Search

Overview

The CometChatSearch component is a powerful and customizable search interface that allows users to search across conversations and messages in real time. It supports a wide variety of filters, scopes, and customization options. CometChatSearch helps users find messages, conversations, media, and more through an intuitive and filterable search experience. It can be embedded in multiple contexts — as part of the conversation list, message header, or as a full-screen search experience.

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Usage

Integration

CometChatSearch, as a composite Component, offers flexible integration options, allowing it to be launched directly via button clicks or any user-triggered action.

The following code snippet exemplifies how you can seamlessly integrate the GroupMembers component into your application.

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/main"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".ui.activity.SearchActivity">

    <com.cometchat.chatuikit.search.CometChatSearch
        android:id="@+id/cometchat_search"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"/>

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

If you’re defining the Group members within the XML code, you’ll need to extract them and set them on the Group object using the appropriate method.

Java

public class SearchActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    private ActivitySearchBinding binding;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        binding = ActivitySearchBinding.inflate(getLayoutInflater());
        setContentView(binding.getRoot());
    }
}

Kotlin

class SearchActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    private lateinit var binding: ActivitySearchBinding

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        binding = ActivitySearchBinding.inflate(layoutInflater)
        setContentView(binding.root)
    }
}

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Actions

Actions dictate how a component functions. They are divided into two types: Predefined and User-defined. You can override either type, allowing you to tailor the behavior of the component to fit your specific needs.

1. setOnConversationClicked

setOnConversationClicked is triggered when you click on a Conversation from the search result. The onConversationClicked action doesn’t have a predefined behavior. You can override this action using the following code snippet.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnConversationClicked((view, position, conversation) -> {
            Log.d(TAG, "onCreate: Conversation Clicked !");
        });

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnConversationClicked { view, position, conversation ->
            Log.i(TAG, "onCreate: Conversation Clicked !")
        }

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2. setOnMessageClicked

setOnMessageClicked is triggered when you click on a Message from the search result. The onMessageClicked action doesn’t have a predefined behavior. You can override this action using the following code snippet.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnMessageClicked((view, position, baseMessage) -> {
            Log.d(TAG, "onCreate: Message Clicked !");
        });

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnMessageClicked { view, position, baseMessage ->
            Log.i(TAG, "onCreate: Message Clicked !")
        }

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3. setOnBackPressListener

‘setOnBackPressListener’ is triggered when you click on the back button of the search component.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnBackPressListener {
            Log.i(TAG, "onCreate: Back Pressed !")
        }

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnBackPressListener(()-> {
            Log.d(TAG, "onCreate: Back Pressed !");
        });

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4. setOnError

This action doesn’t change the behavior of the component but rather listens for any errors that occur in the Search component.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnError((e -> {
            Log.e(TAG, "onCreate: ", e);
            // Handle Error
        }));

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.onError = OnError {
            Log.i(TAG, "onCreate: Error Occurred ! ${it.message}")
        }

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5. setOnEmpty

This action doesn’t change the behavior of the component but rather listens for the empty state of the Search component.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setOnEmpty(()-> {
            Log.d(TAG, "onCreate: Empty Result !");
        });

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.onEmpty = OnEmpty {
            Log.i(TAG, "onCreate: No Results Found !")
        }

Filters

1. ConversationsRequestBuilder

You can set the ConversationsRequestBuilder in the Search Component to filter the search result. You can modify the builder as per your specific requirements with multiple options available to know more refer to ConversationRequestBuilder.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setConversationsRequestBuilder(
                new ConversationsRequest.ConversationsRequestBuilder().setLimit(10)
        );

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.setConversationsRequestBuilder(
            ConversationsRequest.ConversationsRequestBuilder().setLimit(10)
        )

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2. MessagesRequestBuilder

You can set the MessagesRequestBuilder in the Search Component to filter the search result. You can modify the builder as per your specific requirements with multiple options available to know more refer to MessagesRequestBuilder.

Java

SearchActivity.java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setMessagesRequestBuilder(
                new MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder().setLimit(5)
        );

Kotlin

SearchActivity.kt

        binding.cometchatSearch.setMessagesRequestBuilder(
            MessagesRequest.MessagesRequestBuilder().setLimit(5)
        )

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Events

Events are emitted by a Component. By using event you can extend existing functionality. Being global events, they can be applied in multiple locations and are capable of being added or removed.

The CometChatSearch component does not produce any events.

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Customization

To fit your app’s design requirements, you can customize the appearance of the CometChatSearch component. We provide exposed methods that allow you to modify the experience and behavior according to your specific needs.

Style

Using Style you can customize the look and feel of the component in your app, These parameters typically control elements such as the color, size, shape, and fonts used within the component.

themes.xml

    <style name="CustomSearchStyle" parent="CometChatSearchStyle">
        <item name="cometchatSearchBackgroundColor">#EDEAFA</item>

        <item name="cometchatSearchFilterChipTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>

        <item name="cometchatSearchSectionHeaderTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchSectionHeaderBackgroundColor">#EDEAFA</item>

        <item name="cometchatSearchConversationItemBackgroundColor">#EDEAFA</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchConversationSubtitleTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchConversationTitleTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchConversationTimestampTextAppearance">?attr/cometchatTextAppearanceCaption1Bold</item>

        <item name="cometchatSearchSeeMoreTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>

        <item name="cometchatSearchMessageItemBackgroundColor">#EDEAFA</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchMessageTitleTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchMessageSubtitleTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>
        <item name="cometchatSearchMessageTimestampTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>

        <item name="cometchatSearchBarTextAppearance">@style/textStyleTimesNewRoman</item>
    </style>

    <style name="textStyleTimesNewRoman">
        <item name="android:fontFamily">@font/times_new_roman_regular</item>
    </style>

Java

binding.cometchatSearch.setStyle(R.style.CustomSearchStyle)

Kotlin

binding.cometchatSearch.setStyle(R.style.CustomSearchStyle)

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To know more such attributes, visit the attributes file.

Functionality

These are a set of small functional customizations that allow you to fine-tune the overall experience of the component. With these, you can toggle the visibility of UI elements.

Below is a list of customizations along with corresponding code snippets

Property	Description	Code
User	The UID of the user in whose conversation the search will be performed.	.setUid(String uid)
Group	The GUID of the group in whose conversation the search will be performed.	.setGuid(String guid)
Hide User Status	Hides the user’s online/offline status indicator.	.setHideUserStatus(boolean bool)
Hide Group Type	Hides the group type icon in conversation leading view.	.setHideGroupType(boolean hide)
Search Filters	List of filters to be rendered in the Search component.	.setSearchFilters(List<UIKitConstants.SearchFilter> filters)
Initial Search Filter	The filter which will be active by default on load.	.setInitialSearchFilter(UIKitConstants.SearchFilter initialSearchFilter)
Search In	List of entities in which the search should be performed.	.setSearchIn(List<SearchScope> scopes)
Initial View	Custom view to be shown when CometChat Search is rendered & no search is performed.	.setInitialView(@LayoutRes int initialView)
Loading View	A custom component to display during the loading state.	.setLoadingView(View loadingView)
Empty View	A custom component to display when there are no conversations available.	.setEmptyView(@LayoutRes int emptyView)
Error View	A custom component to display when an error occurs.	.setErrorView(View errorView)

Advanced

For advanced-level customization, you can set custom views to the component. This lets you tailor each aspect of the component to fit your exact needs and application aesthetics. You can create and define your views, layouts, and UI elements and then incorporate those into the component.

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ConversationItemView

With this function, you can assign a custom list item view to an conversation in the search result. For more information, refer to the itemView prop of the CometChatConversations component.

ConversationLeadingView

With this function, you can assign a custom leading view of an conversation in the search result. For more information, refer to the leadingView prop of the CometChatConversations component.

ConversationTitleView

With this function, you can assign a custom title view to an conversation in the search result. For more information, refer to the titleView prop of the CometChatConversations component.

ConversationSubtitleView

With this function, you can assign a custom subtitle view to an conversation in the search result. For more information, refer to the subtitleView prop of the CometChatConversations component.

ConversationTrailingView

With this function, you can assign a custom trailing view to an conversation in the search result. For more information, refer to the trailingView prop of the CometChatConversations component.

MessageItemView

With message item view functions, you can assign custom views to different types of messages in the search result. For more information, refer to the itemView prop of the CometChatMessages component.

Here’s how you can override the default message item view with a custom one for text messages:

XML

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        android:padding="16dp"
        android:background="#E8E4F3">

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/tv_sender_name"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="George Alan:"
            android:textColor="#6B4FBB"
            android:textSize="16sp"
            android:textStyle="bold"
            android:layout_marginEnd="4dp" />

        <TextView
            android:id="@+id/tv_message"
            android:layout_width="0dp"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:layout_weight="1"
            android:text="That works for me. Yes, let's go a..."
            android:textColor="#4A4A4A"
            android:textSize="16sp"
            android:ellipsize="end"
            android:maxLines="1" />
    </LinearLayout>

Java

        binding.cometchatSearch.setTextMessageItemView(new MessagesSearchViewHolderListener<TextMessage>() {
            @Override
            public View createView(Context context, View listItem) {
                // Inflate the custom message item view
                LayoutInflater layoutInflater = (LayoutInflater) context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
                return layoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.custom_message_item_view, null);
            }

            @Override
            public void bindView(Context context, View createdView, TextMessage message, RecyclerView.ViewHolder holder, List<BaseMessage> messagesList, int position) {
                // Find the TextView elements
                android.widget.TextView titleTv = createdView.findViewById(R.id.tv_sender_name);
                android.widget.TextView messageTv = createdView.findViewById(R.id.tv_message);

                // Bind the message data to the views
                if (message != null) {
                    titleTv.setText(message.getSender().getName());
                    messageTv.setText(message.getText());
                }
            }
        });

Kotlin

        binding.cometchatSearch.setTextMessageItemView(object : MessagesSearchViewHolderListener<TextMessage>() {
            override fun createView(
                context: Context?,
                listItem: View?
            ): View? {
                return layoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.custom_message_item_view, null)
            }

            override fun bindView(
                context: Context?,
                createdView: View?,
                message: TextMessage?,
                holder: RecyclerView.ViewHolder?,
                messagesList: List<BaseMessage?>?,
                position: Int
            ) {
                val titleTv = createdView?.findViewById<android.widget.TextView>(R.id.tv_sender_name)
                val messageTv = createdView?.findViewById<android.widget.TextView>(R.id.tv_message)

                titleTv?.text = message?.sender?.name
                messageTv?.text = message?.text
            }
        })

It should look like this in the app:

Bellow is the list of message item view functions available for customization:

Function	Message Type
setTextMessageItemView	Text Message
setImageMessageItemView	Image Message
setVideoMessageItemView	Video Message
setAudioMessageItemView	Audio Message
setDocumentMessageItemView	Document Message
setLinkMessageItemView	Link Message

DateTime Formatters

setDateTimeFormatter

By providing a custom implementation of the DateTimeFormatterCallback, you can configure how time and date values are displayed. This ensures consistent formatting for labels such as “Today”, “Yesterday”, “X minutes ago”, and more.

Each method in the interface corresponds to a specific case:

time(long timestamp) → Custom full timestamp format

today(long timestamp) → Called when a message is from today

yesterday(long timestamp) → Called for yesterday’s messages

lastWeek(long timestamp) → Messages from the past week

otherDays(long timestamp) → Older messages

minute(long timestamp) / hour(long timestamp) → Exact time unit

minutes(long diffInMinutesFromNow, long timestamp) → e.g., “5 minutes ago”

hours(long diffInHourFromNow, long timestamp) → e.g., “2 hours ago”

Java

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.Locale;


cometChatSearch.setDateTimeFormatter(new DateTimeFormatterCallback() {

        private final SimpleDateFormat fullTimeFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault());
        private final SimpleDateFormat dateFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("dd MMM yyyy", Locale.getDefault());

        @Override
        public String time(long timestamp) {
            return fullTimeFormatter.format(new Date(timestamp));
        }

        @Override
        public String today(long timestamp) {
            return "Today";
        }

        @Override
        public String yesterday(long timestamp) {
            return "Yesterday";
        }

        @Override
        public String lastWeek(long timestamp) {
            return "Last Week";
        }

        @Override
        public String otherDays(long timestamp) {
            return dateFormatter.format(new Date(timestamp));
        }

        @Override
        public String minutes(long diffInMinutesFromNow, long timestamp) {
            return diffInMinutesFromNow + " mins ago";
        }

        @Override
        public String hours(long diffInHourFromNow, long timestamp) {
            return diffInHourFromNow + " hrs ago";
        }
    });

Kotlin

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
import java.util.*

cometChatSearch.setDateTimeFormatterCallback(object : DateTimeFormatterCallback {

        private val fullTimeFormatter = SimpleDateFormat("hh:mm a", Locale.getDefault())
        private val dateFormatter = SimpleDateFormat("dd MMM yyyy", Locale.getDefault())

        override fun time(timestamp: Long): String {
            return fullTimeFormatter.format(Date(timestamp))
        }

        override fun today(timestamp: Long): String {
            return "Today"
        }

        override fun yesterday(timestamp: Long): String {
            return "Yesterday"
        }

        override fun lastWeek(timestamp: Long): String {
            return "Last Week"
        }

        override fun otherDays(timestamp: Long): String {
            return dateFormatter.format(Date(timestamp))
        }

        override fun minutes(diffInMinutesFromNow: Long, timestamp: Long): String {
            return "$diffInMinutesFromNow mins ago"
        }

        override fun hours(diffInHourFromNow: Long, timestamp: Long): String {
            return "$diffInHourFromNow hrs ago"
        }
    });

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Text Formatters

setTextFormatters

This method enables developers to define and apply text formatters that dynamically modify or transform message content before rendering it in the UI. Text formatters can be used for purposes such as:

• Automatically converting URLs into clickable links
• Applying Markdown or rich text styling
• Replacing certain words or patterns with emojis or predefined text
• Censoring specific words for moderation

By utilizing this method, developers can enhance readability, usability, and compliance with content guidelines. MentionsFormatter Guide