Alerting a user when new message arrives

generic

I've installed an open source instant messenger type system on my site and I'm looking a way to have it send an alert or have the title bar blink in the taskbar when a new message appears in the chat window. That way, if the chat window is minimized, the user will still know if they've gotten a new message. The window uses a timed javascript refresh to display messages.

Any ideas??

thanks heaps,

gen

theeper

You can't mess with the task bar with PHP as it is outside of the browser's control. Why not just have a popup window open when the page refreshes if there is a new message ?

driverdave

You need something that maintains state, like flash or a java applet.

PHP is the wrong tool.

generic

Ok so no titlebar blinkies... I can handle that.. maybe a javascript alert would be in order? The system is basically nothing more than a one to one chatroom type of deal... anyway, here's the source for the refreshing window:

<script lnaguage="javascript">

var limit="0:5"
if (document.images){
var parselimit=limit.split(":")
parselimit=parselimit[0]*60+parselimit[1]*1
}
function beginrefresh(){
if (!document.images)
return
if (parselimit==1)
window.location.reload() && window.scroll(0,20000)
else{
parselimit-=1
curmin=Math.floor(parselimit/60)
cursec=parselimit%60
if (curmin!=0)
curtime=curmin+" minutes and "+cursec+" seconds left until page refresh!"
else
curtime=cursec+" seconds left until page refresh!"

setTimeout("beginrefresh()",1000)
}
}

window.onload=beginrefresh

</script>
<body ><font face="arial" size="2">
<?
include ("mysql.php");
$query="select from imusers where username='$username' and status='yes'";
$result=mysql_query($query, $link);
if($result!=0)
{
print"<center><body bgcolor=\"000066\"><span style=background-color:8080C0><font color=lightblue>&nbsp;$username you have logged out&nbsp;</span>";
exit;
}
else
{
$query="delete from chatdata where message ='<br>' or buddy='to <font color=blue></font>'";
mysql_query($query,$link);
$query="select sender, buddy, message from chatdata where sender = '<font color=red>$username</font>' or sender like '%$buddy%'  and   buddy ='<font color=blue>$buddy</font>' or buddy like '%$username%'  order by id desc";
$result=mysql_query($query, $link);
$num_rows=mysql_num_rows($result);
while($fresult=mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
print"$fresult[0] $fresult[1]$fresult[2]";
print"<br><br>";
}
}
?>

How could I put a javascript alert in that to pop up when there's a new message displayed (or is it even feasible??)

gen