UserMode := [];
Connect;
try
Join(IrcChan);
do
Event.CheckSync;
until SomeCondition;
finally
Disconnect;
end;
end;
finally
Irc.Free;
end;
finally
Event.Free;
end;
end.