❗ Notice Please don't post any advertisements, F4F (follow for follow) requests, and general spam. These comments will be reported and deleted immediately. Thanks for respecting the Scratch Community Guidelines! ℹ️ Node.js code on GitHub: https://github.com/Looky1173/Scratch-API-Read-Write-Cloud-Variables-with-Node.js
✉ Live Message Counter ✉ This project can tell you the number of unread messages someone has, whether it's you or another Scratcher. ➤ How does it work? This project works by connecting to and exchanging data with a Node.js server that is always running. All data is transferred using cloud variables, only accessible to signed in Scratchers. The server is hosted by Replit. Feel free to ask below for more details! ➤ Requirements This project requires a stable internet connection, the Scratcher status, and the server to be online. ➤ FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Ⓠ = Question Ⓐ = Answer Ⓠ What is Node.js? Ⓐ Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, JavaScript runtime environment that executes JavaScript code outside a web browser. (Credit to Wikipedia) Node.js has a package manager, called npm which can be used to install/modify/delete packages to speed up coding. Ⓠ The server is down, what should I do? Ⓐ You can choose to write a comment stating that the server is currently down or wait a few moments. Sometimes a poor internet connection may result in a timeout. In other cases, you may have been logged out, the server was overloaded, etc. Ⓠ What does this error mean...? Ⓐ All errors are self-explanatory. However, please post a comment below if you are confused about the meaning of a specific error or you want guidance to fix it. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Ⓠ Why can't I use this project? Ⓐ You may have a poor/unstable internet connection, you may have been logged out or you are a New Scratcher. Ⓠ How can I create a similar project? Ⓐ First of all, you have to be familiar with Node.js or Python, have a code editor (eg. Visual Studio Code)* installed, a reliable internet connection*, the Scratcher status, a web server where you will host your application, and you must have the willpower and dedication to struggle through the makings of a complicated project like this. Then you have to set up a Scratch project and write a script to update cloud variables so your project can receive results. This is the complicated part, mostly because everything depends on what kind of project you would like to make. I suggest you start writing your code and ask in the forums (you may ask me as well, I'm always happy to help) whenever you are stuck. Good luck and good coding! * Recommended, not required. Ⓠ I found a bug/glitch/typo, what should I do? Ⓐ Please report it down in the comments section! Thank you! Ⓠ Can I reuse scripts/assets found in this project? Ⓐ Of course! Ⓠ Can I add this project to studios? Ⓐ You may but please don't put this project in irrelevant studios nor spam them. Ⓠ Why doesn't my remix work? Ⓐ It probably doesn't work because you haven't got a server up and running that handles all the data. Ⓠ I have another question Ⓐ Please comment down below, send me a message on my profile, or create a topic about your issue in the forums. ➤ Story The idea to make a project like this first came to me when I saw this project ( by . I've got a huge inspiration boost and started researching straight away. I soon found out that similar results to the project mentioned above can be achieved by running a Node.js or a Python script 24/7 on a server. I was already familiar with HelioHost.org, a free web hosting service that offered the features I needed so I created an account on their Tommy server which supports Node.js, which is the programming language I settled with. I fired up VS Code and got to work. I've used the scratch-api package (https://github.com/trumank/scratch-api) and node-fetch (https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-fetch). Needless to say, I was a total beginner to Node.js so I had to research almost anything. I'm very grateful to for helping me a lot along the way. Finally, my script was completed after a week and I've uploaded it to HelioHost where it obviously... didn't work! Of course, it wasn't because of HelioHost - they are great -, it was because of my lack of knowledge. Thankfully I've got working everything after a while, thanks to Krydos, one of the Root Admins of HelioHost. And that's all!? ℹ EDIT: I've moved my server to Replit. Check it out at https://replit.com ➤ Credits Many thanks to for the inspiration, to , , , and for debugging my code, to for the amazing pen text engine, to for the outstanding loader, and to other amazing members of Scratch listed in the project. Special thanks to HelioHost.org for hosting my Node.js app for absolutely free! Thank you all! Thank you for suggesting that the numbers should fit on the screen.
