Node js, Call WebSocket server from http server - node.js

Question

I have a node js ( supported by express js ) http application. So I had a server.js file as follows(not there complete code).
var app = require('./app/app');
var server = http.createServer(app);
server.listen(port, host);
server.on('error', onError);
server.on('listening', onListening);
I later added websocket server to there. So it is like this now.
// app server
var app = require('./app/app');
var server = http.createServer(app);
server.listen(port, host);
server.on('error', onError);
server.on('listening', onListening);
/**
* websocker Server
*/
var WebSocket = require('ws');
var wsServer = http.createServer();
var url = require('url');
var WebSocketServer = require('ws').Server;
var wss = new WebSocketServer({ server: wsServer });
var express = require('express');
var wsApp = express();
var port = 1337;
wsApp.use(function (req, res) {
res.send({ msg: 'hello' });
});
wss.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
console.log((new Date()) + ' Connection from origin ');
ws.on('message', function incoming(message) {
console.log('received: %s', message);
var json = JSON.stringify({ type:'message', data: {hello : 'hello'} });
ws.send(json);
});
var json = JSON.stringify({ type:'message', data: {hello : 'hello'} });
ws.send(json);
});
wsServer.on('request', wsApp);
wsServer.listen(port, function () { console.log('Ws server Listening on ' + wsServer.address().port); });
Now these two are working happily. What I want is on a POST call to the http server, I want to trigger the web socket server to broadcast something to all clients. My problem is How I can trigger websocket server from http server?
Routes of http server is defined in app.js file. from there how can I call websocker server function?

Answer 1

If you encapsulate your ws functionality in one single javascript file (e.g: websocket.js) you could export your websocket object as a module.
module.exports = wss;
and then require it in your http controller
var wss = require(websocket.js)
In this case it should be easy to use wss.send({...}) wherever you like.

Answer 2

This peace of code is working to me:
//websocket.js
'use strict';
var io = require('socket.io');
var callme;
function Websocket(server) {
var server = io(server);
server.on('connection', function(socket){
console.log('Do something here');
});
callme = function (val) {
//you my choose a specific cliente if you want, read the socket.io doc
server.emit('I may emit it ' + val);
console.log("Called " + val);
return 'Somebody got it';
}
}
Websocket.route = function(req, res, next) {
if(typeof callme == 'function'){
res.send(callme(req.param('t')));
}else{
res.send('Websocket server is not running');
}
};
module.exports = Websocket;
On the express app definition, I put
var Websocket = require('./websocket');
app.use('/blablabla', Websocket.route);
Then, on the server js file, which run the application, I put
var server = http.createServer(app);
var s = new Websocket(server);
This last line works like the tradicional io(server); would work.
After that, when you request the address /blablabla the route will execute your websocket method.
My solution is not in production yet, let me know if somebody got an error.