Update a message

This guide explains how to use the update() method on the Message resource of the Google Chat API to update a text or card message in a space. Update a message to change message attributes, such as what it says, or the content of a card. You can also prepend a text message to a card message, or append a card to a text message.

In the Chat API, a Chat message is represented by the Message resource. While Chat users can only send messages that contain text, Chat apps can use many other messaging features, including displaying static or interactive user interfaces, collecting information from users, and delivering messages privately. To learn more about messaging features available for the Chat API, see the Google Chat messages overview.

Prerequisites

Node.js

Python

Java

Apps Script

Update a message on behalf of a user

With user authentication, only the text of a message can be updated.

To update a message with user authentication, pass the following in your request:

  • Specify the chat.messages authorization scope.
  • Call the UpdateMessage() method.
  • Pass message as an instance of Message with the following:
    • The name field set to the message to update, which includes a space ID and a message ID.
    • The text field set with the new text.
  • Pass updateMask with the value text.

If the updated message is a card message, then the text prepends to the cards (which continue to display).

Here's how to update a message, or prepend a text message to a card message with user authentication:

Node.js

chat/client-libraries/cloud/update-message-user-cred.js
import {createClientWithUserCredentials} from './authentication-utils.js';

const USER_AUTH_OAUTH_SCOPES = ['https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.messages'];

// This sample shows how to update a message with user credential
async function main() {
  // Create a client
  const chatClient = await createClientWithUserCredentials(USER_AUTH_OAUTH_SCOPES);

  // Initialize request argument(s)
  const request = {
    message: {
      // Replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
      name: 'spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME',
      text: 'Updated with user credential!'
    },
    // The field paths to update. Separate multiple values with commas or use
    // `*` to update all field paths.
    updateMask: {
      // The field paths to update.
      paths: ['text']
    }
  };

  // Make the request
  const response = await chatClient.updateMessage(request);

  // Handle the response
  console.log(response);
}

main().catch(console.error);

Python

chat/client-libraries/cloud/update_message_user_cred.py
from authentication_utils import create_client_with_user_credentials
from google.apps import chat_v1 as google_chat

SCOPES = ["https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.messages"]

# This sample shows how to update a message with user credential
def update_message_with_user_cred():
    # Create a client
    client = create_client_with_user_credentials(SCOPES)

    # Initialize request argument(s)
    request = google_chat.UpdateMessageRequest(
        message = {
            # Replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
            "name": "spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME",
            "text": "Updated with user credential!"
        },
        # The field paths to update. Separate multiple values with commas or use
        # `*` to update all field paths.
        update_mask = "text"
    )

    # Make the request
    response = client.update_message(request)

    # Handle the response
    print(response)

update_message_with_user_cred()

Java

chat/client-libraries/cloud/src/main/java/com/google/workspace/api/chat/samples/UpdateMessageUserCred.java
import com.google.chat.v1.ChatServiceClient;
import com.google.chat.v1.UpdateMessageRequest;
import com.google.chat.v1.Message;
import com.google.protobuf.FieldMask;

// This sample shows how to update message with user credential.
public class UpdateMessageUserCred {

  private static final String SCOPE =
    "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.messages";

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    try (ChatServiceClient chatServiceClient =
        AuthenticationUtils.createClientWithUserCredentials(
          ImmutableList.of(SCOPE))) {
      UpdateMessageRequest.Builder request = UpdateMessageRequest.newBuilder()
        .setMessage(Message.newBuilder()
          // replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
          .setName("spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME")
          .setText("Updated with user credential!"))
        .setUpdateMask(FieldMask.newBuilder()
          // The field paths to update.
          .addPaths("text"));
      Message response = chatServiceClient.updateMessage(request.build());

      System.out.println(JsonFormat.printer().print(response));
    }
  }
}

Apps Script

chat/advanced-service/Main.gs
/**
 * This sample shows how to update a message with user credential
 * 
 * It relies on the OAuth2 scope 'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.messages'
 * referenced in the manifest file (appsscript.json).
 */
function updateMessageUserCred() {
  // Initialize request argument(s)
  // TODO(developer): Replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
  const name = 'spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME';
  const message = {
    text: 'Updated with user credential!'
  };
  // The field paths to update. Separate multiple values with commas or use
  // `*` to update all field paths.
  const updateMask = 'text';

  // Make the request
  const response = Chat.Spaces.Messages.patch(message, name, {
    updateMask: updateMask
  });

  // Handle the response
  console.log(response);
}

To run this sample, replace the following:

  • SPACE_NAME: the ID from the space's name. You can obtain the ID by calling the ListSpaces() method or from the space's URL.
  • MESSAGE_NAME: the ID from the message's name. You can obtain the ID from the response body returned after creating a message asynchronously with the Chat API, or with the custom name assigned to the message at creation.

The Chat API returns an instance of Message that details the message that's updated.

Update a message as the Chat app

With app authentication, both the text and the cards of a message can be updated.

To update a message with app authentication, pass the following in your request:

  • Specify the chat.bot authorization scope.
  • Call the UpdateMessage() method.
  • Pass message as an instance of Message with the following:
    • The name field set to the message to update, which includes a space ID and a message ID.
    • The text field set with the new text if it needs to be updated.
    • The cardsV2 field set with the new cards if they need to be updated.
  • Pass updateMask with the list of fields to updates such as text, and cardsV2.

If the updated message is a card message and text is updated, then the updated text prepends to the cards (which continue to display). If the updated message is a text message and cards are updated, then the updated cards append to the text (which continues to display).

Here's how to update the text and cards of a message with app authentication:

Node.js

chat/client-libraries/cloud/update-message-app-cred.js
import {createClientWithAppCredentials} from './authentication-utils.js';

// This sample shows how to update a message with app credential
async function main() {
  // Create a client
  const chatClient = createClientWithAppCredentials();

  // Initialize request argument(s)
  const request = {
    message: {
      // Replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
      name: 'spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME',
      text: 'Text updated with app credential!',
      cardsV2 : [{ card: { header: {
        title: 'Card updated with app credential!',
        imageUrl: 'https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/i/short-term/release/googlesymbols/info/default/24px.svg'
      }}}]
    },
    // The field paths to update. Separate multiple values with commas or use
    // `*` to update all field paths.
    updateMask: {
      // The field paths to update.
      paths: ['text', 'cards_v2']
    }
  };

  // Make the request
  const response = await chatClient.updateMessage(request);

  // Handle the response
  console.log(response);
}

main().catch(console.error);

Python

chat/client-libraries/cloud/update_message_app_cred.py
from authentication_utils import create_client_with_app_credentials
from google.apps import chat_v1 as google_chat

# This sample shows how to update a message with app credential
def update_message_with_app_cred():
    # Create a client
    client = create_client_with_app_credentials()

    # Initialize request argument(s)
    request = google_chat.UpdateMessageRequest(
        message = {
            # Replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
            "name": "spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME",
            "text": "Text updated with app credential!",
            "cards_v2" : [{ "card": { "header": {
                "title": 'Card updated with app credential!',
                "image_url": 'https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/i/short-term/release/googlesymbols/info/default/24px.svg'
            }}}]
        },
        # The field paths to update. Separate multiple values with commas or use
        # `*` to update all field paths.
        update_mask = "text,cardsV2"
    )

    # Make the request
    response = client.update_message(request)

    # Handle the response
    print(response)

update_message_with_app_cred()

Java

chat/client-libraries/cloud/src/main/java/com/google/workspace/api/chat/samples/UpdateMessageAppCred.java
import com.google.apps.card.v1.Card;
import com.google.apps.card.v1.Card.CardHeader;
import com.google.chat.v1.CardWithId;
import com.google.chat.v1.ChatServiceClient;
import com.google.chat.v1.UpdateMessageRequest;
import com.google.chat.v1.Message;
import com.google.protobuf.FieldMask;

// This sample shows how to update message with app credential.
public class UpdateMessageAppCred {

  public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
    try (ChatServiceClient chatServiceClient =
        AuthenticationUtils.createClientWithAppCredentials()) {
      UpdateMessageRequest.Builder request = UpdateMessageRequest.newBuilder()
        .setMessage(Message.newBuilder()
          // replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
          .setName("spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME")
          .setText("Text updated with app credential!")
          .addCardsV2(CardWithId.newBuilder().setCard(Card.newBuilder()
            .setHeader(CardHeader.newBuilder()
              .setTitle("Card updated with app credential!")
              .setImageUrl("https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/i/short-term/release/googlesymbols/info/default/24px.svg")))))
        .setUpdateMask(FieldMask.newBuilder()
          // The field paths to update.
          .addAllPaths(List.of("text", "cards_v2")));
      Message response = chatServiceClient.updateMessage(request.build());

      System.out.println(JsonFormat.printer().print(response));
    }
  }
}

Apps Script

chat/advanced-service/Main.gs
/**
 * This sample shows how to update a message with app credential
 * 
 * It relies on the OAuth2 scope 'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.bot'
 * used by service accounts.
 */
function updateMessageAppCred() {
  // Initialize request argument(s)
  // TODO(developer): Replace SPACE_NAME and MESSAGE_NAME here
  const name = 'spaces/SPACE_NAME/messages/MESSAGE_NAME';
  const message = {
    text: 'Text updated with app credential!',
    cardsV2 : [{ card: { header: {
      title: 'Card updated with app credential!',
      imageUrl: 'https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/i/short-term/release/googlesymbols/info/default/24px.svg'
    }}}]
  };
  // The field paths to update. Separate multiple values with commas or use
  // `*` to update all field paths.
  const updateMask = 'text,cardsV2';

  // Make the request
  const response = Chat.Spaces.Messages.patch(message, name, {
    updateMask: updateMask
  }, getHeaderWithAppCredentials());

  // Handle the response
  console.log(response);
}

To run this sample, replace the following:

  • SPACE_NAME: the ID from the space's name. You can obtain the ID by calling the ListSpaces() method or from the space's URL.
  • MESSAGE_NAME: the ID from the message's name. You can obtain the ID from the response body returned after creating a message asynchronously with the Chat API, or with the custom name assigned to the message at creation.

The Chat API returns an instance of Message that details the message that's updated.