# Adding users to channels

## The Channel Object

| key  | description                                                     |
| ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| name | The name of the channel. It should be unique among your app     |
| mode | One of `ignore`, `listen`, or `receive`. See Chanel Modes below |

```yaml
// example Channel Object
{
  "name": "channel1",
  "mode": "listen"
}
```

### Channel Modes

Channels can be set to three different modes: **ignore**, **listen** or **receive**.

* **ignore**: messages sent from browser to browser, not passing through FileMaker Server;
* **listen**: messages are sent from browser to browser but FileMaker Server receives the message as well;
* **receive**: messages are sent from browser to FileMaker Server, and messages can be sent later via /message/sendmessage endpoint.

| Mode        | Scope                    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                |
| ----------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **ignore**  | anonymous, authenticated | messages sent from browser to browser, not passing through FileMaker Server.                                                                                                               |
| **listen**  | authenticated only       | messages are sent from browser to browser but FileMaker Server receives the message as well.                                                                                               |
| **receive** | authenticated only       | messages are sent from browser to FileMaker Server and not broadcasted directly to the channel. Messages can be sent later via the FM messages script API:`/message/sendmessage` endpoint. |

## Adding users using a FileMaker Script

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Requires Helper File Changes**\
You will need to update your helper file to the latest version to support the new channels API.
{% endhint %}

The **`API - Join Channel`** script accepts an object with two keys **users** and **channels**.

* `users`: it accepts a string with a **user ID** *or* an **array of user IDs**
* `channels`: it accepts an object with **name** and **mode** *or* an **array of objects**, with the same shape.

{% hint style="success" %}
**TIP**: The user `id` is the id of the user in the helper file, not your business file.
{% endhint %}

#### Example Script Parameters

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Single User/Channel" %}

```yaml
{
    "users": "USER_ID",
    "channels":
    {
        "name": "channel1",
        "mode": "ignore"
    }
}
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Multiple Users/Channels" %}

```yaml
{
    "users":
    [
        "USER_ID_1",
        "USER_ID_2"
    ],
    "channels":
    [
        {
            "name": "channel1",
            "mode": "ignore"
        },
        {
            "name": "channel2",
            "mode": "receive"
        }
    ]
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## API: Add User to Channel

<mark style="color:green;">`POST`</mark> `https://yourdomain.com/message/adduser`

You can use this method to join users to one or more channels. This is an authenticated request using the API key for the BetterForms network.

#### Headers

| Name         | Type   | Description      |
| ------------ | ------ | ---------------- |
| content-type | string | application/json |
| accept       | string | application/json |

#### Request Body

| Name               | Type   | Description                                           |
| ------------------ | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| apiKey             | string | BetterForms network API key                           |
| users              | string | array of user IDs and channels to join those users to |
| users\[0].id       | string | BF user id from helper file                           |
| users\[0].channels | array  | an array of channel objects                           |

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="201 " %}

```
{
    "users": [
        "USER_1_ID",
        "USER_2_ID"
    ]
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Joining Anonymous Channels

Users can only be joined to anonymous channels directly from the browser. The current browser tab that executes the action will be the one added to the channel.

A user can be joined to an anonymous channel via a [BF action ](/v1/reference/actions-processor.md)called **channelJoinAnon.**

**Example:**

```
{
    "action": "channelJoinAnon",
    "options": {
        "channel": "anonymousChatRoom"
    }
}
```

**Learn more:**

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MQnazgIBATEgNwfp2Ek" %}
[channelJoinAnon](/v1/reference/actions-processor/actions_overview/channeljoinanonymous.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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