Reference channels

Channel referencing lets users mention channels in messages by typing # followed by at least three letters. Matching channel names appear as suggestions.

You can use PubNub's functionality via Blueprints or directly in C++ code.

• In Blueprints, you can access PubNub from any Widget or Actor. Start by initializing chat using InitChat on UPubnubChatSubsystem. Afterwards, you can use the returned UPubnubChat object reference to call all Chat SDK functions.

Blueprint functions

The Blueprints provided in the documentation show how you can structure your application and may contain utility methods and elements like buttons that are not part of the Unreal Chat SDK and are meant to serve as guidance.

• In C++, you can use UPubnubChatSubsystem as any other Game Instance Subsystem.

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  Chat now allows you to call all Chat SDK functions, for example, Chat->GetChannel("my_channel").

Usage in Blueprints and C++

Requires App Context

Enable App Context for your keyset in the Admin Portal.

Generic referencing

Channel references, user mentions, and links are MessageElement instances with different MentionTarget types.

Suggestions include all channels in the app keyset (up to 100), regardless of user membership. Configure up to 100 channel references per message (default: 10) and display them as links.

Implementation is similar to user mentions and links.

Add channel references

Add channel references with # followed by at least three letters of the channel name (e.g., #Sup). Use CreateChannelMentionTarget() to create a mention target linking to a specified Channel.

Method signature

Add a channel reference by calling AddMention() with the MentionTarget of type Channel.

Refer to the AddMention() method for details.

Sample code

Reference code

This example is a self-contained code snippet ready to be run. Set up your Unreal project and follow the instructions in the lines marked with ACTION REQUIRED before running the code. Use it as a reference when working with other examples in this document.

Create the Hello Alex! I have sent you this link on the #offtopic channel. message where #offtopic is a channel reference (channel name is offtopic).

Actor.h

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Actor.cpp

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Remove channel references

Remove a channel reference from a draft message with RemoveMention().

Method signature

Remove channel references by calling RemoveMention() at the exact offset where the reference starts.

Refer to the RemoveMention() method for details.

Offset value

Provide the exact position of the first character; otherwise the element is not removed.

Sample code

Reference code

This example is a self-contained code snippet ready to be run. Set up your Unreal project and follow the instructions in the lines marked with ACTION REQUIRED before running the code. Use it as a reference when working with other examples in this document.

Remove the channel reference from the Hello Alex! I have sent you this link on the #offtopic channel. message where #offtopic is a channel reference.

Actor.h

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Actor.cpp

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Get channel suggestions

The message elements listener returns matching channels from your keyset for the 3-letter string typed after #.

OnMessageDraftUpdatedWithSuggestions delegate:

• Fires when the draft content changes
• Provides the current state of message elements (TArray<FPubnubChatMessageElement>)
• Offers FPubnubChatSuggestedMention items suggesting user mentions, links, or channel references

Unlike OnMessageDraftUpdated, which only delivers content changes, this delegate also includes suggestion data for dynamic draft updates.

Details

Typing #Sup returns channels like Support or Support-Agents. Default: 10 suggestions (max: 100).

Method signature

Refer to the Listen for message draft changes (with suggestions) section for details.

Sample code

Reference code

This example is a self-contained code snippet ready to be run. Set up your Unreal project and follow the instructions in the lines marked with ACTION REQUIRED before running the code. Use it as a reference when working with other examples in this document.

Insert the first referenced channel whenever the draft is updated and channels are detected.

Actor.h

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Actor.cpp

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Other examples

Get channel suggestions from Chat object

Actor.h

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Actor.cpp

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Get referenced channels

Removed method

ReferencedChannels() has been removed from the Message object in the latest version of the Unreal Chat SDK. Referenced channels are now managed through MessageDraft and message elements.