Chat

A real-time messaging interface that supports sending and receiving messages over MeshSocket. Ideal for device-to-device communication, command logs, or interactive chatbots.

Type

"chat"

Relevant Fields

Inherits all Control Definition. Key fields:

Field Type Default Description
label string falls back to id Header label
config.target string — MeshSocket peer name to route messages to. Set this for companion/bot chat; omit for channel chat
config.showTypingIndicators bool true Show typing bubbles
config.showReadReceipts bool true Show read receipts
config.allowReactions bool true Allow emoji reactions on messages
config.allowReplies bool true Allow threaded replies
config.allowImages bool false Allow image attachments
config.allowClear bool true Show the local Clear Chat control in the header. Server-driven chat_clear frames are honored regardless of this flag
config.historyCount number 50 Number of messages to keep in history
config.tint string "#667eea" Chat bubble accent color

Message actions (long-press)

Long-press any message bubble for an iMessage-style menu: Copy (the message text), Reply (when allowReplies), React (emoji, when allowReactions), and Delete (removes it from this device's window only). The old tap-to-reveal reaction bar is gone — reactions now live in this menu.

Clearing the window

Two independent ways to wipe the log:

  • Local — the header's Clear Chat menu (shown when config.allowClear is true, the default) empties this device's window only. It does not notify peers.
  • Server-driven — the channel/companion authority clears every member's window by emitting a chat_clear frame. In channel mode it rides the shared broadcast multiplexer like every other chat frame; in companion (config.target) mode it arrives as a broadcast:

json // channel mode "broadcast_request": { "msg_type": "chat_clear", "chatId": "team-chat" } // companion mode "broadcast": { "event": "chat_clear" }

An absent chatId clears every chat control on the channel; a present one targets just that control's id. chat_clear is wire API — never rename it.

Examples

Device-to-device chat

{
  "type": "chat",
  "id": "team-chat",
  "position": [0, 0],
  "span": [4, 4],
  "label": "Team Chat",
  "config": {
    "target": "hub-server",
    "showTypingIndicators": true,
    "showReadReceipts": true,
    "allowReactions": true,
    "allowReplies": true,
    "historyCount": 100
  }
}

Wire Protocol

When config.target is set, the chat routes to that peer by name (companion mode):

Outgoing — every message you send:

"route_msg_noreply": {
  "target_name": "companion",
  "type": "chat_message",
  "payload": { "text": "your message" }
}

Incoming — the companion replies with a broadcast the chat listens for:

"broadcast": { "event": "chat_response", "text": "the reply" }

The optional name / sender.name / from field on the broadcast sets the reply's display name; otherwise it falls back to the target name.

The companion (server side) must wait for the MeshSocket welcome before routing — connect, wait_until_ready(), then wait for the welcome event before sending.

Without config.target (channel mode) the chat sends a chat_message event and listens on chat_message for the whole channel.