Managing Friends & Requests

[doubledee]

My website allows Members to request to be "friends" with other Members.

 

To be Friends, you would have something like this in database terms...

Requestor	Requestee	Request_Approved	Requestee_Approved
----------	----------	-----------------	-------------------
19		25		1			1			

 

...where the 3rd and 4th columns can hold: 0="Decide Later", 1="Accept", 2="Decline"

 

 

Here is where things get complicated in my mind...

 

 

Business Rules:

- Debbie (Me) can make Outgoing Friend-Requests which are "Pending"

- Debbie (Me) can make Outgoing Friend-Requests which are "Accepted"

- Debbie (Me) can make Outgoing Friend-Requests which are "Declined"

 

 

- Debbie (Me) can receive Incoming Friend-Requests which are "Pending"

- Debbie (Me) can receive Incoming Friend-Requests which are "Accepted"

- Debbie (Me) can receive Incoming Friend-Requests which are "Declined"

 

- "Friend-Requests" that are accepted by both parties turn into "Friendships"

 

- It takes both a "Requestor" and a "Requestee" to form a "Friend-Request" and ultimately a "Friendship"

 

- Either a "Requestor" or a "Requestee" may want to change their "Friend-Requests" and/or "Friendships"

 

 

How do I manage all of that via Views in my Member's Profile?! 

 

 

Currently, I have the following...

 

1.) "My Friends" tab in the Member Profile which shows all a.) Consummated Friendships, b.) Pending Friendships (Outgoing), c.) Pending Friendships (Incoming)

 

2.) "Incoming Friend-Requests" page showing all Incoming Requests with "Decide Later", "Accept" and "Decline" radio buttons for each entry

 

3.) "History of Friend-Requests" page showing both Current and Historical Friend-Requests with "Decide Later", "Accept" and "Decline" radio buttons for each entry (This would allow someone to change what they decided on an old Friend-Request, e.g. deciding to "Accept" a Request that was previously "Declined".)

 

 

Concerns:

 

1.) How do I show/allow Members who made a Friend-Request and was "Accepted" by both parties, "Terminate" the Friendship?

 

2.) How do I show/allow Members who received a Friend-Request and was "Accepted" by both Parties, "Terminate" the Friendship?

 

3.) How do I show/allow Members who made a Friend-Request - which is still "Pending" - change their mind and "Terminate" the Friendship-Request?

 

4.) Do I need some "super" view that shows every a.) Outgoing Friend-Request, b.) Incoming Friend-Request, c.) Accepted Friend, d.) Declined Friend and all of the states for each of them?!  (This is where things get *crazy* if you do every combination?!) 

 

 

**NOTE:  I don't need help with the PHP/MySQL mechanics to make all of this work...  I am just confused about how I should design the User-Interface and what my System should and should not do and show?!

 

 

I am probably making this entire "Friend" thing way too complicated, but like most things in life, there is more to it than meets the eye?!

 

Thoughts and advice welcome!!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Debbie

 

 

[Philip]

1.) How do I show/allow Members who made a Friend-Request and was "Accepted" by both parties, "Terminate" the Friendship?

Via an "unfriend" button, while viewing that friend's profile.

 

2.) How do I show/allow Members who received a Friend-Request and was "Accepted" by both Parties, "Terminate" the Friendship?

See #1.

 

3.) How do I show/allow Members who made a Friend-Request - which is still "Pending" - change their mind and "Terminate" the Friendship-Request?

Via a "Cancel" button, while viewing that friend's profile.

 

4.) Do I need some "super" view that shows every a.) Outgoing Friend-Request, b.) Incoming Friend-Request, c.) Accepted Friend, d.) Declined Friend and all of the states for each of them?!  (This is where things get *crazy* if you do every combination?!) 

No, varying pages based off of users "filters." E.g. I select "View all friends" - that shows all of my accepted friends. "View friend requests" - shows your current incoming (and outgoing if you want) requests, as well as an option to view declined.

 

 

Take a look at Facebook - they do a great job organizing this.