Channel object

The Channel object represents a single chat room where users can send and receive messages.

Properties

The Channel object has the following properties:

1public class Channel : UniqueChatEntity {
2    public string Id { get; protected set; }
3    public string Name { get; }
4    public string Description { get; }
5    public Dictionary<string, object> CustomData { get; }
6    public string Updated { get; }
7    public string Status { get; }
8    public string Type { get; }
9}

Parameter	Description
Id Type: string	Unique identifier for the channel. Verify the channel ID with our validator.
Name Type: string	Display name or title of the channel.
Description Type: string	Brief description or summary of the channel's purpose or content.
CustomData Type: Dictionary<string, object>	Custom data associated with the channel in the form of a JSON. Values must be scalar only; arrays or objects are not supported. App Context filtering language doesn’t support filtering by custom properties.
Updated Type: string	Timestamp indicating when the channel was last updated or modified.
Status Type: string	Current status of the channel, such as online, offline, or archived.
Type Type: string	One of the available channel types: direct (1:1) group (multiple people, restricted by invitation) public (open chat for a large audience, anyone can join it)

API limits

To learn about the maximum length of parameters used to set channel metadata, refer to REST API docs.

Events

The Channel object has the following events:

1// Event triggered when a message is received on a channel.
2// Call Connect(true) to enable this callback.
3public event Action<Message> OnMessageReceived;
4// Event triggered when a channel is updated.
5// Call StreamUpdates(true) to enable this callback.
6public event Action<Channel> OnUpdated;
7// Event triggered when a channel is hard-deleted from App Context.
8// Call StreamUpdates(true) to enable this callback.
9public event Action OnDeleted;
10// Event triggered when a presence state changes on a channel.
11// Call StreamPresence(true) to enable this callback.
12public event Action<List<string>> OnPresenceUpdate;
13// Event triggered when typing is detected on a channel.
14// Call StreamTyping(true) to enable this callback.
15public event Action<List<string>> OnUsersTyping;
16// Event triggered when a read receipt is received on a channel.
17// Call StreamReadReceipts(true) to enable this callback.
18public event Action<ReadReceipt> OnReadReceiptEvent;
19// Event triggered when a message report is received on a channel.
20// Call StreamReportEvents(true) to enable this callback.
21public event Action<MessageReport> OnMessageReported;
22// Event triggered when a custom event is received on a channel.
23// Call StreamCustomEvents(true) to enable this callback.
24public event Action<ChatEvent> OnCustomEvent;

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Example

An event that is triggered when a new message is received on a channel.

1

Methods

You can call the following methods on the Channel object.

Click on each method for more details.

Standard methods

• Connect()
• CreateMessageDraft()
• Delete()
• DeleteFile()
• Disconnect()
• EmitCustomEvent()
• ForwardMessage()
• GetFiles()
• GetInvitees()
• GetMember()
• GetMemberships()
• GetMessage()
• GetMessageHistory()
• GetPinnedMessage()
• GetReadReceipts()
• GetUserRestrictions()
• GetUsersRestrictions()
• HasMember()
• Invite()
• InviteMultiple()
• IsUserPresent()
• JoinChannel()
• LeaveChannel()
• PinMessage()
• RegisterForPush()
• SendText()
• SetRestrictions()
• StartTyping()
• StopTyping()
• UnpinMessage()
• UnRegisterFromPush()
• Update()
• WhoIsPresent()

Streaming methods

These methods register or unregister real-time event subscriptions. Each streaming method activates one or more of the events listed in the Events section above.

• StreamCustomEvents()
• StreamPresence()
• StreamReadReceipts()
• StreamReportEvents()
• StreamTyping()
• StreamUpdates()
• StreamUpdatesOn()

Use case

For example, you can use the Channel object methods to:

• Let users send messages.
• Create and manage a 1:1, group, or public channel (chat).
• Invite others to join the channel.
• Check if a user is a member of the channel.
• Configure a typing indicator to track when someone in the room is writing a message.