Utility Methods API for PubNub JavaScript SDK

The methods on this page are utility methods that don't fit into other categories.

Close PubNub​

Description​

End all open requests and close the PubNub instance.

Basic Usage​

pubnub.stop();

Encrypt​

Description​

This function allows to encrypt the data.

Method(s)​

To encrypt the data, you can use the following method(s) in JavaScript V4 SDK.

encrypt(
    data: string,
    customCipherKey?: string
)
ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
datastringYesThe data to encrypt.
customCipherKeystringOptionalIf it's not provided, the cipher key from config will be used.

Basic Usage​

Encrypt part of message​

var sCypher = "testCypher";
var msgContent = "This is the data I wish to encrypt.";
console.log('msgContent: ' + msgContent);

// Encrypt with pubnub
var encryptedMessage = pubnub.encrypt(JSON.stringify(msgContent), sCypher);
console.log('encryptedMessage PN: ' + encryptedMessage);

Returns​

It returns the encrypted data as string.

Encrypt File​

Description​

This function allow to encrypt the file content/data.

Method(s)​

To encrypt the file, you can use the following method(s) in JavaScript V4 SDK.

pubnub.encryptFile(
    key: string,
    file: PubNubFile
): Promise<PubNubFile>;
ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
keystringYesCipher key used for encryption.
filePubNubFileYesFile to encrypt.

Basic Usage​

// Node.js example
import fs from 'fs';

const fileBuffer = fs.readFileSync('./cat_picture.jpg');

const file = pubnub.File.create({ data: fileBuffer, name: 'cat_picture.jpg', mimeType: 'image/jpeg' });

const encryptedFile = await pubnub.encryptFile('myCipherKey', file);

Returns​

Returns a promise of PubNubFile

Decrypt​

Description​

This function allows to decrypt the data.

Method(s)​

To decrypt the data, you can use the following method(s) in JavaScript V4 SDK.

decrypt(
    data: string,
    customCipherKey?: string
ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
datastringYesThe data to decrypt.
customCipherKeystringOptionalIf it's not provided, the cipher key from config will be used.

Basic Usage​

var decrypted = pubnub.decrypt(encrypted, 'myCipherKey'); // Pass the encrypted data as the first parameter in decrypt Method

Returns​

It returns the decrypted data as an object.

Decrypt File​

Description​

This function allow to decrypt the file content/data.

Method(s)​

To decrypt the file, you can use the following method(s) in JavaScript V4 SDK.

pubnub.decryptFile(
    key: string,
    file: PubNubFile
): Promise<PubNubFile>;
ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
keyStringYesCipher key used for decryption.
filePubNubFileYesFile to decrypt.

Basic Usage​

// Node.js example
import fs from 'fs';

const fileBuffer = fs.readFileSync('./cat_picture_encrypted.jpg');

const file = pubnub.File.create({ data: fileBuffer, name: 'cat_picture.jpg', mimeType: 'image/jpeg' });

const decryptedFile = await pubnub.decryptFile('myCipherKey', file);

Returns​

Returns a promise of PubNubFile.

PubNubFile​

Description​

Internal representation of the file used by the SDK. Depending on the environment, different methods can be used to extract the file.

Extracting the file​

Methods supported in Node.js​
  • file.toBuffer() returns Promise<Buffer>
  • file.toStream() returns Promise<Readable>
  • file.toString(encoding: string) returns a string encoded using encoding (if not available, defaults to utf8)
Methods supported in a browser​
  • file.toFile() returns Promise<File>
  • file.toBlob() returns Promise<Blob>
  • file.toArrayBuffer() returns Promise<ArrayBuffer>
  • file.toString(encoding: string) returns a string encoded using encoding (if not available, defaults to utf8)
React and React Native​
  • file.toBlob() returns Promise<Blob>

Creating a file​

pubnub.File.create(input: FileInput): PubNubFile;

FileInput represents a variety of possible inputs that represent a file in different environments.

Node.js​

  • Using streams:

    {
        stream: Readable,
        name: string,
        mimeType?: string
    }

  • Using buffers:

    {
        data: Buffer,
        name: string,
        mimeType?: string
    }

  • Using strings:

    {
        data: string,
        encoding: string,
        name: string,
        mimeType?: string
    }

Browsers​

  • Using File API:

    File

  • Using strings:

    {
        data: string,
        name: string,
        mimeType?: string
    }

  • Using ArrayBuffer:

    {
        data: ArrayBuffer,
        name: string,
        mimeType?: string
    }

Reconnect​

Description​

Call the reconnect method to force the SDK to try and reach out PubNub.

Method(s)​

To reconnect the data, you can use the following method(s) in JavaScript V4 SDK.

reconnect()

This method doesn't take any arguments.

Basic Usage​

pubnub.reconnect();

Time​

Description​

This function will return a 17 digit precision Unix epoch.

Algorithm constructing the timetoken
timetoken = (Unix epoch time in seconds) * 10000000

Example of creating a timetoken for a specific time and date:

08/19/2013 @ 9:20pm in UTC = 1376961606
timetoken = 1376961606 * 10000000
timetoken = 13769616060000000

Method(s)​

To fetch Time, you can use the following method(s) in JavaScript V4 SDK

const timetoken = await pubnub.time();

Basic Usage​

Get PubNub Timetoken​

// assuming an initialized PubNub instance already exists
try {
    const timetoken = await pubnub.time();
} catch (status) {
    console.log("Something went wrong:", status);
}

Response​

//Example of status
{
    error: false,
    operation: 'PNTimeOperation',
    statusCode: 200
}

//Example of response
{
    timetoken: 15031768233407550
}

Other Examples​

Basic usage with Promises​

pubnub.time().then((timetoken) => {
    console.log(timetoken);
}).catch((error) => {
    console.log(error)
});

setProxy​

Description​

Call setProxy() to instruct the SDK to assign or reassign a proxy configuration in run time. This method is only available for NodeJS.

Method(s)​

To setProxy the data you can use the following method(s) in Node.js V4 SDK.

setProxy({String hostname, Number port, String protocol})
ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
hostnameStringYesSpecifies the IP address the or URI to use.
portNumberYesSpecifies the port which the proxy will be listened.
protocolStringOptionalhttpSupported Protocols are http, https, socks5, socks4 and pac.

Basic Usage​

pubnub.setProxy({
    hostname: 'YOUR HOSTNAME HERE',
      port: 8080,
    protocol: 'YOUR PROTOCOL HERE'
});

Other Examples​

Delete the proxy in run time​

pubnub.setProxy(null);
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