6. IO Apps
IO Apps are embedded apps that run inside channels. This chapter explains which apps are currently built in, how to join an app in an IO App channel and interact with other members, and how leaving and abnormal states are handled. Uploading, resetting, and deleting IO Apps are admin tasks, so this chapter doesn’t cover them.
6.1 What Is an IO App
Section titled “6.1 What Is an IO App”An IO App is an embedded app that runs inside a channel. HakoSpace currently has two built in:
- Whiteboard: a drawing board for several people to work on together.
- Snake: a classic game.
Besides the built-in apps, members who hold the Manage content permission (the owner and admins always included) can also upload third-party (community) apps to their own server. Once an app is enabled, regular members can use it in the corresponding channel.
6.2 Entering an IO App Channel
Section titled “6.2 Entering an IO App Channel”An IO App must run in a dedicated IO App channel; you can’t open an IO App in a regular text or voice channel. When a member who holds the Manage channels permission (the owner and admins always included) creates the channel, they choose Multi-Function → IO App and specify the app to run. From then on, the whole channel is tied to that app.
In the sidebar, IO App channels are marked with a box icon, so you can tell them apart at a glance from # text channels, ♪ voice channels, and ☰ forum channels.
Click the channel to load and join its app automatically. The toolbar at the top of the channel shows:
- The number of currently active players (for example, 3 players).
- The app’s name.
- A Leave button (red).
6.3 Interacting with Other Members in an IO App
Section titled “6.3 Interacting with Other Members in an IO App”All members who are in this IO App channel at the same time automatically join the same shared app space, with no extra matchmaking or joining steps.
The specifics of how you interact (how to draw, how to control the snake, which keys or tools there are) are up to each app; HakoSpace provides only the environment for loading the app and connecting players to each other. Each app’s content and rules come from the app’s maker.
Whiteboard channel capacity: Members who hold the Manage channels permission (the owner and admins always included) can set a Storage Quota (MB) for a whiteboard channel; the default is 5 MB. Once the content saved on the whiteboard reaches this limit, nothing more can be saved — if you can’t add anything new to the whiteboard, ask an admin to check what this channel’s limit is set to.
6.4 Leaving and Abnormal App States
Section titled “6.4 Leaving and Abnormal App States”Click Leave at the top to leave the app. The channel’s tab closes as well.
If an admin deletes the app from the server while you’re using it, the screen switches to the message “This app has been removed by an admin.” with a Leave button below it. Click it to close the channel’s tab.
If the app itself has a newer version, HakoSpace automatically reloads it to the latest version and tries not to interrupt what you’re doing (in this case, no removal message appears; the app updates quietly).