[RESOLVED] Need help on developing a simple Facebook Messenger

[Autistic]

Hello guys,
I am wishing to develop a simple Facebook Messenger in vb6. By Messenger I mean, If a user logs in, He will see a list of all online friends and he can chat with them. But, I don't to how to do that. I want to know from where I have to start. Any Ideas or Example programs from you guys are welcomed.

[Max187Boucher]

You would probably have to automate facebook website which is probably against the copyright but its do-able if you know how to use webbrowser control or internet explorer control which are almost the same

[jmsrickland]

What you are asking for can turn out to be a rather complex and difficult tasks. Your choices would probably be using WebBrowser and communicate with Facebook that way or use Winsock and communicate directly with the Facebook server. In either case you will need to know a few things about Facebook. Not an easy task at all.

[Max187Boucher]

i dont hav time to mess around right vb right now but this worked the first time for me... might not work just tested once and havent played with it but sometihng like this

once you signed in try this at the main page of your account where it shows online friends... i will work on it later

Private IE As Object

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim i As Integer
Dim OnlineUSER As String
On Error Resume Next
For i = 0 To 100

OnlineUSER = IE.Document.getElementById("js_" & i).childnodes.Item(0).childnodes.Item(0).innertext
If Not OnlineUSER = "" Then Debug.Print OnlineUSER
OnlineUSER = ""
Next
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
Set IE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")

With IE
  .Silent = True
  .Navigate "www.facebook.com"
  .Visible = True
End With
End Sub

[Max187Boucher]

ok so i did work on it a bit tonight didnt think i would have the time... yes it could be done better probably but i got the friends list working... after this you need to know how to send messages... but i think this is a start... a start that you wanted here you go please try this attachment and let me know if it works for you

[Max187Boucher]

I worked on this a bit more. The only problem is trying to write the message, whicb writting the message is ok, but find the right email or getting to your friends account to message him is a bit more difficult... I am almost there i hope i can post it tonight.

Anyone tries my example? Is it working? It works for me all the time

[jmsrickland]

I tried it. It doesn't work for me.

[jcis]

It needs to be integrated with Facebook or an independent Application would be ok? In the Codebank you'll find a Messenger style client fully functional, Wokawidget was the member that posted it.. let me search.. here it is:

Badger Messenger, an MSN clone that uses the MSN Network

[Max187Boucher]

What errors are you getting jmsrickland? What is not working?

[jmsrickland]

OK, I'll go through the steps I take:

1) Run your project

2) Facebook comes up in I.E. on Sign Up page and also login in options <---- I do not use this

3) Click on "Login" on your Form

4) Facebook changes to Login Page <-------- I enter my email & password

5) Welcome To Facebook, jmsrickland page comes up with pictures of people I know and friends

6) Click on "Click To Creat Friends List" on your Form

7) Run-time error: 5 Invalid procedure or argument

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim ElementID As Object, ElementFriends As Object
Dim ElementID_POS As Long
Dim ElementFriend_DIV As HTMLDivElement
Dim Friends As String
Dim fb_Friends_ID As String
Dim FriendStatus As String

Screen.MousePointer = vbHourglass

ShowWindow IE.hwnd, SW_MAXIMIZE
IE.Document.parentWindow.scrollTo 0, 4000

Sleep 3000

For Each ElementID In IE.Document.All
  ElementID_POS = InStr(1, ElementID.innerHTML, "fbChatSidebarBody")
  If ElementID_POS <> 0 Then
    Friends = Mid(ElementID.innerHTML, InStr(ElementID_POS, ElementID.innerHTML, "id=") + Len("id="), (InStr(ElementID_POS, ElementID.innerHTML, "class=") - Len("class=")) - InStr(ElementID_POS, ElementID.innerHTML, "id=") + Len("id="))
    fb_Friends_ID = Trim(Replace(Friends, Chr(34), vbNullString))
    
    Set ElementFriend_DIV = IE.Document.getElementById(fb_Friends_ID)
    
    For Each ElementFriends In ElementFriend_DIV.All

One problem I notice is that different Facebook pages come up on various attempts to use your project .

[Max187Boucher]

Hmm what is in the friends string it it is suppose to get the id of the listbox where the friends are online to chat... Its weird that it works for me... Ill have a look at my code and try to split it better maybe i mixed too manu functions the replace, trim, mid

[Autistic]

Guys, sorry for the late reply. Was busy with some other works. Actually, When I was browsing through Facebook's Developer page, I wanted to know if there is any third-party tool for VB6 to build Windows Application for Facebook. After a lot of search, I didn't even find a single one. Once, I get Windows 8, I will try those Developer Tools in VS12.

BTW, As someone said above, I tried automated login using Browser control. And, I also extracted the online friends' list. But, I am not able to logout. Though I extracted the logout link and made the browser to navigate to the extracted page, It still doesn't logout. So, If a user logs in, he have to open Facebook in IE and logout. Is there any other way to logout from Facebook? (I mean, like deleting cookies, etc..)

[Max187Boucher]

Did you try my little project? Does the friends list work for you? I can show you how to logout, but first let me know if my project worked for your. I have another project somewhere in my computer that used to log in all my accounts (hotmail, facebook, bank, telephone bill, google, youtube) and it also has the option to log out of all those at once... I will look for it tonight

[Autistic]

@Max187Boucher: It did work. But, Opening IE for logging in is somewhat strange. I am waiting for your project which you mentioned above.

[Max187Boucher]

What is strange? Id like to know and i will look for my project in about an hour or so

Edit: About an Hour later...
You only need to submit the logout form of facebook

IE.Document.All("logout_form").Submit

[Autistic]

What I mentioned as abnormal is If the user can open FB in IE, then he can chat in IE itself. There is no need to use any other application. And moreover, What I want is an automated one. I did it myself. But, Logging out is what I am having problems with. I navigated to Facebook Mobile as it will load quickly and it logged in using browser control. I can send messages without opening IE using browser control. I, then, coded to extract all the links in the Web Page, and searched for Logout in it. After getting the URL, I used the browser control to navigate. But, Sometimes, It just refreshes the page. I think there is some problems with Facebook Mobile. When I logging out from Facebook Mobile in browsers like IE and FF, It did the same. So, that's why I asked for any other way log out like clearing cookies.

EDIT: When I did as you mentioned above, It throws an error. But somehow, It worked with my code itself. I don't know what happened in a day. Thank God.

This thread can be closed. Thank you guys, for helping me.