pull the actual node.js code itself out into a separate npm module, instead of shipping it with drupal module

This seems like a nice approach.

I'm having some trouble running node.js integration module with drupal 7 via no.de from joyent, it seems like I'll need:

1. server.js
2. package.json
3. nodejs.config.js.example => configured to nodejs.config.js

Anything else?

codes/files for nodejs server should be in an standalone directory, less confusing.

First I installed the nodejs modules with the npm install as the readme said. It brokes the site if you are using the features module. (I debugged there is a .info file in the node_modules directory. The Drupal regards it as a module's info file. Something happens, but php dies with segfault.)

So I installed the node_modules into the sites/all/libraries/nodejs directory. First I copied the package.json there, then I run the npm install in this dir.

This is my chatroom starting script:

#!/bin/sh
cd $(dirname $0)/../../..
drupal_root=`pwd`
export NODE_PATH=${drupal_root}/sites/all/libraries/nodejs/node_modules
cd ${drupal_root}/sites/all/modules/contrib/nodejs
node server.js

This script is in the profiles/myprofile/bin (the cd step back three levels). The important thing is setup the NODE_PATH env variable.

I just spent time troubleshooting a segfault error occurring when trying to use Features, and I eventually landed here.

The .info files in the node_modules directory are definitely the issue. Drupal gets confused because its expecting .info files to describe a module. There's an issue here to hopefully fix this in core: https://www.drupal.org/node/2329453

The workaround in that thread is to delete the .info files in the node_module directory. Doing this fixed the problem for me. Just wanted to share in case it helps someone else with the same issue.

My vote would be for something that contains the full module name, like "Node.js Integration for Drupal"

I have taken the first crack at dividing server.js into submodules (re: #2634908: Organize node.js server into submodules). You can see my progress here:
https://github.com/glekli/drupal-nodejs
Please let me know if the direction I'm headed looks ok, and, if so, I'll issue a pull request into your repo when you have it set up.

I have put in a pull request: https://github.com/beejeebus/drupal-nodejs/pull/1

By "just getting the code reorganisation done", do you mean just moving server.js to an npm module without any changes?

Let me reopen this for one more task to discuss: shall we remove the nodejs app from 7.x as well?
I think, for maintainability, it would be better if there was only one nodejs app to keep up to date. Another benefit is that there would be no need to create a new release for the drupal module if there is an update that only apples to the nodejs app.

In a nutshell, the two steps needed to switch a D7 site would be applying the module update and installing the nodejs app from NPM or GitHub. After that, the process should be the same as before.

Here are some possible concerns that come to mind:

- The same release that removes the nodejs app from 7.x will also need to include any changes that may be needed to remain compatible with the new server app.
- The configuration file remains compatible, so no changes should be needed there.
- The extension api is mostly backwards compatible, but there is some change in the 'setup' hook. That means extensions may break after the update. As far as I can judge Chat Room andDrupalChat are the two most prevalent modules that depend on Nodejs. Chat Room does not have an extension. DrupalChat does have one. It would be best to coordinate with that module's developers.

Are there any other concerns?
Does anyone know of other modules that depend on NodeJs Integration and have their own nodejs extension?

I'm attaching a patch that removes the nodejs app from 7.x and applies all enhancements we have made since pulling out the nodejs app. (In particular, https://github.com/beejeebus/drupal-nodejs/issues/2 and https://github.com/beejeebus/drupal-nodejs/issues/7)

Great, thanks. Committed.