Basic functionality works. But it's not how Griatch wanted it in terms of output.

evennia/server/inputfuncs.py

@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ from codecs import lookup as codecs_lookup
 
 from django.conf import settings
 
-from evennia.accounts.models import AccountDB
+from evennia import ObjectDB
 from evennia.commands.cmdhandler import cmdhandler
+from evennia.commands.default.general import CmdSay
 from evennia.utils.logger import log_err
 from evennia.utils.utils import to_str
 
@@ -650,6 +651,26 @@ def msdp_send(session, *args, **kwargs):
     session.msg(send=((), out))
 
 
+def is_typing_get_aliases(session, *args, **kwargs):
+    session.msg(is_typing={'type': 'aliases', 'payload': CmdSay.aliases})
+
+
+def is_typing_state(session, *args, **kwargs):
+    # audience = ObjectDB.objects.filter(db_typeclass_path="typeclasses.characters.Character",
+    #                                    db_location=session.puppet.location).exclude(db_key=session.puppet.key)
+
+    audience = ObjectDB.objects.filter(db_typeclass_path="typeclasses.characters.Character",
+                                       db_location=session.puppet.location)
+
+    for puppet in audience:
+        for puppet_session in puppet.sessions.all():
+            puppet_session.msg(is_typing={'type': 'typing',
+                                          'payload': {
+                                              'name': session.puppet.name,
+                                              'state': args[0]
+                                          }})
+
+
 # client specific
 
 

evennia/web/static/webclient/css/webclient.css

@@ -346,6 +346,33 @@ div {margin:0px;}
   text-decoration: underline;
 }
 
+#istyping {
+    position: fixed;
+    top: 25px;
+    right: 25px;
+    width: auto;
+    height: auto;
+    display: none;
+    color: white;
+}
+
+.player-is-typing {
+    animation: isTyping 2s ease 0s infinite normal forwards;
+}
+@keyframes isTyping {
+	0% {
+		opacity: 1;
+	}
+
+	50% {
+		opacity: 0.2;
+	}
+
+	100% {
+		opacity: 1;
+	}
+}
+
 
 /* XTERM256 colors */
 

evennia/web/static/webclient/js/plugins/is_typing.js

@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
+let is_typing = (function (){
+    let Evennia;
+    // 10 second timeout
+    const timeout = 10 * 1000
+    const state = {
+        timeout: null,
+        callback: null,
+        is_typing: false,
+        typing_players: [],
+        cleanup_callback: null,
+    }
+
+    const sayCommands = ['say']
+
+    const createDialog = function() {
+        const ele =[
+            '<div id="istyping" class="content">',
+            '<div id="typingplayers"></div>',
+            '</div>'
+        ].join('\n')
+
+        $('body').append(ele)
+    }
+
+    const playerElement =(name)=> `<div id="istyping-${name}" class="player-is-typing">${name} is typing...</div>`
+
+    const startedTyping = function () {
+        state.is_typing = true;
+        state.timeout = Date.now() + timeout;
+        state.callback = setTimeout(stoppedTyping, timeout);
+
+        sendIsTyping()
+    }
+
+    const stillTyping = function () {
+        state.timeout = Date.now() + timeout
+        clearTimeout(state.callback)
+        state.callback = setTimeout(stoppedTyping, timeout)
+
+        sendIsTyping()
+    }
+
+    const stoppedTyping = function () {
+        state.is_typing = false;
+        clearTimeout(state.callback);
+        state.callback = null;
+        state.timeout = null;
+
+        sendIsTyping()
+    }
+
+    // Make our commands array regex safe
+    const escapeRegExp = function (text) {
+        return text.replace(/[-[\]{}()*+?.,\\^$|#\s]/g, '\\$&');
+    }
+
+    // Get the say command's aliases
+    const requestSayAliases = function () {
+        Evennia.msg('is_typing_get_aliases')
+    }
+
+    const setSayAliases = function (aliases) {
+        aliases.forEach(alias=>sayCommands.push(escapeRegExp(alias)))
+    }
+
+    // Update server
+    const sendIsTyping = function () {
+        Evennia.msg('is_typing_state', [state.is_typing])
+    }
+
+    const onLoggedIn = function () {
+        requestSayAliases();
+    }
+
+    // Listen for talk commands
+    const onKeydown = function (event) {
+        const regex = new RegExp(`^\W*(${sayCommands.reduce((acc, cur)=> acc + "|" + cur, "").substring(1)})`)
+        const inputfield = $(".inputfield:focus");
+
+        // A 'say' command is being used.
+        if (Evennia.isConnected() &&
+            inputfield.length === 1 &&
+            inputfield.val().match(regex)) {
+            // Enter. Message sent. Reset.
+            if (event.which === 13) {
+                stoppedTyping()
+
+            // Speaking just started. Set is_talking and timeout.
+            } else if (!state.is_typing) {
+                startedTyping();
+
+            // Expiration is nearing. Update timeout.
+            } else if (Date.now() + 5 * 1000 > state.timeout) {
+                stillTyping();
+
+            }
+        // Not talking anymore but state hasn't been updated yet.
+        } else if (state.is_typing) {
+            stoppedTyping();
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Reset everything
+    const onConnectionClose = function () {
+        state.is_typing = false;
+        state.timeout = null;
+        state.typing_players = []
+
+        if (state.callback) {
+            clearTimeout(state.callback)
+        }
+
+        if (state.cleanup_callback) {
+            clearInterval(state.cleanup_callback)
+        }
+    }
+
+    const cleanupTimedOutPlayers = function () {
+        const now = Date.now();
+        const timedOut = []
+
+        state.typing_players.forEach((player, index)=>{
+            if (player.timeout < now) {
+                timedOut.push(index)
+                $(`#istyping-${player}`).remove()
+            }
+        })
+
+        timedOut.reverse().forEach(index=>state.typing_players.splice(index, 1))
+
+        if (state.typing_players.length === 0) {
+            clearInterval(state.cleanup_callback)
+            $('#istyping').hide();
+        }
+    }
+
+    const is_typing = function (args, kwargs) {
+        if ('type' in kwargs) {
+            switch (kwargs.type) {
+                case 'aliases':
+                    setSayAliases(kwargs.payload)
+                    break;
+
+                case 'typing':
+                    const player = state.typing_players.filter(player=>player.name === kwargs.payload.name)
+
+                    // New talker
+                    if (kwargs.payload.state &&
+                        player.length === 0) {
+                        state.typing_players.push({name: kwargs.payload.name, timeout: Date.now() + timeout})
+                        $('#typingplayers').append(playerElement(kwargs.payload.name))
+
+                    // Existing talker is still going
+                    } else if (kwargs.payload.state &&
+                        player.length > 0) {
+                        player[0].timeout = Date.now() + timeout;
+
+                    // They're done talking
+                    } else {
+                        state.typing_players = state.typing_players.filter(player=>player.name!== kwargs.payload.name)
+                        $(`#istyping-${kwargs.payload.name}`).remove()
+                    }
+
+                    if (state.typing_players.length > 0 && !state.cleanup_callback) {
+                        state.cleanup_callback = setInterval(cleanupTimedOutPlayers, 100);
+                        $('#istyping').show();
+
+                    } else if (state.typing_players.length === 0 && state.cleanup_callback) {
+                        clearInterval(state.cleanup_callback)
+                        state.cleanup_callback = null;
+                        $('#istyping').hide();
+                    }
+                    break;
+
+                default:
+                    console.log("Default case")
+                    console.log(args)
+                    console.log(kwargs)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    const getState = () => state
+
+    //
+    // Mandatory plugin init function
+    const init = function () {
+        let options = window.options;
+        options["is_typing"] = true;
+        Evennia = window.Evennia;
+
+        Evennia.emitter.on("is_typing", is_typing);
+
+        createDialog();
+
+        console.log('Is Typing plugin initialized');
+    }
+
+    return {
+        init,
+        onLoggedIn,
+        onKeydown,
+        onConnectionClose,
+        getState
+    }
+})()
+
+window.plugin_handler.add("is_typing", is_typing)

evennia/web/templates/webclient/base.html

@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ JQuery available.
 <!--
         <script src={% static "webclient/js/plugins/dual_input.js" %} language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></script>
 -->
+
+        <script src={% static "webclient/js/plugins/is_typing.js" %} language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></script>
         <script src={% static "webclient/js/plugins/default_in.js" %} language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></script>
         <script src={% static "webclient/js/plugins/default_out.js" %} language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></script>
         <script src={% static "webclient/js/plugins/multimedia.js" %} language="javascript" type="text/javascript"></script>