Socket.emit() outside socket.on() - socket.io

Question

Do we always have to use socket.emit() inside a socket.on() like that:
io.sockets.on('connection', function (socket) {
console.log('User connected !');
retrieveDictionnary((dictionnary) =>{
socket.emit('dictionnarySend', dictionnary);
}
}
I want to create on my client side a function which ask information to the server when I click on a button:
translateServer(parameter, control){
this.socket.emit('translate', [parameter,control]);
}
But it seems that it's not working, the server never receive this message.
Thank you !

Answer 1

The pattern you are using above is the recommended way of interacting with a socket (ie acquiring a socket instance when the 'connection' event fires, and then calling emit() from that socket instance, etc).
If I understand your client-side requirements correctly, you are wanting to send data to the server via web sockets - are you sure the socket that you have established a web socket connection between the client and server?
For instance, if you add the following to your client-side code, you should see a success message in your console:
const socket = io.connect('YOUR SERVER ADDRESS');
socket.on('connect', () => {
console.log('connected to server!');
// [UPDATE]
// This assumes you have a <button> element on your page. When
// clicked, a message will be sent to the server via sockets
document.querySelector('button').addEventListener('click', (event) => {
// Prevent button click reloading page
event.preventDefault();
// Send message to server via socket
socket.emit('MESSAGE_ID', 'test message from client' + new Date());
});
});
Update
This shows your original server code, expanded with the detail needed to receive and print data sent from client via sockets:
io.sockets.on('connection', function (socket) {
console.log('User connected !');
// Register a server handler for any messages from client on MESSAGE_ID channel
socket.on('MESSAGE_ID', (message) => {
// Print the message received from client in console
console.log('message from client', message);
})
retrieveDictionnary((dictionnary) =>{
socket.emit('dictionnarySend', dictionnary);
}
}