JavaScriptVueVueNode.jsPhoneGapReactReduxTitaniumWebVue V4 Storage & Playback API Reference for Realtime Apps

The PubNub Storage and Playback Service provides realtime access to history for all messages published to PubNub. Each published message is timestamped to the nearest 10 nanoseconds, and is stored across multiple availability zones in several geographical data center locations. Stored messages can be encrypted with AES-256 message encryption, ensuring that they are not readable while stored on PubNub's network.

Messages can be stored for a configurable duration or forever, as controlled by the retention policy that is configured on your account. The following options are available: 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, and Forever.

History

Requires Storage & Playback add-on XRequires that the Storage & Playback add-on is enabled for your key. See this page on enabling add-on features on your keys:

https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051974791-How-do-I-enable-add-on-features-for-my-keys-.

Description

This function fetches historical messages of a channel.
It is possible to control how messages are returned and in what order, for example you can:
  • Search for messages starting on the newest end of the timeline (default behavior - reverse = false)
  • Search for messages from the oldest end of the timeline by setting reverse to true.
  • Page through results by providing a start OR end time token.
  • Retrieve a slice of the time line by providing both a start AND end time token.
  • Limit the number of messages to a specific quantity using the count parameter.
 
Start & End parameter usage clarity:
If only the start parameter is specified (without end), you will receive messages that are older than and up to that start timetoken value.
If only the end parameter is specified (without start) you will receive messages that match that end timetoken value and newer.
Specifying values for both start and end parameters will return messages between those timetoken values (inclusive on the end value).
Keep in mind that you will still receive a maximum of 100 messages even if there are more messages that meet the timetoken values. Iterative calls to history adjusting the start timetoken is necessary to page through the full set of results if more than 100 messages meet the timetoken values.

Method(s)

To run History you can use the following method(s) in the Vue V4 SDK
  1. ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultsDescription
    Operation ArgumentsHashYesA hash of arguments.
    channelStringYesSpecifies channel to return history messages from.
    reverseBooleanOptionalfalse

    Setting to true will traverse the time line in reverse starting with the oldest message first.


    If both start and end arguments are provided, reverse is ignored and messages are returned starting with the newest message.

    countNumberOptional100Specifies the number of historical messages to return.

    Default/Maximum is 100.
    stringifiedTimeTokenBooleanOptionalfalseIf stringifiedTimeToken is specified as true, the SDK will return timetoken values as a strings instead of integers. Usage of setting is encouraged in javascript environments which perform round-up/down on large integers.
    includeMetaBooleanOptionalWhether message meta information should be fetched or not.
    startStringOptionalTime token delimiting the start of time slice (exclusive) to pull messages from.
    endStringOptionalTime token delimiting the end of time slice (inclusive) to pull messages from.
    callbackFunctionOptionalExecutes on a successful/unsuccessful history.
 
Using the reverse parameter:
Messages are always returned sorted in ascending time direction from Storage/History regardless of reverse. The reverse direction matters when you have more than 100 (or count, if it's set) messages in the time interval, in which case reverse determines the end of the time interval from which it should start retrieving the messages.

Basic Usage

Retrieve the last 100 messages on a channel:
import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history(
    {
        channel: 'history_channel',
        count: 100, // how many items to fetch
        stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
    },
    function(status, response) {
        // handle status, response
    }
);

Response

// Example of Status
{
    error: false,
    operation: "PNHistoryOperation",
    statusCode: 200
}

// Example of Response
{
    endTimeToken: "14867650866860159",
    messages: [
        {
            timetoken: "14867650866860159",
            entry: "[User 636] hello World"
        },
        {...},
        {...},
        {...}
    ],
    startTimeToken: "14867650866860159"
}

Other Examples

  1. Use history() to retrieve the three oldest messages by retrieving from the time line in reverse:
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history(
    {
        channel: 'my_channel',
        reverse: true, // Setting to true will traverse the time line in reverse starting with the oldest message first.
        count: 3, // how many items to fetch
        stringifiedTimeToken: true// false is the default
    },
    function(status, response) {
        // handle status, response
    }
);
  2. Use history() to retrieve messages newer than a given time token by paging from oldest message to newest message starting at a single point in time (exclusive):
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history(
    {
        channel: 'my_channel',
        reverse: true, // Setting to true will traverse the time line in reverse starting with the oldest message first.
        stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
        start: '13406746780720711'// start time token to fetch
    },
    function(status, response) {
        // handle status, response
    }
);
  3. Use history() to retrieve messages until a given time token by paging from newest message to oldest message until a specific end point in time (inclusive):
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history(
    {
        channel: 'my_channel',
        stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
        end: '13406746780720711'// start time token to fetch
    },
    function(status, response) {
        // handle status, response
    }
);
  4. History Paging Example
     
    Usage!
    You can call the method by passing 0 or a valid time token as the argument.
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

getAllMessages = function(timetoken) {
    pubnub.history(
        {
            channel: 'history_test',
            stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
            start: timetoken // start time token to fetch
        },
        function(status, response) {
            var msgs = response.messages;
            var start = response.startTimeToken;
            var end = response.endTimeToken;
            // if msgs were retrieved, do something useful with them
            if (msgs != "undefined" && msgs.length > 0) {
                console.log(msgs.length);
                console.log("start : "+ start);
                console.log("end : "+ end);
            }
            // if 100 msgs were retrieved, there might be more; call history again
            if (msgs.length == 100)
                getAllMessages(start);
        }
    );
}

//Usage examples:
//getAllMessages();
//getAllMessages(null);
     
  5. Basic usage using Promises
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history({
    channel: 'history_channel',
    reverse: true, // Setting to true will traverse the time line in reverse starting with the oldest message first.
    count: 100, // how many items to fetch
    stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
    start: '123123123123', // start time token to fetch
    end: '123123123133'// end timetoken to fetch
}).then((response) => {
    console.log(response);
}).catch((error) => {
    console.log(error);
});
  6. Use history() to retrieve the three oldest messages by retrieving from the time line in reverse using Promises:
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history({
    channel: 'my_channel',
    reverse: true, // Setting to true will traverse the time line in reverse starting with the oldest message first.
    count: 3, // how many items to fetch
    stringifiedTimeToken: true// false is the default
}).then((response) => {
    console.log(response);
}).catch((error) => {
    console.log(error);
});
  7. Use history() to retrieve messages newer than a given time token by paging from oldest message to newest message starting at a single point in time (exclusive) using Promises:
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history({
    channel: 'my_channel',
    reverse: true, // Setting to true will traverse the time line in reverse starting with the oldest message first.
    stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
    start: '13406746780720711' // start time token to fetch
}).then((response) => {
    console.log(response);
}).catch((error) => {
    console.log(error);
});
  8. Use history() to retrieve messages until a given time token by paging from newest message to oldest message until a specific end point in time (inclusive) using Promises:
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.history({
    channel: 'my_channel',
    stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
    end: '13406746780720711'// start time token to fetch
}).then((response) => {
    console.log(response);
}).catch((error) => {
    console.log(error);
});
  9. Paging History Responses using Promises:
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

function getAllMessages(timetoken) {
	pubnub.history(
		{
			channel: 'history_test',
			stringifiedTimeToken: true, // false is the default
			start: timetoken // start time token to fetch
		}).then((response) => {
			var msgs = response.messages;
			var start = response.startTimeToken;
			var end = response.endTimeToken;

			// if msgs were retrieved, do something useful with them
			if (msgs !== undefined && msgs.length > 0) {
				console.log(msgs.length);
				console.log("start : " + start);
				console.log("end : " + end);
			}

			// if 100 msgs were retrieved, there might be more; call history again
			if (msgs.length == 100) {
				getAllMessages(start);
			}
		}).catch((error) => {
			console.log(error);
		});
}

//Usage examples:
//getAllMessages();
//getAllMessages(null);
  10. Fetch messages with metadata 
    pubnub.history(
    {
        channel: 'my_channel',
        stringifiedTimeToken: true,
        includeMeta: true,
    },
    function (status, response) {
        // handle status, response
    }
);

Batch History

Requires Storage & Playback add-on XRequires that the Storage & Playback add-on is enabled for your key. See this page on enabling add-on features on your keys:

https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051974791-How-do-I-enable-add-on-features-for-my-keys-.

Description

This function fetches historical messages from multiple channels. The includeMessageActions or includeActions flag also allows you to fetch message actions along with the messages.

It's possible to control how messages are returned and in what order. For example, you can:

  • Search for messages starting on the newest end of the timeline.
  • Search for messages from the oldest end of the timeline.
  • Page through results by providing a start OR end time token.
  • Retrieve a slice of the time line by providing both a start AND end time token.
  • Retrieve a specific (maximum) number of messages using the count parameter.

Batch history returns up to 100 messages on a single channel, or 25 per channel on a maximum of 500 channels. Use the start and end timestamps to page through the next batch of messages.

Start and End parameter usage clarity

If you specify only the start parameter (without end), you will receive messages that are older than the start timetoken.

If you specify only the end parameter (without start), you will receive messages from that end timetoken and newer.

Specify values for both start and end parameters to retrieve messages between those timetokens (inclusive of the end value).

Keep in mind that you will still receive a maximum of 100 messages (or 25, for multiple channels) even if there are more messages that meet the timetoken values. Iterative calls to history adjusting the start timetoken are necessary to page through the full set of results if more messages meet the timetoken values.

Method(s)

To run Fetch History, you can use the following method(s) in the Vue V4 SDK:
  1. ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultsDescription
    Operation ArgumentsHashYesA hash of arguments.
    channelsArrayYesSpecifies channels to return history messages from.
    countNumberOptional25Specifies the number of historical messages to return per channel.

    Default/Maximum is 25 per channel.
    stringifiedTimeTokenBooleanOptionalfalseIf stringifiedTimeToken is specified as true, the SDK will return timetoken values as a strings instead of integers. Usage of setting is encouraged in javascript environments which perform round-up/down on large integers.
    includeMessageTypeBooleanOptionaltruePass true to receive the message type with each history message.
    includeUUIDBooleanOptionaltruePass true to receive the publisher uuid with each history message.
    includeMetaBooleanOptionalWhether message meta information should be fetched or not.
    includeMessageActionsBooleanOptionalWhether message added message actions should be fetched or not.

    Throws an exception in case if API called with more than one channel.
    startStringOptionalTime token delimiting the start of time slice (exclusive) to pull messages from.
    endStringOptionalTime token delimiting the end of time slice (inclusive) to pull messages from.
    callbackFunctionOptionalExecutes on a successful/unsuccessful fetchMessages.

Basic Usage

Retrieve the last message on a channel:
import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

// assuming pubnub is an initialized instance
// start, end, count are optional
pubnub.fetchMessages(
    { 
        channels: ['ch1', 'ch2', 'ch3'], 
        start: "15343325214676133",
        end: "15343325004275466",
        count: 30 
    }, 
    function(status, response) {
        // handle response
    }
);

Response

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

//Example of response
{
    "channels":{
        "my-channel":[
            {
                "message":"message_1",
                "timetoken":"15483367794816642",
                "uuid":"my-uuid",
                "message_type":null
            },
            {
                "message":"message_2",
                "timetoken":"15483367810978163",
                "uuid":"my-uuid",
                "message_type":null
            }
        ],
        "my-channel-2":[
            {
                "message":"message_1",
                "timetoken":"15483367827886667",
                "uuid":"my-uuid",
                "message_type":null
            }
        ]
    }
}

Other Examples

  1. Fetch messages with metadata and actions

    pubnub.fetchMessages(
    {
        channels: ['my_channel'],
        stringifiedTimeToken: true,
        includeMeta: true,
        includeMessageActions: true,
    },
    function (status, response) {
        // handle status, response
    }
);

    Fetch messages with metadata and actions Response

    // Example of status
{
    "error": false,
    "operation": "PNFetchMessagesOperation",
    "statusCode": 200
}

// Example of response
{
    "channels":{
        "my_channel":[
            {
                "timetoken":"15741125155552287",
                "message":{
                    "text":"Hello world!",
                    "uuid":"my-uuid",
                    "message_type":null,
                    "meta":""
                },
                "data":{
                    "reaction":{
                        "smiley_face":[
                            {
                                "uuid":"my-uuid",
                                "actionTimetoken":"15741125155943280"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                }
            }
        ]
    }
}

Delete Messages from History

Requires Storage & Playback add-on XRequires that the Storage & Playback add-on is enabled for your key. See this page on enabling add-on features on your keys:

https://support.pubnub.com/hc/en-us/articles/360051974791-How-do-I-enable-add-on-features-for-my-keys-.

Description

Removes the messages from the history of a specific channel.
 
There is a setting to accept delete from history requests for a key, which you must enable by checking the Enable Delete-From-History checkbox in the key settings for your key in the Admin Portal.

Requires Initialization with secret key.

Method(s)

To Delete Messages from History you can use the following method(s) in the Vue V4 SDK.
 The Delete Messages method behaves slightly differently than other history methods. Note that the start parameter is exclusive and the end parameter is inclusive.
  1. ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
    Operation ArgumentsHashYesA hash of arguments.
    channelStringYesSpecifies channel messages to be deleted from history.
    startStringOptionalTime token delimiting the start of time slice (exclusive) to delete messages from.
    endStringOptionalTime token delimiting the end of time slice (inclusive) to delete messages from.
    callbackFunctionOptionalIs called on successful or unsuccessful execution of deleteMessages.

Basic Usage

import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.deleteMessages(
    {
        channel: 'ch1',
        start: '15088506076921021',
        end: '15088532035597390'
    },
    function(result) {
        console.log(result);
    }
);

Response

{
    error: false,
    operation: 'PNDeleteMessagesOperation',
    statusCode: 200
}

Other Examples

  1. Delete specific message from history

    To delete a specific message, pass the publish timetoken (received from a successful publish) in the End parameter and timetoken +/- 1 in the Start parameter. e.g. if 15526611838554310 is the publish timetoken, pass 15526611838554309 in Start and 15526611838554310 in End parameters respectively as shown in the following code snippet.
    import PubNubVue from 'pubnub-vue';

const pubnub = PubNubVue.getInstance();

pubnub.deleteMessages(
    {
        channel: 'ch1',
        start: '15526611838554310',
        end: '15526611838554309'
    },
    function(result) {
        console.log(result);
    }
);