What is the best 1-1 chat model ? (AJAX/CI/JQ)

Question

I am creating a system in which I am planning to let User A generate a special chat link so he/she can communicate with User B. This is a 1-1 chat model. The schema of my model is below. I need to know if its practical or if it can be improved.

table messages
chatid; {fk}
message_id; {pk}
timestamp;
sender;

table chat
chatid; {pk}
userA;
userB;
timestamp;

Here is the control flow of the scenario:

User A has intentions to chat with User B.
User A goes into the generate chat session page.
User A selects the User B from the list.
User A generates the chat session /app/chatid/007
User A copies and pastes the URL to sent it to User B via the inbox.
User A and User B agree on a time they wish to chat

I know, a bit weird, because I dont know how to implement a system where user is checked for online/offline, although you could pop in if you have ideas.

User A opens the chat URL on hh;mm and so does User B.
They start chatting.
The page doesn't reload and they chat with fun.

The end. Waiting for your responses.

Editted by Asker

I was looking at this schema. I don't know how I would further add to it to show user a/user b being online/offline; perhaps last_activity? You tell.

tbl_chat
-------------
chat_id (pk)
user_id_a (fk)
user_id_b (fk)
timestamp
tinyint;

tbl_msg
-------------
message_id (pk)
chat_id (fk)
user_id_sender (fk)
message_body
timestamp

added tinyint; to tbl_chat so when user A clicks kill chat, it makes it 1 , default of tinyint =0; So that kills chat.

use php long polling or node.js socket.io to do the chat: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/333664/simple-long-polling-example-code — ZiTAL, Mar 09 '12 at 10:47
I want to make it simple not that complex as polling or node.js. And you didn't answer my question. I was talking about the model. — Ali Gajani, Mar 09 '12 at 10:54
copying and pasting session links to each other - via an inbox. — joidegn, Mar 09 '12 at 10:55
Hehe @joidegn: as I said a basic one. You havent answered my main question yet. regarding the model. — Ali Gajani, Mar 09 '12 at 11:00
I would offload the online/offline checks into javascript. But you should checkout longpolling and socket.io... — joidegn, Mar 09 '12 at 14:14

joidegn · Answer 1 · 2012-03-09T13:07:16.840

3

For the sake of being able to extend the chat to more than two users and not having to check both chat.userA and chat.userB in your queries I would not use userA and userB in the chat table. Rather I would add a table (e.g. chat_users) which has usernames/ids (whatever you put in userA and userB) and a chatid. Apart from that I would say that messages need a body.

table messages
chatid; {fk}
message_id; {pk}
timestamp;
userid; {fk}
body;

table chat
chatid; {pk}
timestamp;

table chat_user
userid; {fk}
chatid; {fk}

edited Mar 09 '12 at 13:07

answered Mar 09 '12 at 12:21

joidegn

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Got it. So the final model is? – Ali Gajani Mar 09 '12 at 12:52
I just gave a thought on this. Not the best model I'd expect. – Ali Gajani Mar 09 '12 at 13:41
just add `user_online int default 0` to the chat_user table. Set to 1 when user logs in/turns on chat and query that for listings/profiles and to initiate chat. – stormdrain Mar 09 '12 at 19:14
@stormdrain: where? see my original question, below **editted by asker** – Ali Gajani Mar 10 '12 at 05:08
@AliGajani to the `chat_user` table; see my comment 2 above this one. If you want help with code, show the code you already have. – stormdrain Mar 10 '12 at 17:24

What is the best 1-1 chat model ? (AJAX/CI/JQ)

1 Answers1