chat_client.py

from multiprocessing import Process
from firebase import firebase
from sseclient import SSEClient
import json
import time

FIREBASE_URL = "https://dazzling-fire-5952.firebaseio.com/"


def poll_chat():
    sse = SSEClient(FIREBASE_URL + "PythonChatDemo/Messages.json")
    print("Watching Firebase node - %s" % (FIREBASE_URL + "PythonChatDemo/Messages.json"))

    for new_message in sse:
        message_data = json.loads(new_message.data)

        if message_data is None:  # Keep alive
            continue

        if message_data["data"] is None:
            continue

        # print("message_data = %s\n" %(message_data))

        if message_data["path"] == "/": # Initial Read for old messages
            print("Previous messages")
            for (nodeid, message) in message_data["data"].items():
                #print("message = %s" % (message))
                print("%s says: %s" % (message["name"], message["message"]))

        else: # New Message
            print("%s says: %s" % (message_data["data"]["name"], message_data["data"]["message"]))

# Main
if __name__ == '__main__':

    # Start a thread to monitor changes to firebase
    t = Process(target=poll_chat)
    t.start()

    time.sleep(1)
    username = raw_input("Input your name: ")
    fb = firebase.FirebaseApplication(FIREBASE_URL, None)

    # Post initial message to Firebase
    fb.post('/PythonChatDemo/Messages', {"name": username, "message": "Joined the chat", ".priority": time.time() * 1000 })

    # Post new messages to Firebase
    while (True):
        message = raw_input("")
        print("\n")
        fb.post('/PythonChatDemo/Messages', {"name": username, "message": message, ".priority": time.time() * 1000 })