Chat-style Panel: Best way to update the conversation area?

[pret]

Hi guys,

I'm developing a messenger-like chat system. I have a window with this items:

initComponent:          function() {        this.items = [{
            id:                       'this-is-the-conversation-panel!!!',
            region:                 'center',
            padding:                5,
            bodyStyle:              'padding: 5px',
            autoScroll:             true
        }, {
            region:                 'south',
            height:                 145,
            padding:                5,
            layout:                 'hbox',
            items:                  [{
                xtype:                  'htmleditor',
                height:                 135,
                flex:                   1,
                fieldType:              'message'
            }, {
                xtype:                  'button',
                text:                   'Send',
                width:                  80,
                height:                 '100%',
                handler:                this.onSendMessageButtonClick,
                scope:                  this
            }]
        }];
        
        this.callParent(arguments);
    },

Now, I want to update the conversation panel with the new messages that are sent in the conversation. Which would be the best way for this? I could directly update the html of the panel, but I still haven't found a way to get the actual content of it. I know that I can do:

myConversationPanel.update(newMessageHtml);

But this would, indeed, erase the original content of the panel. I haven't found a way in the API to access the original content and do something like:

myConversationPanel.update(myConversationPanel.getContent() + newMessageHtml);

With that code I could make it work. Does someone know how to access the original content of the panel? or is there a better way to handle this? maybe with one Ext.core.Element for each message?


Thanks in advance.

[pret]

Mmm.. or maybe I could use a Ext.view.View to display the messages? I didn't use it yet, but looking at the examples it looks like a good way to handle this.

What do you think?