Distributed Shared WhiteBoard

Overview

This project aims to create a distributed shared whiteboard that enables multiple users to collaborate in real-time. Users can draw on a shared canvas, supporting features like freehand drawing, shapes, text input, and color selection. The system is implemented in Java, and choose technologies like TCP/IP Sockets for building this distributed application.

Main Challenges

• Concurrency Handling: Addressing simultaneous actions to maintain a reasonable state.
• System Structuring: Options include multiple servers communicating or a central server managing the system state.
• Networked Communication: Deciding when and what messages are sent across the network, and designing an exchange protocol.
• GUI Implementation: Utilizing tools like Java Swing drawing package for functionality resembling MS Paint.

Key Features

1. Multiuser Whiteboard:
   • Support multiple users drawing on a shared canvas.
   • Single shared whiteboard for all clients.
2. Key Elements with GUI:
   • Support drawing shapes (line, circle, oval, rectangle).
   • Text input allowing users to type anywhere on the whiteboard.
   • Choose from at least 16 colors for drawing.
3. Chat Window:
   • Text-based communication among users.
4. File Menu:
   • New, open, save, saveAs, and close functionalities managed by the manager.
5. Manager Controls:
   • Allow the manager to kick out a specific user.
   • Allow the manager to approve a user to join.

Running Commonds

1. Create Whiteboard:

   java CreateWhiteBoard <serverIPAddress> <serverPort>

2. Join Whiteboard:

   java JoinWhiteBoard <serverIPAddress> <serverPort>