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Rest API

Where can I find the available methods?​

You can find the available methods at:

https://api.livehelperchat.com/#/

The Chat REST API module allows you to:

  • Check the global online status.
  • Check the status of specific users.
  • Check the status of departments.
  • And much more.

How do I authenticate?​

You can use the REST API using these two options:

  • Create a REST API Key:

    System configuration -> Live help configuration -> REST API

  • Use your regular back-office logins: You must have the 'lhrestapi','use_direct_logins' permission.

Authentication requires a username and password (Basic Authentication method).

  • If you are using REST API keys, the username is the username of the account under which the API key was created.
  • If you are using direct logins, the username is the account username, and the password is your account password.

If you can't log in, ensure your .htaccess file has the following lines:

RewriteCond %{HTTP:Authorization} ^(.*)
RewriteRule .* - [e=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%1]

How to set up the REST API for a third party?​

Let's say you want to give a third-party developer access only to the chats and nothing else. Here's how:

  • Create a role named REST API:
    • List roles URL: /site_admin/permission/roles
    • New role URL: /site_admin/permission/newrole
  • Give the role the 'lhchat', 'use' permission.
  • Create a group named REST API:
    • Group list URL: /site_admin/user/grouplist
    • New group URL: /site_admin/user/newgroup
  • Assign the REST API role to this group by modifying the group.
  • Create a user and assign them to the REST API group.
  • Assign departments to that user so they can only see chats from those departments.
  • Navigate to /site_admin/restapi/index and create a REST API key under that user.
  • Your username will be:
    • e-mail or username
  • The password will be the one you created in the REST API section.

To explore the API, navigate to https://api.livehelperchat.com/#/ and change https://demo.livehelperchat.com/restapi/swagger to your address.

A quick reminder about chat message types (message type depends on user_id):

  • 0 - Visitor message
  • > 0 - Operator Message
  • -1 - System message (not visible to the visitor)
  • -2 - Bot message

A quick reminder about chat statuses:

  • const STATUS_PENDING_CHAT = 0;
  • const STATUS_ACTIVE_CHAT = 1;
  • const STATUS_CLOSED_CHAT = 2;
  • const STATUS_CHATBOX_CHAT = 3;
  • const STATUS_OPERATORS_CHAT = 4;
  • const STATUS_BOT_CHAT = 5;

Where this module can be used?​

this module can be used for custom status widget generation. Integration LHC with other applicatios. Writing custom UI from scratch

In what format module exports data?​

Chat exports data in JSON format. Module also supports PJSON

How to check is anyone online?​

http://demo.livehelperchat.com/index.php/restapi/isonline -  for general check

http://demo.livehelperchat.com/index.php/restapi/isonline?callback=loadCallBack - for PJSON, callback value can be any

How to check is user online?​

http://demo.livehelperchat.com/index.php/restapi/isonlineuser/1 - last parameters is user id

http://demo.livehelperchat.com/index.php/restapi/isonlineuser/1?callback=loadCallBack - last parameters is user id

How to check is department online?​

http://demo.livehelperchat.com/index.php/restapi/isonlinedepartment/1 - last parameters is department id. This function checks for online department explicit. That means if for user is assigned all departments department will be offline.

http://demo.livehelperchat.com/index.php/restapi/isonlinedepartment/1?callback=loadCallback - last parameters is department id

How to log online visitor?​

This can be used inside any desktop application to log visitor activity in application itself.

$response = $LHCRestAPI->execute('chatcheckoperatormessage', array(
'ip' => '88.118.220.88'
'dt' => 'APPLICATIN_NAME - Some Application Specific Window',
'ua' => '', // User Agent
), array(
'vid' => '',                  // It's new visitor it still has not vid assigned
'count_page' => 1,  // Log it as real page view, not just message check from operator
'tz' => 0,                    // Time Zone offset from GMT
'priority' => 0,         // Chat priority
'operator' => 0,       // Operator
'theme' => 0,            // Theme
'survey' => 0,           // Survey (optional)
'department' => 5,  // Department (optional)
'uactiv' => 1              // Is user considered active or not
), 'POST');

If response does not caontains any errors you can vid by

if ($response->error == false && isset($response->result->vid)) {
$response2 = $LHCRestAPI->execute('chatcheckoperatormessage', array(
'ip' => '88.118.220.88',
'dt' => 'APPLICATIN_NAME - About window',
'ua' => '', // User Agent
), array(
'vid' => $response->result->vid,
'count_page' => 1,  
'tz' => 0,          
'priority' => 0,    
'operator' => 0,    
'survey' => 0,      
'uactiv' => 1       
), 'POST',true,'');

 // If there is unread message we can read message from operator

    if ($response->error == false && $response->result->action == 'read_message') {
$urlAppend = $response->result->args->url_append;
echo "Reading message from operator\n";

        
// @todo add message read from operator
} elseif ($response->error == false && $response->result->action == 'continue') {
// Just repeat request
}

    echo "Second page view\n";
/ } else {
echo "Some error\n";    
} /

Possible action values

  • disable_check - there should not be any more requests to "chatcheckoperatormessage"
  • continue - just continue sending these request untill user makes some actions or just trigger get's activacted
  • read_message - there is pending message from operator or proactive trigger

How to list chats, departments, messages, get chat information?​

Just refer to this example

https://github.com/LiveHelperChat/livehelperchat/blob/master/lhc_web/doc/rest_api/example.php

Permissions​

Required permissions to configure Rest API keys.

'lhrestapi','use_admin'

Apache tricks​

If for some reason you can't authenticate refer to this article.