Feat message queue #2056

Stephen-S-H · 2025-06-08T07:47:24Z

This feature adds an optional message queue that stores messages until a node is reachable and then retries sending.

#1979 (comment)

Enable the message queue

Send a message to a node that is not reachable

When Max Retransmission Attempts are reached, the message enters the queue:

Tap the clock icon for more info, to manually retry, or to delete the message from the queue (deletes message entirely)

When the node comes online and the app receives a packet from the node, it retries the send.

This seems to work on my devices nicely, but I'm new to both Meshtastic and Kotlin so please take a careful look over this PR to make sure I'm not doing anything unwise here.

…or acknowledgment before the next is sent

CLAassistant · 2025-06-08T07:47:30Z

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CLAassistant · 2025-06-08T07:47:30Z

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Copilot

Pull Request Overview

Adds an optional message queue feature to automatically retry failed text messages when target nodes become reachable, with UI controls and persistent storage.

Introduces string resources and settings for the queue
Extends UI components to display queued-for-retry status and allow manual retry/cancel
Implements database entities/DAO, retry strategy, and service integration for background processing

Reviewed Changes

Copilot reviewed 19 out of 19 changed files in this pull request and generated 2 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml	Added message queue text, status labels, and actions
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/message/components/MessageItem.kt	Show “queued for retry” label and Schedule icon
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/message/MessageList.kt	Updated DeliveryInfo dialog for retry and cancel
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RetryStrategy.kt	New exponential backoff logic and status descriptions
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MessageQueueManager.kt	Core queue management, enqueue/dequeue, processing
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt	Hooks into service for network/node events
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/database/entity/QueuedMessage.kt	New Room entity for queued messages
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/database/dao/MessageQueueDao.kt	DAO for queue operations
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/database/MeshtasticDatabase.kt	Registered new entity and DAO
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/database/DatabaseModule.kt	Provided MessageQueueDao
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/MainActivity.kt	Settings dialog integration for toggling the queue
app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/DataPacket.kt	Added MessageStatus.QUEUED_FOR_RETRY

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (1)

app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/ui/message/MessageList.kt:107

R.string.delete is not defined in strings.xml and will cause a build error. Consider replacing this with the existing R.string.message_queue_cancel_retry ("Remove from Queue") or adding a delete string resource if intended.

) { Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.delete)) }

Copilot · 2025-06-08T11:56:11Z

app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RetryStrategy.kt

+     */
+    fun getRetryStatusDescription(queuedMessage: QueuedMessage, currentTime: Long): String {
+        if (currentTime - queuedMessage.queuedTime > MAX_MESSAGE_AGE_MILLIS) {
+            return "Message expired (24h limit reached)"


User-facing strings are hard-coded in the retry status description. For localization and consistency, move these literals into strings.xml and reference them with string resources.

Copilot · 2025-06-08T11:56:11Z

app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MessageQueueManager.kt

+     * Generate a new packet ID for retry attempts
+     */
+    private fun generatePacketId(): Int {
+        return Random().nextInt()


Random().nextInt() can generate negative values, which may produce invalid packet IDs. Consider bounding the result (e.g., abs(random.nextInt())) or using a positive-range generator to ensure packet IDs are always non-negative.

Suggested change

return Random().nextInt()

return Math.abs(Random().nextInt())

Instead of using Random entirely - maybe use a UUID

jamesarich

We definitely don't want to modify the current 18.json db schema.

If you revert the changes to the schema json files (and delete 19) and rebuild - it should just generate a new 19.json schema with the migragtions needed for 18-19 and not modify 18.json

jamesarich · 2025-06-08T14:15:22Z

app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/RetryStrategy.kt

+     */
+    fun getRetryStatusDescription(queuedMessage: QueuedMessage, currentTime: Long): String {
+        if (currentTime - queuedMessage.queuedTime > MAX_MESSAGE_AGE_MILLIS) {
+            return "Message expired (24h limit reached)"


Yep - let's extract these so they can be localized.

jamesarich · 2025-06-08T20:13:44Z

I shared your PR with the other contributors on discord and it's generated a lot of excitement, and also some implementation feedback:

Instead of a global on/off toggle from the main menu - let's utilize the current retry dialog to allow the user add to the queue.
Adjust the inital Retry backoff time - 1 minute seemed like it could be a touch fast depending on the user's LoRa settings and mesh congestion.

Stephen-S-H · 2025-06-10T07:40:13Z

Thanks for the feedback. I'll clean this up per your suggestions. I originally made this so you needed to hit 'Retry' in the dialog to enter the queue, but it felt like an unnecessary extra step given I know that I always want the queue behaviour. Are you suggesting that the queue is always enabled, and a message enters the queue when you click 'Retry' in the retry dialog? Should I remove the setting from the main menu?

About backoff times. What do you suggest for backoff times? I pulled those out of the air. Presumably if this feature is being utilized the user is not in a congested mesh, but we understandably can't expect everyone to use the feature with consideration of wider impacts. (15m 1h 3h 6h 12h)?

jamesarich · 2025-06-10T11:39:07Z

Yes, the suggested flow would be the queue is always available, and messages to be added to the queue as an additional option from the retry dialog. (Also removing the main menu setting since it's always "on").

Manual per-message opt-in allows us to mitigate initial impact until we better understand it.

As for the timing, let's roll with it the way it currently is. We can tune it in later iterations.

Xaositek · 2025-06-11T14:22:16Z

There is equally inherent 3-attempt logic at the radio level while trying to find a recipient for either direct delivery or relayed DM. I would also ensure we persist this as a DM only feature, not something we have available for channel messages.

jamesarich · 2025-06-18T12:17:50Z

hi @Stephen-S-H - any plans to continue work on this?

Stephen-S-H · 2025-06-19T00:29:06Z

Yes, I'm time poor though. I'll update my PR in the next week I think.

…

On Wed, 18 Jun 2025 at 22:18, James Rich ***@***.***> wrote: *jamesarich* left a comment (meshtastic/Meshtastic-Android#2056) <#2056 (comment)> hi @Stephen-S-H <https://github.com/Stephen-S-H> - any plans to continue work on this? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2056 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/A3KPXZET6QAUBB5UTCHR4O33EFKIJAVCNFSM6AAAAAB62Z2JXCVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDSOBTHE3DQMZYGI> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

jamesarich · 2025-06-19T12:08:29Z

Sounds good, thanks!

Stephen-S-H and others added 6 commits June 8, 2025 09:32

feat: message queue support

94526f8

chore: add temp feature docs

a483d6e

feat: improved visual indications of queuing

e2e37da

delete messages deletes the queue

c06f1cc

Now follows the normal Meshtastic protocol where each message waits f…

291985c

…or acknowledgment before the next is sent

cleanup uneeded file

8342308

Merge branch 'main' into feat-message-queue

7a3272b

Stephen-S-H mentioned this pull request Jun 8, 2025

[Feature Request]: Message Queue #1979

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jamesarich requested a review from Copilot June 8, 2025 11:54

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github-actions bot added the Stale label Jul 20, 2025

	return Random().nextInt()
	return Math.abs(Random().nextInt())

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