JavaScript API

Chat window API

Use the chat window API to manipulate the chat widget displayed on your website.

Some popular use–cases are:

  • maximizing the chat window after a given time,
  • hiding the window during the weekends.

You can also get some basic visitor’s statistics. For instance, chat window API will tell you how many chats the visitor had in the past.

Support for AJAX–based and Flash-based websites

LiveChat has a built–in support for AJAX-based and Flash-based websites that do not physically refresh the browser.

Just make sure that the address bar in the browser changes (using the anchor element in the URL: #somepage – you can use the swfaddress library to do so). LiveChat will display it just as a normal page refresh.

Use the LC_API global variable to invoke any API method.
Use the on_after_load callback to make sure LC_API is already loaded.

Using chat window API

var LC_API = LC_API || {};
LC_API.on_after_load = function()
{
	// your code here
};

Open the chat window

Maximizes the chat window (when using the embedded chat window) or opens the chat window (when using the pop-up window).

Open chat window

LC_API.open_chat_window();

Minimize the chat window

Minimizes the chat window (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Minimize chat window

LC_API.minimize_chat_window();

Maximize the chat window

Maximizes the chat window (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Maximize chat window

LC_API.maximize_chat_window();

Hide the chat window

Hide the chat window (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Hide chat window

LC_API.hide_chat_window();

Hide chat window on page load

var LC_API = LC_API || {};

LC_API.on_before_load = function()
{
	// don't hide the chat window only if visitor
	// is currently chatting with an operator
	if (LC_API.visitor_engaged() === false)
	{
		LC_API.hide_chat_window();
	}
};

Check if the chat window is maximized

Returns true if the chat window is maximized, returns false otherwise (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Check if chat window is maximized

var is_maximized = LC_API.chat_window_maximized();

Check if the chat window is minimized

Returns true if the chat window is minimized, returns false otherwise (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Check if chat window is minimized

var is_minimized = LC_API.chat_window_minimized();

Check if the chat window is hidden

Returns true if the chat window is hidden, returns false otherwise (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Check if chat window is hidden

var is_hidden = LC_API.chat_window_hidden();

Check if the visitor is currently waiting in the queue

Returns true if the visitor is currently waiting in the queue, returns false otherwise (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Check if visitor is waiting in the queue

var visitor_in_queue = LC_API.visitor_queued();

Check if the visitor is currently chatting with an agent

Returns true if the visitor is currently chatting with an agent, returns false otherwise (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Check if visitor is chatting with an agent

var is_chatting = LC_API.chat_running();

Check if the visitor is currently chatting or waiting in the queue

Returns true if the visitor is currently chatting or waiting in the queue, returns false otherwise (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

Check if visitor is engaged

var is_engaged = LC_API.visitor_engaged();

Returns current chat window type

Returns embedded if the chat window is embedded on the website or popup if the chat window opens in a new window.

You can change the chat window type in the LiveChat app.

Get window type

var window_type = LC_API.get_window_type();

Set custom variables

You can set custom variables that LiveChat operators will see in their app.

Custom variables will be saved in the chat transcript, so you will see them in the Archives even after the chat is finished.

Please note that custom variables can also be set in the tracking code __lc.params variable. The above method should be used if you want to update the custom variables without a page refresh.

Set custom variables

var custom_variables = [
  { name: 'page', value: 'Store' },
  { name: 'user_id', value: '12345' }
];
LC_API.set_custom_variables(custom_variables);

Callbacks

Callbacks let you bind a custom JavaScript function to an event.

For example, your function can be invoked every time the chat window is opened.

On before load

Callback function invoked when LC_API object is loaded and ready to use, before the chat window is rendered (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

On before load

var LC_API = LC_API || {};
LC_API.on_before_load = function()
{
	// your code here
};

On after load

Callback function invoked when LC_API object is loaded and ready to use, right after the chat window is rendered (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

On after load

var LC_API = LC_API || {};
LC_API.on_after_load = function()
{
	// your code here
};

On chat window opened

Callback function invoked when the chat window is opened (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

On chat window opened

var LC_API = LC_API || {};
LC_API.on_chat_window_opened = function()
{
	// your code here
};

On chat window minimized

Callback function invoked when the chat window is minimized (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

On chat window minimized

var LC_API = LC_API || {};
LC_API.on_chat_window_minimized = function()
{
	// your code here
};

On chat window hidden

Callback function invoked when the chat window is hidden (not supported with the pop-up chat window).

On chat window hidden

var LC_API = LC_API || {};
LC_API.on_chat_window_hidden = function()
{
	// your code here
};

Statistics

Get last visit timestamp

Returns timestamp (in seconds) of the previous user’s visit on the website.

Get last visit timestamp

var timestamp = LC_API.get_last_visit_timestamp();

Get visits number

Returns total number of user’s visit on the website.

Get visits number

var visits = LC_API.get_visits_number();

Get page views number

Returns total number of user’s page views (including past visits).

Get page views number

var pageviews = LC_API.get_page_views_number();

Get chats number

Returns total number of user’s chats.

Get chats number

var chats = LC_API.get_chats_number();

Get visitor’s ID

Returns the unique identificator of the current visitor.

Get visitor id

var visitor_id = LC_API.get_visitor_id();

Tracking code

LiveChat tracking code is available in the LiveChat app.

You can customize the tracking code to send additional information about your visitors to LiveChat applications.

Tracking code

<script type="text/javascript">
var __lc = {};

/**
 * LiveChat license number
 */
__lc.license = 123456;

/**
 * Chat window group (defaults to "0").
 * You can divide LiveChat agents into different departments,
 * such as "Billing" or "Support".
 * For example, if this parameter will point to group "Billing",
 * all visitors entering the chat will talk with agents
 * from this group and not the "Support" group.
 *
 * Create your group in LiveChat app:
 * https://my.livechatinc.com/agents/groups
 */
__lc.group = 1;

/**
 * Visitor's name. If your visitor is already logged in
 * to your system, you can pass his name to LiveChat apps.
 * Agents will see this name on the "Visitors" list.
 * If the pre-chat survey is turned off, it will become
 * the visitor's name during the chat.
 */
__lc.visitor = {
	name: 'Joe Public'
};

/**
 * Custom variables sent to LiveChat applications.
 * These can be your visitor's account ID, login
 * or any other information that is important for
 * LiveChat agent during the chat.
 */
__lc.params = [
  { name: 'Login', value: 'joe_public' },
  { name: 'Account ID', value: 'ABCD1234' },
  { name: 'Total order value', value: '$123' }
];

(function() {
  var lc = document.createElement('script'); lc.type = 'text/javascript'; lc.async = true;
  lc.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://' : 'http://') + 'cdn.livechatinc.com/tracking.js';
  var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(lc, s);
})();
</script>