C#/VB.Net Facebook Desktop Chat Application > How?

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I'm trying to build a Facebook Windows Desktop Application.
Got a Keyboard with an LCD and want to facebook chat messages on it as well as reply to them.
I've been Googling for days but mostly finding outdated components and examples, or examples and code that only apply to Web development instead of Desktop development.
So, if anyone has some experience with this, input would be most welcome.

So far, I got as far as getting a connection up with Facebook, now i want to step forward, but i seem to be hitting a brick wall..
I'm using NuGet module "Facebook C# SDK" Version 6.8.0 (latest): facebook-csharp-sdk: Fa... - GitHub[^]
Here's my Class:

VB.NET

Imports Facebook
Imports System.Dynamic

Public Class Connector
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        test
    End Sub

    Public Shared sub test()
        Dim LoginForm As New frmLogIn("ApplicationID", "user_about_me")
        If (Not LoginForm.ShowDialog = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK) Then _
            Exit sub

        Dim UserToken = LoginForm.FacebookOAuthResult.AccessToken
        Dim Client As New FacebookClient(UserToken)
        Dim Result As Object = Client.Get("me")
        MsgBox(Result.ToString)

        ' This next part returns error: (OAuthException - #12) (#12) fql is deprecated for versions v2.1 and higher
        ' Turns out Facebook has stopped supporting FQL requests and switched over to Graph API, I'm not finding any solutions online on how to create a non-webbased Facebook Application in DotNet
        Dim query = string.Format("SELECT uid, name, pic_square FROM user WHERE uid = me()")
        Dim Parameters As Object = New ExpandoObject
        Parameters.q = query
        Result = Client.Get("fql", Parameters)
        MsgBox(Result.ToString)
    End sub
End Class

But, at least i can get Connected.. Some help on how get the following would be absolutely awesome:
- Get Friends List (UserID, Username)
- New Message Notification Event (UserID, Username, SentMessageToMeContainingX)
- Send Message to UserID, MessageToSend

Please, don't just refer to Documentation pages, as i have checked them, and they haven't been of much help..
For instance https://developers.facebook.com/docs/[^] doesn't have documentation for Desktop development, mostly Mobile iOS, Android and Webdevelopment. They don't even have an SDK for Desktop development as they are referring to third party tools.
Also the 3d Party SDK Development hasn't been of much help, as these are also all Web Oriented: Facebook SDK for .NET[^]
So, if anyone has any insight on how to get data from an open connection, please shine some light, as google is turning out to be a dark hole

Posted 3-Feb-16 10:46am

Member 12293516

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Comments

Richard MacCutchan 4-Feb-16 7:55am

The reason they don't have an SDK for desktop development is because they do not expect to support such a feature. However, you could try using one of the HTTP classes that allow you to interact with a website from a desktop app.

Member 12293516 4-Feb-16 8:05am

Hey, I've thought about using HTTP Classes but i haven't got much experience using these or know how to go about this.
The biggest problem i'm experiencing is that Facebook keep updating and changing their approach and methods, so most of what's out there no longer applies or is just outright discontinued.
As to my last post, I'm now getting out a list of Friends from Facebook and am attempting to Deserialize them using JSon into a List of Friend objects.
Thusfar the examples i've found about this and ways to approach these have not worked..:
Had to add rights: Dim LoginForm As New frmLogIn("AppID", "user_about_me,user_friends")
The well spread way of getting friends that is no longer supported: Result = Client.Get("/me/friends") > as it now only returns a list of friends that have also added this application and granted permissions
The way to actually get a list of friends as of recently: Result = Client.Get("/me/taggable_friends?fields=id,name")
And now i'm trying to Deserialize the output into a List(Of Friend): dim x As List(Of FBFriend) = DirectCast(JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(Result.data.ToString), List(Of FBFriend)) => But this doesn't seem to be working, the proposed solutions online of going about this seem to error out one at a time :x

Dear Richard, if you are able to push me in the direction of how to go about handling Facebook, i'm all ears
I only need 3 things: Get Friends List, Get New Chat Message Event, Send Message

Richard MacCutchan 4-Feb-16 8:10am

And the answer is in the Facebook documentation.

Member 12293516 4-Feb-16 8:13am

I've gone through it several times, as it is a good source of finding out what permissions to use, what has changed, etc.
But it's not a good source for finding out how to go about this, as not a single thing there is aimed at Visual Studio, it's all JavaScript
Thats just a dick anwser ...

Richard MacCutchan 4-Feb-16 8:36am

Well you asked the question.

Member 12293516 4-Feb-16 8:40am

And your replied a dick answer to a legit question ^^

Richard MacCutchan 4-Feb-16 8:52am

Posting abuse on this site is a really good way to get yourself kicked off.

Member 12293516 4-Feb-16 8:59am

Uhm, how is this abuse? I'm only stating you're not being helpfull ..
Case and point:
- Well spread way of getting Facebook Messages Inbox: Result = Client.Get("/me/inbox") > Throws error: (OAuthException - #298) (#298) Requires extended permission: read_mailbox
- Adding this permission won't work.. as Facebook Documentation clearly states that the "read_mailbox" has been deprecated.
Yet no information is provided on how this has changed or how to go about Facebook Chat with their changed procedures. Even the 3d Party links i could find in their Documentation appear to be dead links (404)
And the stuff to be found on the has Facebook seems to now have deprecated, so these approaches are no longer valid.
Finding out how to go about this doesn't seem to be as straight forward as just digging into the Documentation..
As i have stated in my original post ... ..

Richard MacCutchan 4-Feb-16 9:06am

You insult me becasue I did not post the answer you feel you deserved, even though you are paying nothing for this service, and I am giving up some of my own time to try and help you. I suggest you read http://www.codeproject.com/KB/FAQs/QuickAnswersFAQ.aspx for future reference.

Member 12293516 4-Feb-16 9:12am

Thank you for your time!
But as in my first post i clearly stated that Facebook Documentation is not much of a reference, and specifically requested that if it is to post a reply to this documentation to just.. not.. as It's been my main source so far
In my opinion i have in no way insulted you, i simply exerted my opinion with freedom of speech stating that your answer was quite a dickish answer, as you just completely ignored the request and did so anyway

Member 12293516 4-Feb-16 9:22am

As to further demonstrate what I mean...
Here is facebook clearly sating that their XML/XMPP Chat protocol has been discontinued since April 30 2014: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/chat
Yet, 3d party chat clients still manage to provide a Facebook Chat.. an example of this is Trillian from Cerulean Studios
This is why i clearly stated that references to the Facebook Documentation would simply be of no help, as Facebook has just cut this off. But since Trillian is still able to enable Facebook Chat there has to be some way to achieve this.
Unless they have a protocol supported only between Facebook and these 3d Party Apps..

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