So I’m trying to add messaging functionality to my e-commerce website, where buyers can message sellers and sellers can message buyers once the buyer has purchased something from them (haven’t written the code for that yet, just want basic messaging functionality out of the way). So this is what I’ve tried.
Now there are three problems with this. One is that when I am in my user_message.html, if I type in a message and I hit send, I get the error:
Page not found (404) No Business matches the given query.
When clearly I have a url for that.
Secondly when I send a message, through the message_seller view, a message instance is created, it works but the recipient does not receive the message in his/her user_messages_view page, so kind of defeats the purpose.
Thirdly I have tried to make counters work, but both counters do not work. The unread_message_counter is supposed to show the number of unread messages from different businesses/users, while the individual_business_message_counter is supposed to show the number of unread messages from that specific business. When I click on a message to go to detail view of the conversation, that is when the messages are supposed to be is_read = True.
Three issues, can anyone please help me solve them? Thanks in advance!
My models.py:
class Business(models.Model):
BUSINESS_TYPE_CHOICES = [
('product', 'Product Business'),
('service', 'Service Business'),
]
seller = models.OneToOneField(CustomUser, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name='business')
business_name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
description = models.TextField()
business_slug = models.SlugField(unique=True, blank=True)
business_type = models.CharField(max_length=20, choices=BUSINESS_TYPE_CHOICES)
country = models.ForeignKey(Country, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
address = models.CharField(max_length=200)
phone = models.CharField(max_length=20)
website = models.URLField(blank=True, null=True)
email = models.EmailField(blank=True, null=True)
profile_picture = models.ImageField(upload_to='business_profiles/', blank=True, null=True)
banner_image = models.ImageField(upload_to='business_banners/', blank=True, null=True)
is_featured = models.BooleanField(default=False)
def __str__(self):
return self.business_name
def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
if not self.business_slug:
self.business_slug = slugify(self.business_name)
super().save(*args, **kwargs)
class Message(models.Model):
sender = models.ForeignKey(CustomUser, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name='sent_messages')
recipient = models.ForeignKey(CustomUser, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name='received_messages')
business = models.ForeignKey(Business, on_delete=models.CASCADE, related_name='messages', null=True)
content = models.TextField()
timestamp = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
is_read = models.BooleanField(default=False)
def __str__(self):
return f"Message from {self.sender.username} to {self.recipient.username}"
My views.py:
@login_required
def message_seller(request, business_slug):
business = get_object_or_404(Business, business_slug=business_slug)
if request.method == 'POST':
content = request.POST.get('content')
if content:
Message.objects.create(
sender=request.user,
recipient=business.seller,
business=business,
content=content
)
return redirect('message_seller', business_slug=business.business_slug)
# Mark messages as read for the current user and business
Message.objects.filter(recipient=request.user, business=business).update(is_read=True)
messages = Message.objects.filter(
Q(sender=request.user, recipient=business.seller) |
Q(sender=business.seller, recipient=request.user)
).filter(business=business).order_by('timestamp')
individual_business_message_counter = Message.objects.filter(recipient=request.user, business=business, is_read=False).count()
context = {
'business': business,
'messages': messages,
'individual_business_message_counter': individual_business_message_counter,
}
return render(request, 'business/message.html', context)
@login_required
def user_messages_view(request):
businesses = Business.objects.filter(
Q(messages__sender=request.user) | Q(messages__recipient=request.user)
).distinct()
user_messages = []
for business in businesses:
last_message = Message.objects.filter(
Q(sender=request.user, recipient=business.seller) |
Q(sender=business.seller, recipient=request.user)
).filter(business=business).order_by('-timestamp').first()
unread_businesses = set()
if Message.objects.filter(recipient=request.user, business=business, is_read=False).exists():
unread_businesses.add(business)
user_messages.append({
'business': business,
'last_message': last_message,
'unread_count': len(unread_businesses),
})
unread_message_counter = len(unread_businesses)
if request.method == 'POST':
business_slug = request.POST.get('business_slug')
business = get_object_or_404(Business, business_slug=business_slug)
content = request.POST.get('content')
if content:
Message.objects.create(
sender=request.user,
recipient=business.seller,
business=business,
content=content
)
selected_business = None
messages = []
if 'business_slug' in request.GET:
business_slug = request.GET.get('business_slug')
selected_business = get_object_or_404(Business, business_slug=business_slug)
messages = Message.objects.filter(
Q(sender=request.user, recipient=selected_business.seller) |
Q(sender=selected_business.seller, recipient=request.user)
).filter(business=selected_business).order_by('timestamp')
context = {
'user_messages': user_messages,
'selected_business': selected_business,
'messages': messages,
'unread_message_counter': unread_message_counter,
}
return render(request, 'business/user_messages.html', context)
My urls.py:
urlpatterns = [
path('', views.home, name="home"),
path('message/<slug:business_slug>/', views.message_seller, name='message_seller'),
path('messages/', views.user_messages_view, name='user_messages'),
path('messages/?business_slug=<slug:business_slug>', views.user_messages_view, name='user_messages'),
]
My message.html:
<main class="content">
<div class="container p-0">
<h1 class="h3 mb-3 mt-3">Messages</h1>
<div class="card">
<div class="row g-0">
<div class="col-12 col-lg-5 col-xl-3 border-right">
{% for message in user_messages %}
<a href="#" class="list-group-item list-group-item-action border-0">
<div class="badge bg-success float-right">{{ individual_business_message_counter }}</div>
<div class="d-flex align-items-start">
<img src="{{ message.business.profile_picture.url }}" class="rounded-circle mr-1" width="40px" height="40px">
<div class="flex-grow-1 ml-3">
{{ message.business.business_name }}
{% if message.last_message %}
{% if not message.last_message.is_read %}
<div class="small">{{ message.last_message.content }}</div>
{% else %}
<div class="small"><b>{{ message.last_message.content }}</b></div>
{% endif %}
{% else %}
<p>No messages yet.</p>
{% endif %}
</div>
</div>
</a>
{% endfor %}
<hr class="d-block d-lg-none mt-1 mb-0">
</div>
<div class="col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-9">
<div class="py-2 px-4 border-bottom d-none d-lg-block">
<div class="d-flex align-items-center py-1">
<div class="position-relative">
<img src="{{ business.profile_picture.url }}" class="rounded-circle mr-1" alt="Sharon Lessman" width="40" height="40">
</div>
<div class="flex-grow-1 pl-3">
<strong>{{ business.business_name }}</strong>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="position-relative">
<div class="chat-messages p-4">
{% for message in messages %}
{% if message.sender == request.user %}
<div class="chat-message-right pb-4">
<div>
<img src="https://bootdey.com/img/Content/avatar/avatar1.png" class="rounded-circle mr-1" alt="Chris Wood" width="40" height="40">
<div class="text-muted small text-nowrap mt-2">{{ message.timestamp }}</div>
</div>
<div class="flex-shrink-1 bg-light rounded py-2 px-3 mr-3">
<div class="font-weight-bold mb-1">You</div>
{{ message.content }}
</div>
</div>
{% else %}
<div class="chat-message-left pb-4">
<div>
<img src="{{ business.banner_image.url }}" class="rounded-circle mr-1" alt="{{ business.business_name }}" width="40" height="40">
<div class="text-muted small text-nowrap mt-2">{{ message.timestamp }}</div>
</div>
<div class="flex-shrink-1 bg-light rounded py-2 px-3 ml-3">
<div class="font-weight-bold mb-1">{{ business.business_name }}</div>
{{ message.content }}
</div>
</div>
{% endif %}
{% endfor %}
</div>
</div>
{% if request.user.is_authenticated %}
<form method="post">
{% csrf_token %}
<div class="flex-grow-0 py-3 px-4 border-top">
<div class="input-group">
<input name="content" type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Type your message">
<button class="btn btn-primary">Send</button>
</div>
</div>
</form>
{% endif %}
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</main>
My user_messages.html:
<main class="content mt-5 mb-5">
<div class="container p-0">
<h1 class="h3 mb-3">Your Messages</h1>
<div class="card">
<div class="row g-0">
<div class="col-12 col-lg-5 col-xl-3 border-right">
{% for message in user_messages %}
<a href="{% url 'user_messages' %}?business_slug={{ message.business.business_slug }}" class="list-group-item list-group-item-action border-0">
<div class="badge bg-success float-right">{{ individual_business_message_counter }}</div>
<div class="d-flex align-items-start">
<img src="{{ message.business.profile_picture.url }}" class="rounded-circle mr-1" width="40px" height="40px">
<div class="flex-grow-1 ml-3">
{{ message.business.business_name }}
{% if message.last_message %}
<div class="small">{{ message.last_message.content }}</div>
{% else %}
<p>No messages yet.</p>
{% endif %}
</div>
</div>
</a>
{% endfor %}
<hr class="d-block d-lg-none mt-1 mb-0">
</div>
{% if selected_business %}
<div class="col-12 col-lg-7 col-xl-9">
<div class="py-2 px-4 border-bottom d-none d-lg-block">
<div class="d-flex align-items-center py-1">
<div class="position-relative">
<img src="{{ selected_business.profile_picture.url }}" class="rounded-circle mr-1" alt="{{ selected_business.business_name }}" width="40" height="40">
</div>
<div class="flex-grow-1 pl-3">
<strong>{{ selected_business.business_name }}</strong>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="position-relative">
<div class="chat-messages p-4">
{% for message in messages %}
{% if message.sender == request.user %}
<div class="chat-message-right pb-4">
<div>
<img src="https://bootdey.com/img/Content/avatar/avatar1.png" class="rounded-circle mr-1" alt="Chris Wood" width="40" height="40">
<div class="text-muted small text-nowrap mt-2">{{ message.timestamp }}</div>
</div>
<div class="flex-shrink-1 bg-light rounded py-2 px-3 mr-3">
<div class="font-weight-bold mb-1">You</div>
{{ message.content }}
</div>
</div>
{% else %}
<div class="chat-message-left pb-4">
<div>
<img src="{{ selected_business.banner_image.url }}" class="rounded-circle mr-1" alt="{{ selected_business.business_name }}" width="40" height="40">
<div class="text-muted small text-nowrap mt-2">{{ message.timestamp }}</div>
</div>
<div class="flex-shrink-1 bg-light rounded py-2 px-3 ml-3">
<div class="font-weight-bold mb-1">{{ selected_business.business_name }}</div>
{{ message.content }}
</div>
</div>
{% endif %}
{% endfor %}
</div>
</div>
{% if request.user.is_authenticated %}
<form method="post" action="{% url 'user_messages' %}?business_slug={{ selected_business.business_slug }}">
{% csrf_token %}
<div class="flex-grow-0 py-3 px-4 border-top">
<div class="input-group">
<input name="content" type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Type your message">
<button class="btn btn-primary">Send</button>
</div>
</div>
</form>
{% endif %}
</div>
{% endif %}
</div>
</div>
</div>
</main>