Authenticated in-app messaging

Prerequisites

  • Your mobile app users should be able to log into your back-end securely.
  • Your back-end must be able to supply, upon request during the session, an OAuth 2.0 (for Code Flow) or a JWT token (for Implicit Flow).

Authentication methods

If your system implementation involves an authentication step , you can use one of the following methods in order to get the conversation view:

Activity mode
LivePerson.showConversation(Activity activity, LPAuthenticationParams lpAuthenticationParams, ConversationViewParams params‎);
Fragment mode (Attach the returned fragment to a container in your activity)
LivePerson.getConversationFragment(LPAuthenticationParams lpAuthenticationParams, ConversationViewParams params‎);

Authenticated connection methods

AuthenticationKey

The LivePerson back-end verifies the authentication token sent by the SDK with your system servers. If the key cannot be verified on your company’s backend servers, this call fails.

LPAuthenticationParams().setAuthKey("yourAuthCode").

Tip: Alternatively, when using this method, you can also set a special redirect URL when authenticating by calling:

lpAuthenticationParams.setHostAppRedirectUri("yourRedirectUrl")
JWT
LPAuthenticationParams().setHostAppJWT("yourJwt")

Once the Authentication key expires, you get notified with a callback / local intent "void onTokenExpired()".

To re-connect with a new Authentication key, use reconnect( LPAuthenticationParams lpAuthenticationParams)

Errors while trying to connect uses callback: void onError(TaskType type, String message);

Unauthenticated in-app messaging

Unauthenticated In-App Messaging allows brands to communicate with consumers in an unauthenticated manner. This allows:

  • Easier & quicker on-boarding to LiveEngage

  • Having pre authentication messaging use cases, for example, assistance with password recovery

  • The ability to use Campaigns for Messaging

Related Classes, Parameters & APIs

The LPAuthenticationParams object contains an authentication type which should be passed in the ctor. An empty ctor is also available and the default authentication type will be SIGN_UP (is deprecated as of July 2019).

Note: if you call any methods in LPAuthenticationParams that support authentication (for ex. - setHostAppJWT()) - it will automatically set the authentication type to LPAuthenticationType.AUTH

public class LPAuthenticationParams {
    ...
    private LPAuthenticationType mType;
  }

public enum LPAuthenticationType {SIGN_UP, UN_AUTH, AUTH}
Server side configurations (In case needed, should be modified by LivePerson)

  • Identity idle time - setting the time frame for identifying a consumer while being idle (not communicating with the brand). When a consumer opens the conversation window after being idle for the configured time, the LivePerson data will be removed from the device. If there's an open conversation - it will be closed and a dialog explaining what happened will be presented to the consumer.

  • Unauthenticated token expiration - sets the time for the app to validate the token. When the token is expired, it will be refreshed.

SDK configurations

When an unauthenticated user session expire - the SDK will notify by presenting a dialog to the consumer. The dialog content can be modified by overriding the following string params

   <string name="lp_new_unauth_user_dialog_title">New Conversation</string>
   <string name="lp_new_unauth_user_dialog_message">"Hi there! As we haven't seen you for a while, we're opening a new conversation for you."</string>

Code Samples

// 1. Init SDK with Monitoring
MonitoringInitParams monitoringInitParams = new MonitoringInitParams(monitoringAppInstallId);

LivePerson.initialize(getApplicationContext(), new InitLivePersonProperties(accountId,APP_ID, monitoringInitParams, new InitLivePersonCallBack() {...}));

// 2. create & pass LPAuthenticationParams
LPAuthenticationParams lpAuthenticationParams = new LPAuthenticationParams(LPAuthenticationType.UN_AUTH);

LivePerson.showConversation(activity,lpAuthenticationParams, conversationViewParams);

Notes & Best Practices

  • Brands who wish to use Unauthenticated In-App Messaging must activate Campaigns for Messaging and create a default engagement. For additional information, please follow the Campaigns for Messaging guide. In addition, the SDK should be initialized with the LPMonitoringInitParams object.

  • In order to change SDK modes, Logout must be called first.

  • LPAuthenticationType signup will be deprecated at the end June 2019.