adding messaging functionality

app/assets/stylesheets/conversation.css

@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+/* Styles for messages/conversations*/
+.messages-container {
+    max-width: 800px;
+    margin: 40px auto;
+    padding: 20px;
+  }
+
+  .conversations-list {
+    margin-top: 20px;
+  }
+
+  .conversation-item {
+    display: block;
+    padding: 15px;
+    border: 1px solid #e1e1e1;
+    margin-bottom: 10px;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    text-decoration: none;
+    color: inherit;
+    transition: background-color 0.2s;
+  }
+
+  .conversation-item:hover {
+    background-color: #f5f5f5;
+  }
+
+  .conversation-container {
+    max-width: 800px;
+    margin: 40px auto;
+    padding: 20px;
+  }
+
+  .messages-list {
+    margin: 20px 0;
+    padding: 20px;
+    border: 1px solid #e1e1e1;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    height: 400px;
+    overflow-y: auto;
+  }
+
+  .message {
+    margin-bottom: 15px;
+    max-width: 70%;
+  }
+
+  .message.sent {
+    margin-left: auto;
+  }
+
+  .message.received {
+    margin-right: auto;
+  }
+
+  .message-content {
+    padding: 10px 15px;
+    border-radius: 15px;
+    background-color: #f0f0f0;
+  }
+
+  .message.sent .message-content {
+    background-color: #007bff;
+    color: white;
+  }
+
+  .message-timestamp {
+    font-size: 12px;
+    color: #666;
+    margin-top: 5px;
+    text-align: right;
+  }
+
+  .message-form {
+    margin-top: 20px;
+  }
+
+  .message-form textarea {
+    width: 100%;
+    padding: 10px;
+    border: 1px solid #ddd;
+    border-radius: 8px;
+    resize: vertical;
+  }
+
+  .send-button {
+    background-color: #007bff;
+    color: white;
+    padding: 10px 20px;
+    border: none;
+    border-radius: 5px;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    margin-top: 10px;
+  }
+
+  .send-button:hover {
+    background-color: #0056b3;
+  }

app/controllers/message_controller.rb

@@ -1,2 +1,46 @@
 class MessageController < ApplicationController
+    before_action :require_login
+
+  # Get unique users that current user has sent/received messages to/from
+  def index
+    sent_to_users = Message.where(from_id: session[:user]["id"]).includes(:to).map(&:to)
+    received_from_users = Message.where(to_id: session[:user]["id"]).includes(:from).map(&:from)
+    @users = (sent_to_users + received_from_users).uniq
+  end
+
+  # Query and get all messages between current and other user
+  def show_messages
+    @user2 = User.find(params[:user_id])
+    @messages = Message.where(
+      "(from_id = ? AND to_id = ?) OR (from_id = ? AND to_id = ?)",
+      session[:user]["id"], @user2.id,
+      @user2.id, session[:user]["id"]
+    ).order(created_at: :asc)
+    @new_message = Message.new
+  end
+
+  def create
+    @message = Message.new(message_params)
+    @message.from_id = session[:user]["id"]
+    @message.to_id = params[:user_id]
+
+    if @message.save
+      redirect_to conversation_path(params[:user_id]), notice: "Message sent!"
+    else
+      redirect_to conversation_path(params[:user_id]), alert: "Failed to send message."
+    end
+  end
+
+  def require_login
+    unless session[:user]
+      redirect_to login_path
+    end
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  # require content for message
+  def message_params
+    params.require(:message).permit(:content)
+  end
 end

app/views/item/index.html.erb

@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@
                 <h2><%= link_to item.name, item_path(item) %></h2>
                 <p><strong>Description:</strong> <%= item.description %></p>
                 <p><strong>Price:</strong> <%= number_to_currency(item.price) %></p>
-                <p><strong>Seller:</strong> <%= item.user.username %></p>
+                <p><strong>Seller:</strong> 
+                    <% if session[:user] && session[:user]["id"] != item.user.id %>
+                        <%= link_to item.user.username, conversation_path(item.user) %>
+                    <% else %>
+                        <%= item.user.username %>
+                    <% end %>
+                </p>
                 <p><strong>Reviews:</strong> <%= item.ratings.count %></p>
                 <p><strong>Available Quantity:</strong> <%= item.remaining_quantity %></p>
                 <p><small>Listed on <%= item.created_at.in_time_zone('Pacific Time (US & Canada)').strftime("%B %d, %Y at %I:%M %p %Z") %></small></p>

app/views/item/show_listing.html.erb

@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 <h1><%= @item.name %></h1>
 <p><strong>Description:</strong> <%= @item.description %></p>
 <p><strong>Price:</strong> <%= number_to_currency(@item.price) %></p>
-<p><strong>Seller:</strong> <%= @item.user.username %></p>
+<p><strong>Seller:</strong> 
+    <% if session[:user] && session[:user]["id"] != @item.user.id %>
+        <%= link_to @item.user.username, conversation_path(@item.user) %>
+    <% else %>
+        <%= @item.user.username %>
+    <% end %>
+</p>
 <p><strong>Average Rating:</strong> <%= @item.average_rating %> / 5</p>
 <p><strong>Available Quantity:</strong> <%= @item.remaining_quantity %></p>
 
@@ -22,7 +28,7 @@
     <p class="notice-message"><%= flash[:notice] %></p>
   <% end %>
 <% else %>
-  <p>Please <a href="<%= login_path %>">log in</a> to place an order.</p>
+  <p>Please <a href="<%= login_path %>">log in</a> to place an order and send messages.</p>
 <% end %>
 
 <div class="reviews-section">

app/views/layouts/application.html.erb

@@ -20,9 +20,12 @@
 
       <div class="nav-links">
         <% if @loggedin %>
-          <%= link_to "Log Out", "/logout" %> <%= link_to "Profile", "/profile" %>
+          <%= link_to "Profile", "/profile" %>
+          <%= link_to "Messages", messages_path %>
+          <%= link_to "Log Out", "/logout" %> 
         <% else %>
-          <%= link_to "Log In", "/login" %> <%= link_to "Register", "/register" %>
+          <%= link_to "Log In", "/login" %> 
+          <%= link_to "Register", "/register" %>
         <% end %>
       </div>
     <% end %>

app/views/message/index.html.erb

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<div class="messages-container">
+  <h1>Your Messages</h1>
+
+  <% if @users.empty? %>
+    <p>No messages yet!</p>
+  <% else %>
+    <div class="conversations-list">
+      <% @users.each do |user| %>
+        <%= link_to conversation_path(user), class: "conversation-item" do %>
+          <div class="user-info">
+            <h3><%= user.username %></h3>
+          </div>
+        <% end %>
+      <% end %>
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
+</div>

app/views/message/show_messages.html.erb

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<div class="conversation-container">
+  <h1>Conversation with <%= @user2.username %></h1>
+
+  <% if flash[:notice] %>
+    <div class="alert alert-success">
+      <%= flash[:notice] %>
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
+
+  <% if flash[:alert] %>
+    <div class="alert alert-danger">
+      <%= flash[:alert] %>
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
+
+  <div class="messages-list">
+    <% @messages.each do |message| %>
+      <div class="message <%= message.from_id == session[:user]["id"] ? 'sent' : 'received' %>">
+        <div class="message-content">
+          <%= message.content %>
+        </div>
+        <div class="message-timestamp">
+          <%= time_ago_in_words(message.created_at) %> ago
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    <% end %>
+  </div>
+
+  <%= form_with(model: @new_message, url: conversation_path(@user2), local: true) do |f| %>
+    <div class="message-form">
+      <%= f.text_area :content, placeholder: "Enter message...", class: "message-input" %>
+      <%= f.submit "Send", class: "send-button" %>
+    </div>
+  <% end %>
+</div>

config/routes.rb

@@ -24,4 +24,8 @@
   post "item/:id/review" => "ratings#create_rating", as: :add_review
 
   get "profile" => "user#show_profile"
+
+  get "messages" => "message#index"
+  get "messages/:user_id" => "message#show_messages", as: :conversation
+  post "messages/:user_id" => "message#create"
 end