Hi,
I'd like to implement a robust command queue for an ajaxy web app. I was wonder if anyone would be able to feed me back any constructive criticism that comes to mind on this.
The problem in my mind is that if an xhr request is dropped by the network (or never makes it out of the browser's machine etc), I want the server to ignore further xhr commands until it turns up (if it's truly lost, the user sees that a box on the page is still displaying 'Syncing ...', so knows to reload the page manually).
One approach I've thought of involves each xhr including a 'command ID' param, a simple incrementing integer. Then, server-side there is a queue of incoming commands. If a sent xhr is dropped by the network, the server will then detect the missing ID and will queue up all incoming commands until the missing command turns up, or until the user refreshes the page and the command ID is reset.
This is how it would break down:
1. user loads page, session[:cmdID] = 0
2. user initiates xhr command A, params[:cmdID] = 0
3. server receives A, sets session[:cmdID] = 1, sends response
[ all is well so far, continuing this session: ]
4. user initiates xhr command B, params[:cmdID] = 1
[ xhr is lost in the ether before it reaches the server ]
5. user initiates xhr command C, params[:cmdID] = 2
6. server recieves C, but deduces there was a missing command because an xhr with params[:cmdID] == 1 was never received
7. server queues C and waits for B to turn up.
Meanwhile clientside javascript knows the response to B was never received, so clearly shows this in a status bar ("Syncing …"). Any links exiting this page are disabled until all xhr requests have been resolved. Or, if the user can hit Refresh on their browser, so the client view is manually synced.
Probably there are some further complexities (what happens if the response to (3) is never received by the client? Perhaps just make sure that any potentially conflicting actions are disabled clientside until the response is received)
- maybe this is the starting point. What do y'all think?
[ nb I think this is really where Google Gears would shine? But I definitely can't rely on the userbase installing a plugin! ]
Thanks! Darren
