Ringing

Implement incoming and outgoing call notifications with accept/reject functionality. Ringing enables real-time call signaling between users, allowing them to initiate calls and respond to incoming call requests.

Ringing functionality requires the CometChat Chat SDK to be integrated alongside the Calls SDK. The Chat SDK handles call signaling (initiating, accepting, rejecting calls), while the Calls SDK manages the actual call session.

How Ringing Works

The ringing flow involves two SDKs working together:

1. Chat SDK - Handles call signaling (initiate, accept, reject, cancel)
2. Calls SDK - Manages the actual call session once accepted

Initiate a Call

Use the Chat SDK to initiate a call to a user or group:

Swift

let receiverID = "USER_ID"
let receiverType: CometChat.ReceiverType = .user
let callType: CometChat.CallType = .video

let call = Call(receiverId: receiverID, callType: callType, receiverType: receiverType)

CometChat.initiateCall(call: call, onSuccess: { call in
    print("Call initiated: \(call?.sessionID ?? "")")
    // Show outgoing call UI
}, onError: { error in
    print("Call initiation failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
})

Objective-C

NSString *receiverID = @"USER_ID";
CometChatReceiverType receiverType = CometChatReceiverTypeUser;
CometChatCallType callType = CometChatCallTypeVideo;

Call *call = [[Call alloc] initWithReceiverId:receiverID callType:callType receiverType:receiverType];

[CometChat initiateCallWithCall:call onSuccess:^(Call * call) {
    NSLog(@"Call initiated: %@", call.sessionID);
    // Show outgoing call UI
} onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
    NSLog(@"Call initiation failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
}];

Parameter	Type	Description
receiverID	String	UID of the user or GUID of the group to call
receiverType	ReceiverType	.user or .group
callType	CallType	.video or .audio

Call Timeout

By default, if the receiver does not answer within 45 seconds, the call is automatically marked as unanswered and the caller receives the onOutgoingCallRejected callback. You can customize this duration by passing a timeout parameter (in seconds) when initiating the call.

Swift

let receiverID = "USER_ID"
let receiverType: CometChat.ReceiverType = .user
let callType: CometChat.CallType = .video

let call = Call(receiverId: receiverID, callType: callType, receiverType: receiverType)

// Set a custom timeout of 30 seconds
CometChat.initiateCall(call: call, timeout: 30, onSuccess: { call in
    print("Call initiated: \(call?.sessionID ?? "")")
}, onError: { error in
    print("Call initiation failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
})

Objective-C

NSString *receiverID = @"USER_ID";
CometChatReceiverType receiverType = CometChatReceiverTypeUser;
CometChatCallType callType = CometChatCallTypeVideo;

Call *call = [[Call alloc] initWithReceiverId:receiverID callType:callType receiverType:receiverType];

// Set a custom timeout of 30 seconds
[CometChat initiateCallWithCall:call timeout:30 onSuccess:^(Call * call) {
    NSLog(@"Call initiated: %@", call.sessionID);
} onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
    NSLog(@"Call initiation failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
}];

Parameter	Type	Description
call	Call	The call object with receiver and call type details
timeout	Double	Time in seconds to wait before marking the call as unanswered. Defaults to 45. Non-integer values are truncated (e.g., 30.7 becomes 30). Values ≤ 0 fall back to the default 45 seconds.

When the timeout expires without the call being accepted, the SDK automatically:

1. Sends an unanswered call status to the server.
2. Triggers the onOutgoingCallRejected callback on the caller’s side with the call status set to .unanswered.
3. Cleans up the call session.

If the call is accepted, rejected, or cancelled before the timeout expires, the timer is automatically stopped and the timeout has no effect.

Listen for Incoming Calls

Register a call listener to receive incoming call notifications:

Swift

let listenerID = "UNIQUE_LISTENER_ID"

CometChat.addCallListener(listenerID, self)

// Implement CometChatCallDelegate
extension CallViewController: CometChatCallDelegate {

    func onIncomingCallReceived(incomingCall: Call?, error: CometChatException?) {
        guard let call = incomingCall else { return }
        print("Incoming call from: \(call.callInitiator?.name ?? "")")
        // Show incoming call UI with accept/reject options
    }

    func onOutgoingCallAccepted(acceptedCall: Call?, error: CometChatException?) {
        guard let call = acceptedCall else { return }
        print("Call accepted, joining session...")
        joinCallSession(sessionId: call.sessionID ?? "")
    }

    func onOutgoingCallRejected(rejectedCall: Call?, error: CometChatException?) {
        print("Call rejected")
        // Dismiss outgoing call UI
    }

    func onIncomingCallCancelled(cancelledCall: Call?, error: CometChatException?) {
        print("Incoming call cancelled")
        // Dismiss incoming call UI
    }

    func onCallEndedMessageReceived(endedCall: Call?, error: CometChatException?) {
        print("Call ended")
    }
}

Objective-C

NSString *listenerID = @"UNIQUE_LISTENER_ID";

[CometChat addCallListener:listenerID delegate:self];

// Implement CometChatCallDelegate
- (void)onIncomingCallReceivedWithIncomingCall:(Call *)incomingCall error:(CometChatException *)error {
    NSLog(@"Incoming call from: %@", incomingCall.callInitiator.name);
    // Show incoming call UI with accept/reject options
}

- (void)onOutgoingCallAcceptedWithAcceptedCall:(Call *)acceptedCall error:(CometChatException *)error {
    NSLog(@"Call accepted, joining session...");
    [self joinCallSessionWithSessionId:acceptedCall.sessionID];
}

- (void)onOutgoingCallRejectedWithRejectedCall:(Call *)rejectedCall error:(CometChatException *)error {
    NSLog(@"Call rejected");
    // Dismiss outgoing call UI
}

- (void)onIncomingCallCancelledWithCancelledCall:(Call *)cancelledCall error:(CometChatException *)error {
    NSLog(@"Incoming call cancelled");
    // Dismiss incoming call UI
}

- (void)onCallEndedMessageReceivedWithEndedCall:(Call *)endedCall error:(CometChatException *)error {
    NSLog(@"Call ended");
}

Callback	Description
onIncomingCallReceived	A new incoming call is received
onOutgoingCallAccepted	The receiver accepted your outgoing call
onOutgoingCallRejected	The receiver rejected your outgoing call, or the call timed out as unanswered
onIncomingCallCancelled	The caller cancelled the incoming call
onCallEndedMessageReceived	The call has ended

Remember to remove the call listener when it’s no longer needed to prevent memory leaks:

CometChat.removeCallListener(listenerID)

Accept a Call

When an incoming call is received, accept it using the Chat SDK:

Swift

func acceptIncomingCall(sessionId: String) {
    CometChat.acceptCall(sessionID: sessionId, onSuccess: { call in
        print("Call accepted")
        self.joinCallSession(sessionId: call?.sessionID ?? "")
    }, onError: { error in
        print("Accept call failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
    })
}

Objective-C

- (void)acceptIncomingCallWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId {
    [CometChat acceptCallWithSessionID:sessionId onSuccess:^(Call * call) {
        NSLog(@"Call accepted");
        [self joinCallSessionWithSessionId:call.sessionID];
    } onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
        NSLog(@"Accept call failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
    }];
}

Reject a Call

Reject an incoming call:

Swift

func rejectIncomingCall(sessionId: String) {
    let status: CometChat.CallStatus = .rejected

    CometChat.rejectCall(sessionID: sessionId, status: status, onSuccess: { call in
        print("Call rejected")
        // Dismiss incoming call UI
    }, onError: { error in
        print("Reject call failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
    })
}

Objective-C

- (void)rejectIncomingCallWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId {
    [CometChat rejectCallWithSessionID:sessionId status:CometChatCallStatusRejected onSuccess:^(Call * call) {
        NSLog(@"Call rejected");
        // Dismiss incoming call UI
    } onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
        NSLog(@"Reject call failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
    }];
}

Cancel a Call

Cancel an outgoing call before it’s answered:

Swift

func cancelOutgoingCall(sessionId: String) {
    let status: CometChat.CallStatus = .cancelled

    CometChat.rejectCall(sessionID: sessionId, status: status, onSuccess: { call in
        print("Call cancelled")
        // Dismiss outgoing call UI
    }, onError: { error in
        print("Cancel call failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
    })
}

Objective-C

- (void)cancelOutgoingCallWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId {
    [CometChat rejectCallWithSessionID:sessionId status:CometChatCallStatusCancelled onSuccess:^(Call * call) {
        NSLog(@"Call cancelled");
        // Dismiss outgoing call UI
    } onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
        NSLog(@"Cancel call failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
    }];
}

Join the Call Session

After accepting a call (or when your outgoing call is accepted), join the call session using the Calls SDK:

Swift

func joinCallSession(sessionId: String) {
    let sessionSettings = CometChatCalls.sessionSettingsBuilder
        .setType(.video)
        .build()

    CometChatCalls.joinSession(
        sessionID: sessionId,
        callSetting: sessionSettings,
        container: callViewContainer,
        onSuccess: { message in
            print("Joined call session")
        },
        onError: { error in
            print("Failed to join: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
        }
    )
}

Objective-C

- (void)joinCallSessionWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId {
    SessionSettings *sessionSettings = [[[CometChatCalls sessionSettingsBuilder]
        setType:CallTypeVideo]
        build];

    [CometChatCalls joinSessionWithSessionID:sessionId
        callSetting:sessionSettings
        container:self.callViewContainer
        onSuccess:^(NSString * message) {
            NSLog(@"Joined call session");
        } onError:^(CometChatCallException * error) {
            NSLog(@"Failed to join: %@", error.errorDescription);
        }];
}

End a Call

Properly ending a call requires coordination between both SDKs to ensure all participants are notified and call logs are recorded correctly.

Always call CometChat.endCall() when ending a call. This notifies the other participant and ensures the call is properly logged. Without this, the other user won’t know the call has ended and call logs may be incomplete.

When using the default call UI, listen for the end call button click using ButtonClickListener and call endCall():

Swift

class CallViewController: UIViewController, ButtonClickListener {
    var currentSessionId: String = ""

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        CallSession.shared.addButtonClickListener(self)
    }

    func onLeaveSessionButtonClicked() {
        endCall(sessionId: currentSessionId)
    }

    func endCall(sessionId: String) {
        // 1. Leave the call session (Calls SDK)
        CallSession.shared.leaveSession()

        // 2. Notify other participants (Chat SDK)
        CometChat.endCall(sessionID: sessionId, onSuccess: { call in
            print("Call ended successfully")
            self.navigationController?.popViewController(animated: true)
        }, onError: { error in
            print("End call failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
            self.navigationController?.popViewController(animated: true)
        })
    }

    // Other ButtonClickListener callbacks...
}

Objective-C

@interface CallViewController () <ButtonClickListener>
@property (nonatomic, strong) NSString *currentSessionId;
@end

@implementation CallViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];
    [[CallSession shared] addButtonClickListener:self];
}

- (void)onLeaveSessionButtonClicked {
    [self endCallWithSessionId:self.currentSessionId];
}

- (void)endCallWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId {
    // 1. Leave the call session (Calls SDK)
    [[CallSession shared] leaveSession];

    // 2. Notify other participants (Chat SDK)
    [CometChat endCallWithSessionID:sessionId onSuccess:^(Call * call) {
        NSLog(@"Call ended successfully");
        [self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
    } onError:^(CometChatException * error) {
        NSLog(@"End call failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
        [self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
    }];
}

@end

The other participant receives onCallEndedMessageReceived callback and should leave the session:

Swift

func onCallEndedMessageReceived(endedCall: Call?, error: CometChatException?) {
    CallSession.shared.leaveSession()
    navigationController?.popViewController(animated: true)
}

Objective-C

- (void)onCallEndedMessageReceivedWithEndedCall:(Call *)endedCall error:(CometChatException *)error {
    [[CallSession shared] leaveSession];
    [self.navigationController popViewControllerAnimated:YES];
}

Call Status Values

Status	Description
initiated	Call has been initiated but not yet answered
ongoing	Call is currently in progress
busy	Receiver is busy on another call
rejected	Receiver rejected the call
cancelled	Caller cancelled before receiver answered
ended	Call ended normally
missed	Receiver didn’t answer in time
unanswered	Call was not answered within the timeout duration