MessageKit/Documentation/FAQs.md

# MessageKit Frequently Asked Questions

- [Why doesn't the `MessageInputBar` appear in my controller?](#why-doesnt-the-messageinputbar-appear-in-my-controller)
- [How can I remove the `AvatarView` from the cell?](#how-can-i-remove-the-avatarview-from-the-cell)
- [How can I move the `AvatarView` to prevent it from overlapping text in the `MessageBottomLabel` or `CellTopLabel`?](#how-can-i-move-the-avatarview-to-prevent-it-from-overlapping-text-in-the-messagebottomlabel-or-celltoplabel)
- [How can I dismiss the keyboard?](#how-can-i-dismiss-the-keyboard)
- [How can I get a reference to the `MessageType` in the `MessageCellDelegate` methods?](#how-can-i-get-a-reference-to-the-messagetype-in-the-messagecelldelegate-methods)


## Why doesn't the `MessageInputBar` appear in my controller?

If you're using the `MessagesViewController` as a child view controller then
you have to call `becomeFirstResponder()` on your view controller. The
reason is because the `MessageInputBar` is the `inputAccessoryView` of the
`MessagesViewController`. This means that it is not in the view hierarchy of
`MessagesViewController`'s root view.

```Swift
class ParentVC: UIViewController {
    override func viewDidLoad() {
       super.viewDidLoad()
       let childVC = MessagesViewController()
       addChildViewController(childVC)
       self.view.addSubview(childVC.view)
       childVC.didMove(toParentViewController:self)
       self.becomeFirstResponder()
    }
}
```

## How can I remove the `AvatarView` from the cell?

You can set the `AvatarView` to hidden through the `configureAvatarView(_:AvatarView,for:MessageType,at:IndexPath,in:MessagesCollectionView)` method of `MessagesDisplayDelegate`.

```Swift
func configureAvatarView(_ avatarView: AvatarView, for message: MessageType, at indexPath: IndexPath, in messagesCollectionView: MessagesCollectionView) {
  avatarView.isHidden = true
}
```

If you would also like to remove the space the `AvatarView` occupies, you have to change the properties
`outgoingAvatarSize` or `incomingAvatarSize` of the `CellSizeCalculator` object for the respective message to `CGSize.zero` in
`viewDidLoad`.

```Swift
if let layout = messagesCollectionView.collectionViewLayout as? MessagesCollectionViewFlowLayout {
  layout.textMessageSizeCalculator.outgoingAvatarSize = .zero
  layout.textMessageSizeCalculator.incomingAvatarSize = .zero
}
```

If you would like to remove the space the `AvatarView` occupies from all `CellSizeCalculator`s there are
convenience methods so that you do not have to specify it for each `CellSizeCalculator` on `MessagesCollectionViewFlowLayout`.

```Swift
if let layout = messagesCollectionView.collectionViewLayout as? MessagesCollectionViewFlowLayout {
  layout.setMessageIncomingAvatarSize(.zero)
  layout.setMessageOutgoingAvatarSize(.zero)
}
```

## How can I move the `AvatarView` to prevent it from overlapping text in the `MessageBottomLabel` or `CellTopLabel`?

If you have resized the `AvatarView` to be larger than the default size in MessageKit then you may notice that the
`AvatarView` overlaps text either in the `MessageBottomLabel` or `CallTopLabel`. MessageKit allows the `AvatarView`
to overlap this text on purpose so that users can create more complex layouts that fit their needs.

If you would like to move the `AvatarView`, there are convenience methods that allow you to change the horizontal or
vertical positioning of the `AvatarView` for both incoming and outgoing messages.

```Swift
if let layout = messagesCollectionView.collectionViewLayout as? MessagesCollectionViewFlowLayout {
    // set the vertical position of the Avatar for incoming messages so that the bottom of the Avatar
    // aligns with the bottom of the Message
    layout.setMessageIncomingAvatarPosition(.init(vertical: .messageBottom))

    // set the vertical position of the Avatar for outgoing messages so that the bottom of the Avatar
    // aligns with the `cellBottom`
    layout.setMessageOutgoingAvatarPosition(.init(vertical: .cellBottom))
}
```

There are other options provided as well so take a look at the `AvatarPosition` struct to see what they are.

## How can I dismiss the keyboard?

The `MessagesViewController` needs to resign the first responder.

```Swift
let controller = MessagesViewController()
controller.resignFirstResponder()
```

## How can I get a reference to the `MessageType` in the `MessageCellDelegate` methods?

You can use `UICollectionView`'s method `indexPath(for: UICollectionViewCell)` to get the
`IndexPath` for the `MessageCollectionViewCell` argument. Using this `IndexPath`, you can
then get the `MessageType` for this cell through the `MessagesDataSource` method
`messageForItem(at:IndexPath,in:MessagesCollectionView)`.

```Swift
func didTapMessage(in cell: MessageCollectionViewCell) {
    guard let indexPath = messagesCollectionView.indexPath(for: cell) else { return }
    guard let messagesDataSource = messagesCollectionView.messagesDataSource else { return }
    let message = messagesDataSource.messageForItem(at: indexPath, in: messagesCollectionView)
}
```