Chatting and file sharing using C# in Asp.Net Webforms

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C#

ASP.NET

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Hi I am developing .NET Web-forms based application in c#. I need to add a module in the application which allows chatting between logged in users and users can share files during chatting, like Skype. Meanwhile I have to keep a PERMANENT RECORD of each and every word of conversation and files transferred during the session, on my server. I have a bit idea about the implementation of module to achieve the desired result, but I am sure that is not a good practice. Here is my idea:

Chatting: While users are chatting, create a data-table which will contain the sender id, receiver id, and message contents. When ever user presses send button or hit Enter, a new row would be inserted in the data-table with both IDs and message contents and then the data-table will be bound to a div etc. to show updated messages to both users. At the end, on an event (like window close etc) data-table will be converted to the XML and the XML file will be stored permanently either on hard disk or in database.

File-transfer: During chatting whenever user press enter/send button we will check the message contents, if the message being sent is a file (with some extension) then upload the file on server and provide a download link to the receiver.

I hope you got my point.

Problem:

1) I want to share files asynchronously i.e. transfer to the receiver and save on the server at the same time. Is it possible?

2) How to tell one user that the other user is typing?

Is there any better way to implement this module? What sort of knowledge should I have to properly comprehend and implement the module?

Thanks for any guidance.