Can't connect to socket after emit - node.js

Question

I am working on project that involves real time temperatures and have a device sending temps via get that is routed through the server and emitted to the socket. Then I want the server to connect to the original socket and emit the data to a new one that is being read by my client.
Here is my app.js
var express = require('express'),
app = express(),
server = require('http').createServer(app),
io = require('socket.io').listen(server);
server.listen(8080);
app.get('/', function (req, res) {
res.sendFile(__dirname + '/index.html');
});
app.route('/:temp')
.get(function (req, res){
var temp = req.params.temp;
res.end(temp);
io.sockets.on('connection', function(socket){
socket.emit('send temp', temp);
});
});
io.sockets.on('connection', function(socket){
socket.on('send temp', function(data){
console.log('connected to send temp');//this never shows in the console
io.sockets.emit('new temp', data);
});
});
The route code in app.js works fine. When I hit localhost:3000/test and change the client to connect to 'send temp' (rather then 'new temp') 'test' is output.
Here is the relevant section of my client
var socket = io.connect();
var $temp = $('#temp');
socket.on('new temp', function(data){
$temp.html("Temp: " + "<br/>"+data);
});
I am running node version 4.1.2, socket 1.3.7 and express 4.10.8.
I am wondering why I cannot connect to the original socket a second time. Or that may not even be my problem. I have studied the many 'chat' tutorials and searched for others using trying to do what I want to without any success.
Ultimately what I am trying to have happen is have a client hit /:temp over and over with a real-time reading and then have other clients get that data in real-time.
This is all still a little new to me so any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

Your code example registers a message handler on the server for the 'send temp' message. The client registers a message handler for the 'new temp' message.
The two (client and server) are then sitting there in a stalemate waiting for someone to first send a message, but (per the code you've disclosed) nobody ever does.
I don't really understand what the intent is for your code, but I see several issues.
First off, you do not want to install a listener for the connection event inside this code:
app.route('/:temp')
.get(function (req, res){
var temp = req.params.temp;
res.end(temp);
io.sockets.on('connection', function(socket){
socket.emit('send temp', temp);
});
});
Why would you only start listening for a connection event when you get a particular route handler. And, why add yet another event handler every time that route is hit. This code is just completely wrong. I don't know what you thought you were trying to achieve with it, but it's not the way to do things.
Second off, this code is waiting for the client to send a 'send temp' message and when it gets one, it attempts to broadcast that to all clients. But, the part of your client you disclose never sends a 'send temp' message.
io.sockets.on('connection', function(socket){
socket.on('send temp', function(data){
console.log('connected to send temp');//this never shows in the console
io.sockets.emit('new temp', data);
});
});
Third off, please describe exactly what you're trying to accomplish in words so we can better know what code to recommend in order to do that.
EDIT
Now that you've described the actual problem here:
Ultimately what I am trying to have happen is have a client hit /:temp
over and over with a real-time reading and then have other clients get
that data in real-time.
It is a little easier to recommend a solution:
On the server:
var express = require('express'),
app = express(),
server = require('http').createServer(app),
io = require('socket.io').listen(server);
server.listen(8080);
app.get('/', function (req, res) {
res.sendFile(__dirname + '/index.html');
});
app.get('/:temp', function (req, res) {
var temp = req.params.temp;
res.end(temp);
// send this temperature to all connected clients
io.emit('new temp', temp);
});
On the client:
var socket = io.connect();
var $temp = $('#temp');
socket.on('new temp', function(data){
$temp.html("Temp: " + "<br/>"+data);
});