Writing To An "Outdated" Key

[baratheon]

I'm working on a raffle plugin and I'm experiencing an odd issue with writing to a key. For the raffle, I'm storing a JSON string of all participating members along with the number of entries they've submitted, and I add additional info to the JSON whenever a user submits an entry. The problem I have is that, when a user is submitting an entry, and the page wasn't refreshed to load the most recent key data, the incoming entry will override the data that hasn't yet been loaded. For instance, if my friend and I are both on the raffle page, and I submit 3 entries, the entries he will submit after me will override my 3 entries resulting in ONLY - friend: # of entries (that is, unless he refreshed the page); when in fact it should be - me: 3, friend: # of entries. Any ideas on how to avoid this behavior?

Here is a link to the plugin (on the front page): www.testforum1995.freeforums.net/ although you may not be able to see it unless you are logged in.

Here's the relevant code:


var current_entries = 0;

       if(pb.plugin.key('all_entries').get() != undefined && pb.plugin.key('all_entries').get() != ''){

           var get_all_entries = pb.plugin.key('all_entries').get();

           var all_entriesObj = $.parseJSON(get_all_entries);



           if(all_entriesObj[pb.data('user').name]){

               current_entries = all_entriesObj[pb.data('user').name];

           }

       }



       $('#users-current-entries').html(current_entries);



       //activate submit button

       $('#entry-btn').click(function(){

           var entry_input = $('#entry-txt').val();

           if(entry_input.match(/^[0-9]+$/) != null){

               var entry_limit = pb.plugin.get('raffle_center').settings.entry_limit;

               if(entry_limit == undefined){

                   entry_limit == 0;

               }

               var new_entries = parseInt(entry_input) + parseInt(current_entries);

               if(new_entries <= entry_limit || entry_limit == 0){

                   //if(pixeldepth.monetary.get() >= (entry_input*entry_cost)){

                   $('#entry-error-msg').html('Entry submitted successfully!');

                   $('#entry-txt').val('');







                   //insert user's name and current_entries into all_entries

                   var get_all_entries = pb.plugin.key('all_entries').get();

                   var user_name = user.name;

                   var appendObj = {};

                   appendObj[user_name] = new_entries;

                   var all_entriesObj = $.parseJSON(get_all_entries);

                   var combine_entries = $.extend(all_entriesObj, appendObj);

                   var combine_entriesString = JSON.stringify(combine_entries);



                   current_entries = combine_entries[user_name];



                   $('#users-current-entries').html(current_entries);



                   alert(get_all_entries);

                   pb.plugin.key('all_entries').set({value: combine_entriesString});

                   updateParticipants();

               }else{

                   $('#entry-error-msg').html('Entry too large! Maximum number of entries allowed is ' + entry_limit);

               }

           }else{

               $('#entry-error-msg').html('Only numbers without spaces allowed!');

           }

       });

[Wormopolis]

if you use the push function of the key, instead of the set function, you could make the key be an array. the first entry in the array holds all of the normal data you want to store. each push to the array, is just something that holds incoming entries. then whenever you go to read the key, you read it in as an array. if the array.length>1 then there are incoming entries that need to be processed. do what you need to to combine them into the normal data in array[0]. then remove that entry from the array. keep doing that until array.length=1 again.

Its not perfect, but it should cut back on some of the race conditions.

[baratheon]

Thanks for your response, I'll look into that.

[P̌̓aͧś̀t̀u͒le͆o͂2̀3̃̓]

I had the exact same problem! Push was my solution!
First you must set your key to array before you can go push crazy.
pb.plugin.key("key_name").push({value: setyourvaluehere, error: function(error) {if(error.code == 64){ var newarray = $.grep(Array(),function(n){ return(n) }); pb.plugin.key('key_name').set({value: newarray, success: function(){pb.plugin.key("key_name").push({value: setyourvaluehere}) } });} } });

This was my solution. What this line does: It pushes to your key, but if the error is #64 (which means the key is not an array) it will set the key type to array and then finish by pushing the value again.
If you call that line of code (replacing key_name and setyourvaluehere) every time you want to add a raffle, it should work wonders for you.
May I suggest saving a timestamp with your key so that you can tell when someone submits an entry PAST the time allotted

[P̌̓aͧś̀t̀u͒le͆o͂2̀3̃̓]

Traditionally baratheon 
Your setup should be similar to this:

pb.plugin.key('key_name').push({value: setyourvaluehere,

success: function() { setTimeout(function(){document.location.reload(true)},500);},

error: function(error) { alert(error.reason);
}
 
});

Reloading shows the user that the action is complete, and allows them to see the updated data. (if you need to show updated data that is) A good way to test your push method is by having two user accounts and having one signed in a different browser on your computer. Example: One user in Internet Explorer and another in Firefox/Chrome. Having two browsers running means you have two separate cookies/users/everything. That way you won't need to bug your friend when you test your code and push/pop etc.

www.proboards.com/developer/js/class/key
This link will tell you more.

[baratheon]

Thanks.

I haven't tried it out yet since I haven't had the time but I'll give it a shot first thing tomorrow, and let you guys know how it goes.

That is actually how I came across the problem - by testing the plugin in two different browsers.

[baratheon]

I used pastuleo's method, but now I'm having trouble with GETting the key. With the regular method of reading from a key (button "Insert"), nothing is returned; reading it like an array, with [0] index at the end, undefined is returned. Any ideas?

[Wormopolis]

you sure the key was stored?

[baratheon]

Yes.

This is the exact code I used to push:


pb.plugin.key('all_entries').push({

                           value: combine_entriesString,

                           error: function(error){

                               if(error.code == 64){

                                   var newarray = $.grep(Array(),function(n){ return(n) });

                                   pb.plugin.key('all_entries').set({value: newarray, success: function(){pb.plugin.key('all_entries').push({value: combine_entriesString})}});

                               }

                           }

                       });

[Wormopolis]

view the source of the page. do you see the value of that key being stored? it would appear under all the plugin settings.

[baratheon]

Yes, I do. The value is put in, I'm just unable to grab it.

[Wormopolis]

what kind of key is it?

[baratheon]

It's a super forum key.

EDIT: I added the below line right after pushing the new entry to the key, so it'll run whenever I submit an entry.
alert(pb.plugin.key('all_entries').get());I found that the first time I submit an entry, nothing gets returned, but on the second time, I receive the value of the first and the second entries; and this follows through for all the next entries I submit.