Channel Management

WuKongIM iOS SDK channel management functionality, including channel information retrieval, updates and monitoring

The channel manager is responsible for CRUD operations on channel information data. Through channel management, you can implement user/group nicknames, user/group avatars, user/group pinning, user/group do not disturb, and other features.

Personal channels and group channels are collectively called channels. Personal information and group information are collectively called channel information.

This documentation only covers core methods. For more details, check the [WKSDK shared].channelManager interface in the code.

Getting Channel Information

Basic Retrieval Method

Get channel information from the client’s local storage. If not available locally, call fetchChannelInfo to trigger the data source to request from the server.

When fetchChannelInfo is called and channel information data is obtained, it will trigger data monitoring. In the listener, refresh the UI again, and then [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel] will be able to get the channel information data.

WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
if(!channelInfo) {
    [[WKSDK shared].channelManager fetchChannelInfo:channel];
}

Data Monitoring

Trigger timing: When channelInfo data changes

Add WKChannelManagerDelegate delegate:

[[WKSDK shared].channelManager addDelegate:self]

WKChannelManagerDelegate description:

// Channel update
//  @param channelInfo New channel information
//  @param oldChannelInfo Old channel information
-(void) channelInfoUpdate:(WKChannelInfo*)channelInfo oldChannelInfo:(WKChannelInfo* __nullable)oldChannelInfo {
    // Handle channel information update
    // Update UI with new channel information
}

Data Source

Trigger timing: Triggered when calling [[WKSDK shared].channelManager fetchChannelInfo]

Channel information data source, needs to implement logic to request channel information from server:

// channel Channel
// callback Should call this callback when getting data from server (Note: callback must be called regardless of success or failure)
[[WKSDK shared] setChannelInfoUpdate:^WKTaskOperator * (WKChannel * _Nonnull channel, WKChannelInfoCallback  _Nonnull callback) {
    // Implement your server API call here
    // Example:
    [YourAPIManager getChannelInfo:channel.channelId 
                       channelType:channel.channelType 
                           success:^(WKChannelInfo *channelInfo) {
        callback(channelInfo, nil);
    } failure:^(NSError *error) {
        callback(nil, error);
    }];
    
    return nil; // Return task operator if needed for cancellation
}];

Modifying Channels

Data Operations

Modify channel information (triggers data monitoring simultaneously):

// Update channel information
[[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:(WKChannelInfo*) channelInfo]

// Add or update channel information
[[WKSDK shared].channelManager addOrUpdateChannelInfo:(WKChannelInfo*) channelInfo]

Example Usage

// Get current channel info
WKChannel *channel = [[WKChannel alloc] initWith:@"user123" channelType:WK_PERSON];
WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];

if (channelInfo) {
    // Update channel properties
    channelInfo.stick = YES; // Pin the channel
    channelInfo.mute = NO;   // Turn off do not disturb
    channelInfo.name = @"New Name"; // Update name
    
    // Save changes
    [[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];
} else {
    // Create new channel info
    WKChannelInfo *newChannelInfo = [[WKChannelInfo alloc] init];
    newChannelInfo.channel = channel;
    newChannelInfo.name = @"User Name";
    newChannelInfo.logo = @"avatar_url";
    newChannelInfo.stick = NO;
    newChannelInfo.mute = NO;
    
    // Add to manager
    [[WKSDK shared].channelManager addOrUpdateChannelInfo:newChannelInfo];
}

Channel Settings Management

Pin/Unpin Channel

// Pin a channel
WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
channelInfo.stick = YES;
[[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];

// Unpin a channel
channelInfo.stick = NO;
[[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];

Mute/Unmute Channel

// Mute a channel (do not disturb)
WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
channelInfo.mute = YES;
[[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];

// Unmute a channel
channelInfo.mute = NO;
[[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];

Update Channel Avatar and Name

WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
if (channelInfo) {
    channelInfo.name = @"New Channel Name";
    channelInfo.logo = @"https://example.com/new-avatar.jpg";
    [[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];
}

Batch Operations

Get Multiple Channel Information

NSArray<WKChannel*> *channels = @[channel1, channel2, channel3];
for (WKChannel *channel in channels) {
    WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
    if (!channelInfo) {
        [[WKSDK shared].channelManager fetchChannelInfo:channel];
    }
}

Batch Update Channel Settings

// Batch mute multiple channels
NSArray<WKChannel*> *channelsToMute = @[channel1, channel2, channel3];
for (WKChannel *channel in channelsToMute) {
    WKChannelInfo *channelInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
    if (channelInfo) {
        channelInfo.mute = YES;
        [[WKSDK shared].channelManager updateChannelInfo:channelInfo];
    }
}

Core Class Properties

@interface WKChannelInfo : NSObject<NSCopying>

// Channel
@property(nonatomic,strong) WKChannel *channel;

/**
 Channel name
 */
@property(nonatomic,copy) NSString *name;

/**
 Channel logo/avatar
 */
@property(nonatomic,copy) NSString *logo;

/**
 Whether pinned
 */
@property(nonatomic,assign) BOOL stick;

/**
 Whether muted (do not disturb)
 */
@property(nonatomic,assign) BOOL mute;

/// Whether all members are muted
@property(nonatomic,assign) BOOL forbidden;

/**
 Whether followed 0.Not followed (stranger) 1.Followed (friend)
 */
@property(nonatomic,assign) WKChannelInfoFollow follow;

/**
 Extension field, custom channel business properties can be added to extension fields
 */
@property(nonatomic,strong) NSMutableDictionary<WKChannelExtraKey,id> *extra;

/**
 Channel status (online/offline for personal channels)
 */
@property(nonatomic,assign) WKChannelStatus status;

/**
 Member count (for group channels)
 */
@property(nonatomic,assign) NSInteger memberCount;

/**
 Channel description
 */
@property(nonatomic,copy) NSString *channelDesc;

@end

Channel Follow Status

typedef NS_ENUM(NSInteger, WKChannelInfoFollow) {
    WKChannelInfoFollowUnknown = 0,  // Unknown
    WKChannelInfoFollowNo = 1,       // Not followed (stranger)
    WKChannelInfoFollowYes = 2,      // Followed (friend)
};

Channel Status

typedef NS_ENUM(NSInteger, WKChannelStatus) {
    WKChannelStatusUnknown = 0,  // Unknown
    WKChannelStatusOffline = 1,  // Offline
    WKChannelStatusOnline = 2,   // Online
};

Best Practices

1. Efficient Channel Info Loading

// Check local cache first, then fetch if needed
- (void)loadChannelInfo:(WKChannel *)channel completion:(void(^)(WKChannelInfo *channelInfo))completion {
    WKChannelInfo *cachedInfo = [[WKSDK shared].channelManager getChannelInfo:channel];
    if (cachedInfo) {
        completion(cachedInfo);
    } else {
        // Set up one-time listener for this specific channel
        __weak typeof(self) weakSelf = self;
        [[WKSDK shared].channelManager addDelegate:weakSelf];
        
        // Fetch from server
        [[WKSDK shared].channelManager fetchChannelInfo:channel];
    }
}

// In delegate method
-(void) channelInfoUpdate:(WKChannelInfo*)channelInfo oldChannelInfo:(WKChannelInfo* __nullable)oldChannelInfo {
    // Handle the update and remove delegate if needed
    // completion(channelInfo);
}

2. Handle Channel Settings Changes

-(void) channelInfoUpdate:(WKChannelInfo*)channelInfo oldChannelInfo:(WKChannelInfo* __nullable)oldChannelInfo {
    // Check what changed
    if (oldChannelInfo) {
        if (channelInfo.stick != oldChannelInfo.stick) {
            // Handle pin status change
            [self handlePinStatusChange:channelInfo];
        }
        
        if (channelInfo.mute != oldChannelInfo.mute) {
            // Handle mute status change
            [self handleMuteStatusChange:channelInfo];
        }
        
        if (![channelInfo.name isEqualToString:oldChannelInfo.name]) {
            // Handle name change
            [self handleNameChange:channelInfo];
        }
    }
    
    // Update UI
    [self updateChannelUI:channelInfo];
}

Next Steps

Conversation Management

Learn how to manage conversation lists

Media Messages

Handle images, voice, and video messages

Chat Management

Return to chat message management

Connection Management

Manage connection status