Message Persistence API for C# SDK

Message Persistence gives you real-time access to the history of messages published to PubNub. Each message is timestamped to the nearest 10 nanoseconds and stored across multiple availability zones in several geographic locations. You can encrypt stored messages with AES-256 so they are not readable on PubNub’s network. For details, see Message Persistence.

You control how long messages are stored through your account’s retention policy. Options include: 1 day, 7 days, 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, or Unlimited.

You can retrieve the following:

Messages
Message reactions
Files (using the File Sharing API)

Request execution

Use try/catch when working with the C# SDK.

If a request has invalid parameters (for example, a missing required field), the SDK throws an exception. If the request reaches the server but fails (server error or network issue), the error details are available in the returned status.

try
{
    PNResult<PNPublishResult> publishResponse = await pubnub.Publish()
        .Message("Why do Java developers wear glasses? Because they can't C#.")
        .Channel("my_channel")
        .ExecuteAsync();

    PNStatus status = publishResponse.Status;

    Console.WriteLine("Server status code : " + status.StatusCode.ToString());
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Request can't be executed due to error: {ex.Message}");
}

Fetch history

Requires Message Persistence

Enable Message Persistence for your key in the Admin Portal. See how to enable add-on features.

Fetch historical messages from one or more channels. Use IncludeMessageActions to include message actions.

You can control how messages are returned and in what order:

If you specify only the start parameter (without end), you receive messages older than the start timetoken.
If you specify only the end parameter (without start), you receive messages from that end timetoken and newer.
If you specify both start and end, you retrieve messages between those timetokens (inclusive of the end value).

You can receive up to 100 messages for a single channel. For multiple channels (up to 500), you can receive up to 25 messages per channel. If more messages match the time range, make iterative calls and adjust the start timetoken to page through the results.

Method(s)

Use the following method(s) in the C# SDK:

pubnub.FetchHistory()
        .Channels(string[])
        .IncludeMeta(bool)
        .IncludeMessageType(bool)
        .IncludeCustomMessageType(bool)
        .IncludeUUID(bool)
        .IncludeMessageActions(bool)
        .Reverse(bool)
        .Start(int)
        .End(int)
        .MaximumPerChannel(int)
        .QueryParam(Dictionary<string, object>)

* required

Parameter	Description
`Channels` * Type: string[]	Channels to fetch history messages from (up to 500).
`IncludeMeta` Type: bool	Whether to include the meta object (if provided at publish time) in the response.
`IncludeMessageType` Type: bool	Whether to include message type. Default is `true`.
`IncludeCustomMessageType` Type: bool	Whether to retrieve messages with the custom message type. See Retrieving Messages.
`IncludeUUID` Type: bool	Whether to receive the publisher `uuid`. Default is `true`.
`IncludeMessageActions` Type: bool	Retrieve history messages with message actions. If `true`, limited to one channel and 25 messages. Default is `false`.
`Reverse` Type: bool	Traverse from oldest to newest when set to `true`.
`Start` Type: long	Timetoken delimiting the start (exclusive) of the time slice.
`End` Type: long	Timetoken delimiting the end (inclusive) of the time slice.
`MaximumPerChannel` Type: int	Number of historical messages to return. Default and maximum are 100 for a single channel, 25 for multiple channels, and 25 if `IncludeMessageActions` is `true`.
`QueryParam` Type: Dictionary`<string, object>`	Pass name/value pairs as query string parameters. Useful for adding custom debug information or additional parameters required by specific PubNub features.
`Execute` * Type: PNCallback	`PNCallback` of type `PNFetchHistoryResult`.
`ExecuteAsync` Type: None	Returns `PNResult<PNFetchHistoryResult>`.

Truncated response

If truncated, a more property is returned; make iterative calls adjusting parameters.

Sample code

Reference code

This example is a self-contained code snippet ready to be run. It includes necessary imports and executes methods with console logging. Use it as a reference when working with other examples in this document.

Retrieve the last message on a channel:

Returns

{
    "Messages":
        {
            "my_channel":
            [{
                "Timetoken":15717278253295153,
                "Entry":"sample message",
                "Meta":"",
                "Uuid":"user-1",
                "MessageType":0,
                "CustomMessageType":"text-message",
                "Actions":null
            }]
        },
    "More":null
show all 16 lines

Other examples

Retrieve the last 25 messages on a channel synchronously

Delete messages from history

Requires Message Persistence

Enable Message Persistence for your key in the Admin Portal. See how to enable add-on features.

Remove messages from the history of a specific channel.

Required setting

To accept delete-from-history requests, enable the Delete-From-History setting for your key in the Admin Portal and initialize the SDK with a secret key.

Method(s)

To Delete Messages from History you can use the following method(s) in the C# SDK.

pubnub.DeleteMessages()
        .Channel(string)
        .Start(long)
        .End(long)
        .QueryParam(Dictionary<string,object>)

* required

Parameter	Description
`Channel` * Type: string	Channel to delete messages from.
`Start` Type: long	Timetoken delimiting the start of the time slice (inclusive) to delete messages from.
`End` Type: long	Timetoken delimiting the end of the time slice (exclusive) to delete messages from.
`QueryParam` Type: Dictionary`<string, object>`	Pass name/value pairs as query string parameters. Useful for adding custom debug information or additional parameters required by specific PubNub features.
~~`Async`~~ Type: ~~PNCallback~~	~~`PNCallback` of type `PNDeleteMessageResult`.~~ This parameter is deprecated and will be removed in a future version. Please use the `ExecuteAsync` parameter instead.
`Execute` * Type: PNCallback	`PNCallback` of type `PNDeleteMessageResult`.
`ExecuteAsync` Type: None	Returns `PNResult<PNDeleteMessageResult>`.

Sample code

Returns

The DeleteMessages() operation returns a PNResult<PNDeleteMessageResult> that contains an empty PNDeleteMessageResult object.

Other examples

Delete messages sent in a particular timeframe

Delete specific message from history

To delete a specific message, set End to the message’s publish timetoken and set Start to that timetoken minus 1. For example, if 15526611838554310 is the publish timetoken, pass 15526611838554309 in Start and 15526611838554310 in End parameters respectively as shown in the following code snippet.

Message counts

Requires Message Persistence

Enable Message Persistence for your key in the Admin Portal. See how to enable add-on features.

Return the number of messages published since a given time. The count is messages with a timetoken greater than or equal to ChannelsTimetoken.

Unlimited message retention

For keys with unlimited message retention enabled, only messages from the last 30 days are counted.

Method(s)

You can use the following method(s) in the C# SDK:

pubnub.MessageCounts()
        .Channels(string[])
        .ChannelsTimetoken(long[])
        .QueryParam(Dictionary<string, object>)

* required

Parameter	Description
`Channels` * Type: string[]	Channels to fetch the message count for.
`ChannelsTimetoken` * Type: long[]	Array of `timetokens`, in the same order as the channels list. Specify a single `timetoken` to apply it to all channels; otherwise, lengths must match or the function returns a `PNStatus` error.
`QueryParam` Type: Dictionary`<string, object>`	Pass name/value pairs as query string parameters. Useful for adding custom debug information or additional parameters required by specific PubNub features.
~~`Async`~~ Type: ~~PNCallback~~	~~PNCallback of type `PNMessageCountResult`.~~ This parameter is deprecated and will be removed in a future version. Please use the `ExecuteAsync` parameter instead.
`Execute` * Type: PNCallback	PNCallback of type `PNMessageCountResult`.
`ExecuteAsync` Type: None	Returns `PNResult<PNMessageCountResult>`.

Sample code

Returns

The operation returns a PNResult<PNMessageCountResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNMessageCountResult	Returns a `PNMessageCountResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object

PNMessageCountResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Channels`	`Dictionary<string, long>`	Collection of `channels` with message counts. `channels` without messages have a count of 0. `channels` with 10,000 messages or more have a count of 10000.

Other examples

Retrieve count of messages for a single channel

Retrieve count of messages using different timetokens for each channel

History (deprecated)

Requires Message Persistence

Enable Message Persistence for your key in the Admin Portal. See how to enable add-on features.

Deprecated

This method is deprecated and will be removed in a future version. Please use the fetchHistory() method instead.

Fetch historical messages for a channel.

Control how messages are returned and in what order:

For example, you can:

Search from the newest end of the timeline (default: Reverse = false).
Search from the oldest end of the timeline by setting Reverse to true.
Page through results by providing a Start or End timetoken.
Retrieve a slice of the timeline by providing both a Start and End timetoken.
Limit the number of messages using the Count parameter.

Start & End parameter usage clarity

If you specify only Start (without End), you receive messages older than and up to that Start timetoken. If you specify only End (without Start), you receive messages that match that End timetoken and newer. If you specify both Start and End, you receive messages between those timetokens (inclusive of End). You still receive up to 100 messages even if more match. Make iterative calls to history, adjusting Start, to page through the full result set.

Method(s) (deprecated)

To run History you can use the following method(s) in the C# SDK:

pubnub.History()
        .Channel(string)
        .IncludeMeta(bool)
        .Reverse(bool)
        .IncludeTimetoken(bool)
        .Start(long)
        .End(long)
        .count(int)
        .QueryParam(Dictionary<string,object>)

* required

Parameter	Description
`Channel` * Type: string	Channel to return history messages from.
`IncludeMeta` Type: bool	Whether to include the meta object (if provided at publish time) in the response.
`Reverse` Type: bool	Traverse from oldest to newest when set to `true`.
`IncludeTimetoken` Type: bool	Whether to include message `timetokens` in the response.
`Start` Type: long	Timetoken delimiting the start (exclusive) of the time slice.
`End` Type: long	Timetoken delimiting the end (inclusive) of the time slice.
`Count` Type: int	Number of historical messages to return.
`QueryParam` Type: Dictionary`<string, object>`	Pass name/value pairs as query string parameters. Useful for adding custom debug information or additional parameters required by specific PubNub features.
~~`Async`~~ Type: ~~PNCallback~~	~~`PNCallback` of type `PNHistoryResult`.~~ This parameter is deprecated and will be removed in a future version. Please use the `ExecuteAsync` parameter instead.
`Execute` * Type: PNCallback	`PNCallback` of type `PNHistoryResult`.
`ExecuteAsync` Type: None	Returns `PNResult<PNHistoryResult>`.

Using the reverse parameter

Messages are always returned sorted in ascending time direction from history regardless of Reverse. The Reverse direction matters when you have more than 100 (or Count, if it's set) messages in the time interval, in which case Reverse determines the end of the time interval from which it should start retrieving the messages.

Sample code (deprecated)

Retrieve the last 100 messages on a channel:

Returns (deprecated)

The History() operation returns a PNResult<PNHistoryResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNHistoryResult	Returns a `PNHistoryResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNHistoryResult which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Messages`	List`<PNHistoryItemResult>`	List of messages of type `PNHistoryItemResult`. See PNHistoryItemResult for more details.
`StartTimetoken`	long	Start `timetoken`.
`EndTimetoken`	long	End `timetoken`.

PNHistoryItemResult (deprecated)

Property Name	Type	Description
`Timetoken`	long	`Timetoken` of the message.
`Entry`	object	Message.

Other examples (deprecated)

Retrieve the last 100 messages on a channel synchronously (deprecated)

Use history() to retrieve the three oldest messages by retrieving from the time line in reverse (deprecated)

Response (deprecated)

{
    "Messages":[
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub1"
        },
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub2"
        },
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub3"
        }
    ],
show all 18 lines

Use history() to retrieve messages newer than a given timetoken by paging from oldest message to newest message starting at a single point in time (exclusive) (deprecated)

Response (deprecated)

{
    "Messages":[
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub3"
        },
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub4"
        },
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub5"
        }
    ],
show all 18 lines

Use history() to retrieve messages until a given timetoken by paging from newest message to oldest message until a specific end point in time (inclusive) (deprecated)

Response (deprecated)

{
    "Messages":[
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub3"
        },
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub4"
        },
        {
            "Timetoken": 0,
            "Entry": "Pub5"
        }
    ],
show all 18 lines

History paging example (deprecated)

Usage

You can call the method by passing 0 or a valid timetoken as the argument.

Request execution

Fetch history​

Requires Message Persistence

Method(s)​

Truncated response

Sample code​

Reference code

Returns​

Other examples​

Retrieve the last 25 messages on a channel synchronously​

Delete messages from history​

Requires Message Persistence

Required setting

Method(s)​

Sample code​

Returns​

Other examples​

Delete messages sent in a particular timeframe​

Delete specific message from history​

Message counts​

Requires Message Persistence

Unlimited message retention

Method(s)​

Sample code​

Returns​

Other examples​

Retrieve count of messages for a single channel​

Retrieve count of messages using different timetokens for each channel​

History (deprecated)​

Requires Message Persistence

Deprecated

Start & End parameter usage clarity

Method(s) (deprecated)​

Using the reverse parameter

Sample code (deprecated)​

Returns (deprecated)​

PNHistoryItemResult (deprecated)​

Other examples (deprecated)​

Retrieve the last 100 messages on a channel synchronously (deprecated)​

Use history() to retrieve the three oldest messages by retrieving from the time line in reverse (deprecated)​

Response (deprecated)​

Use history() to retrieve messages newer than a given timetoken by paging from oldest message to newest message starting at a single point in time (exclusive) (deprecated)​

Response (deprecated)​

Use history() to retrieve messages until a given timetoken by paging from newest message to oldest message until a specific end point in time (inclusive) (deprecated)​

Response (deprecated)​

History paging example (deprecated)​

Usage

Include timetoken in history response (deprecated)​

Fetch history

Method(s)

Sample code

Returns

Other examples

Retrieve the last 25 messages on a channel synchronously

Delete messages from history

Method(s)

Sample code

Returns

Other examples

Delete messages sent in a particular timeframe

Delete specific message from history

Message counts

Method(s)

Sample code

Returns

Other examples

Retrieve count of messages for a single channel

Retrieve count of messages using different timetokens for each channel

History (deprecated)

Method(s) (deprecated)

Sample code (deprecated)

Returns (deprecated)

PNHistoryItemResult (deprecated)

Other examples (deprecated)

Retrieve the last 100 messages on a channel synchronously (deprecated)

Use history() to retrieve the three oldest messages by retrieving from the time line in reverse (deprecated)

Response (deprecated)

Use history() to retrieve messages newer than a given timetoken by paging from oldest message to newest message starting at a single point in time (exclusive) (deprecated)

Response (deprecated)

Use history() to retrieve messages until a given timetoken by paging from newest message to oldest message until a specific end point in time (inclusive) (deprecated)

Response (deprecated)

History paging example (deprecated)

Include timetoken in history response (deprecated)