Share Invite

Enable participants to invite others to join a call by sharing a meeting link. The share invite button opens the system share sheet, allowing users to send the invite via any messaging app, email, or social media.

Overview

The share invite feature:

• Generates a shareable meeting link with session ID
• Opens iOS’s native share sheet
• Works with any app that supports text sharing
• Can be triggered from the default button or custom UI

Prerequisites

• CometChat Calls SDK integrated (Setup)
• Active call session (Join Session)

---

Step 1: Enable Share Button

Configure session settings to show the share invite button:

Swift

let sessionSettings = CometChatCalls.sessionSettingsBuilder
    .hideShareInviteButton(false)  // Show the share button
    .build()

Objective-C

SessionSettings *sessionSettings = [[[CometChatCalls sessionSettingsBuilder]
    hideShareInviteButton:NO]  // Show the share button
    build];

---

Step 2: Handle Share Button Click

Listen for the share button click using ButtonClickListener:

Swift

private func setupShareButtonListener() {
    CallSession.shared.addButtonClickListener(self)
}

extension CallViewController: ButtonClickListener {
    
    func onShareInviteButtonClicked() {
        shareInviteLink()
    }
}

Objective-C

- (void)setupShareButtonListener {
    [[CallSession shared] addButtonClickListener:self];
}

- (void)onShareInviteButtonClicked {
    [self shareInviteLink];
}

---

Step 3: Generate and Share Link

Create the meeting invite URL and open the share sheet:

Swift

private func shareInviteLink() {
    let inviteUrl = generateInviteUrl(sessionId: sessionId, meetingName: meetingName)
    
    let activityItems: [Any] = [
        "Join my meeting: \(meetingName)",
        inviteUrl
    ]
    
    let activityVC = UIActivityViewController(
        activityItems: activityItems,
        applicationActivities: nil
    )
    
    // For iPad
    if let popover = activityVC.popoverPresentationController {
        popover.sourceView = view
        popover.sourceRect = CGRect(x: view.bounds.midX, y: view.bounds.midY, width: 0, height: 0)
        popover.permittedArrowDirections = []
    }
    
    present(activityVC, animated: true)
}

private func generateInviteUrl(sessionId: String, meetingName: String) -> URL {
    let encodedName = meetingName.addingPercentEncoding(withAllowedCharacters: .urlQueryAllowed) ?? meetingName
    
    // Replace with your app's deep link or web URL
    let urlString = "https://yourapp.com/join?sessionId=\(sessionId)&name=\(encodedName)"
    return URL(string: urlString)!
}

Objective-C

- (void)shareInviteLink {
    NSURL *inviteUrl = [self generateInviteUrlWithSessionId:self.sessionId meetingName:self.meetingName];
    
    NSArray *activityItems = @[
        [NSString stringWithFormat:@"Join my meeting: %@", self.meetingName],
        inviteUrl
    ];
    
    UIActivityViewController *activityVC = [[UIActivityViewController alloc]
        initWithActivityItems:activityItems
        applicationActivities:nil];
    
    // For iPad
    if (activityVC.popoverPresentationController) {
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.sourceView = self.view;
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.sourceRect = CGRectMake(
            CGRectGetMidX(self.view.bounds),
            CGRectGetMidY(self.view.bounds),
            0, 0
        );
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.permittedArrowDirections = 0;
    }
    
    [self presentViewController:activityVC animated:YES completion:nil];
}

- (NSURL *)generateInviteUrlWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId meetingName:(NSString *)meetingName {
    NSString *encodedName = [meetingName stringByAddingPercentEncodingWithAllowedCharacters:[NSCharacterSet URLQueryAllowedCharacterSet]];
    
    // Replace with your app's deep link or web URL
    NSString *urlString = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"https://yourapp.com/join?sessionId=%@&name=%@", sessionId, encodedName];
    return [NSURL URLWithString:urlString];
}

---

Custom Share Message

Customize the share message with more details:

Swift

private func shareInviteLink() {
    let inviteUrl = generateInviteUrl(sessionId: sessionId, meetingName: meetingName)
    
    let shareMessage = """
    📞 Join my meeting: \(meetingName)
    
    Click the link below to join:
    \(inviteUrl.absoluteString)
    
    Meeting ID: \(sessionId)
    """
    
    let activityItems: [Any] = [shareMessage]
    
    let activityVC = UIActivityViewController(
        activityItems: activityItems,
        applicationActivities: nil
    )
    
    // For iPad
    if let popover = activityVC.popoverPresentationController {
        popover.sourceView = view
        popover.sourceRect = CGRect(x: view.bounds.midX, y: view.bounds.midY, width: 0, height: 0)
        popover.permittedArrowDirections = []
    }
    
    present(activityVC, animated: true)
}

Objective-C

- (void)shareInviteLink {
    NSURL *inviteUrl = [self generateInviteUrlWithSessionId:self.sessionId meetingName:self.meetingName];
    
    NSString *shareMessage = [NSString stringWithFormat:
        @"📞 Join my meeting: %@\n\n"
        @"Click the link below to join:\n"
        @"%@\n\n"
        @"Meeting ID: %@",
        self.meetingName, inviteUrl.absoluteString, self.sessionId];
    
    NSArray *activityItems = @[shareMessage];
    
    UIActivityViewController *activityVC = [[UIActivityViewController alloc]
        initWithActivityItems:activityItems
        applicationActivities:nil];
    
    // For iPad
    if (activityVC.popoverPresentationController) {
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.sourceView = self.view;
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.sourceRect = CGRectMake(
            CGRectGetMidX(self.view.bounds),
            CGRectGetMidY(self.view.bounds),
            0, 0
        );
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.permittedArrowDirections = 0;
    }
    
    [self presentViewController:activityVC animated:YES completion:nil];
}

---

Deep Link Handling

To allow users to join directly from the shared link, implement deep link handling in your app.

Configure Universal Links

Add Associated Domains capability in Xcode and configure your apple-app-site-association file on your server.

Handle Deep Link

Swift

class SceneDelegate: UIResponder, UIWindowSceneDelegate {
    
    func scene(_ scene: UIScene, continue userActivity: NSUserActivity) {
        guard userActivity.activityType == NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb,
              let url = userActivity.webpageURL else {
            return
        }
        
        handleDeepLink(url: url)
    }
    
    func scene(_ scene: UIScene, openURLContexts URLContexts: Set<UIOpenURLContext>) {
        guard let url = URLContexts.first?.url else { return }
        handleDeepLink(url: url)
    }
    
    private func handleDeepLink(url: URL) {
        guard let components = URLComponents(url: url, resolvingAgainstBaseURL: true),
              components.path == "/join" else {
            return
        }
        
        let queryItems = components.queryItems ?? []
        let sessionId = queryItems.first(where: { $0.name == "sessionId" })?.value
        let meetingName = queryItems.first(where: { $0.name == "name" })?.value
        
        guard let sessionId = sessionId else { return }
        
        // Check if user is logged in
        if CometChat.getLoggedInUser() != nil {
            joinCall(sessionId: sessionId, meetingName: meetingName ?? "Meeting")
        } else {
            // Save params and redirect to login
            saveJoinParams(sessionId: sessionId, meetingName: meetingName)
            showLoginScreen()
        }
    }
    
    private func joinCall(sessionId: String, meetingName: String) {
        let callVC = CallViewController()
        callVC.sessionId = sessionId
        callVC.meetingName = meetingName
        callVC.modalPresentationStyle = .fullScreen
        
        window?.rootViewController?.present(callVC, animated: true)
    }
    
    private func saveJoinParams(sessionId: String, meetingName: String?) {
        UserDefaults.standard.set(sessionId, forKey: "pendingSessionId")
        UserDefaults.standard.set(meetingName, forKey: "pendingMeetingName")
    }
    
    private func showLoginScreen() {
        // Navigate to login
    }
}

Objective-C

- (void)scene:(UIScene *)scene continueUserActivity:(NSUserActivity *)userActivity {
    if (![userActivity.activityType isEqualToString:NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb]) {
        return;
    }
    
    NSURL *url = userActivity.webpageURL;
    if (url) {
        [self handleDeepLink:url];
    }
}

- (void)scene:(UIScene *)scene openURLContexts:(NSSet<UIOpenURLContext *> *)URLContexts {
    UIOpenURLContext *context = URLContexts.anyObject;
    if (context) {
        [self handleDeepLink:context.URL];
    }
}

- (void)handleDeepLink:(NSURL *)url {
    NSURLComponents *components = [NSURLComponents componentsWithURL:url resolvingAgainstBaseURL:YES];
    
    if (![components.path isEqualToString:@"/join"]) {
        return;
    }
    
    NSString *sessionId = nil;
    NSString *meetingName = nil;
    
    for (NSURLQueryItem *item in components.queryItems) {
        if ([item.name isEqualToString:@"sessionId"]) {
            sessionId = item.value;
        } else if ([item.name isEqualToString:@"name"]) {
            meetingName = item.value;
        }
    }
    
    if (!sessionId) return;
    
    if ([CometChat getLoggedInUser] != nil) {
        [self joinCallWithSessionId:sessionId meetingName:meetingName ?: @"Meeting"];
    } else {
        [self saveJoinParamsWithSessionId:sessionId meetingName:meetingName];
        [self showLoginScreen];
    }
}

- (void)joinCallWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId meetingName:(NSString *)meetingName {
    CallViewController *callVC = [[CallViewController alloc] init];
    callVC.sessionId = sessionId;
    callVC.meetingName = meetingName;
    callVC.modalPresentationStyle = UIModalPresentationFullScreen;
    
    [self.window.rootViewController presentViewController:callVC animated:YES completion:nil];
}

---

Custom Share Button

If you want to use a custom share button instead of the default one, hide the default button and implement your own:

Swift

// Hide default share button
let sessionSettings = CometChatCalls.sessionSettingsBuilder
    .hideShareInviteButton(true)
    .build()

// Add your custom button
customShareButton.addTarget(self, action: #selector(shareInviteLink), for: .touchUpInside)

Objective-C

// Hide default share button
SessionSettings *sessionSettings = [[[CometChatCalls sessionSettingsBuilder]
    hideShareInviteButton:YES]
    build];

// Add your custom button
[customShareButton addTarget:self action:@selector(shareInviteLink) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];

---

Complete Example

Swift

class CallViewController: UIViewController {
    
    var sessionId: String = ""
    var meetingName: String = ""
    
    private let callContainer = UIView()
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        
        setupUI()
        setupShareButtonListener()
        joinCall()
    }
    
    private func setupUI() {
        view.backgroundColor = .black
        
        callContainer.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        view.addSubview(callContainer)
        
        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
            callContainer.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.topAnchor),
            callContainer.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leadingAnchor),
            callContainer.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.trailingAnchor),
            callContainer.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.bottomAnchor)
        ])
    }
    
    private func setupShareButtonListener() {
        CallSession.shared.addButtonClickListener(self)
    }
    
    private func joinCall() {
        let sessionSettings = CometChatCalls.sessionSettingsBuilder
            .setTitle(meetingName)
            .hideShareInviteButton(false)
            .build()
        
        CometChatCalls.joinSession(
            sessionId: sessionId,
            sessionSettings: sessionSettings,
            view: callContainer
        ) { session in
            print("Joined call")
        } onError: { error in
            print("Join failed: \(error?.errorDescription ?? "")")
        }
    }
    
    @objc private func shareInviteLink() {
        let inviteUrl = generateInviteUrl(sessionId: sessionId, meetingName: meetingName)
        
        let shareMessage = "📞 Join my meeting: \(meetingName)\n\n\(inviteUrl.absoluteString)"
        
        let activityVC = UIActivityViewController(
            activityItems: [shareMessage],
            applicationActivities: nil
        )
        
        if let popover = activityVC.popoverPresentationController {
            popover.sourceView = view
            popover.sourceRect = CGRect(x: view.bounds.midX, y: view.bounds.midY, width: 0, height: 0)
            popover.permittedArrowDirections = []
        }
        
        present(activityVC, animated: true)
    }
    
    private func generateInviteUrl(sessionId: String, meetingName: String) -> URL {
        let encodedName = meetingName.addingPercentEncoding(withAllowedCharacters: .urlQueryAllowed) ?? meetingName
        return URL(string: "https://yourapp.com/join?sessionId=\(sessionId)&name=\(encodedName)")!
    }
}

extension CallViewController: ButtonClickListener {
    
    func onShareInviteButtonClicked() {
        shareInviteLink()
    }
}

Objective-C

@interface CallViewController () <ButtonClickListener>
@property (nonatomic, strong) UIView *callContainer;
@property (nonatomic, copy) NSString *sessionId;
@property (nonatomic, copy) NSString *meetingName;
@end

@implementation CallViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];
    
    [self setupUI];
    [self setupShareButtonListener];
    [self joinCall];
}

- (void)setupUI {
    self.view.backgroundColor = [UIColor blackColor];
    
    self.callContainer = [[UIView alloc] init];
    self.callContainer.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = NO;
    [self.view addSubview:self.callContainer];
    
    [NSLayoutConstraint activateConstraints:@[
        [self.callContainer.topAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:self.view.topAnchor],
        [self.callContainer.leadingAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:self.view.leadingAnchor],
        [self.callContainer.trailingAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:self.view.trailingAnchor],
        [self.callContainer.bottomAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:self.view.bottomAnchor]
    ]];
}

- (void)setupShareButtonListener {
    [[CallSession shared] addButtonClickListener:self];
}

- (void)joinCall {
    SessionSettings *sessionSettings = [[[[CometChatCalls sessionSettingsBuilder]
        setTitle:self.meetingName]
        hideShareInviteButton:NO]
        build];
    
    [CometChatCalls joinSessionWithSessionId:self.sessionId
                             sessionSettings:sessionSettings
                                        view:self.callContainer
                                   onSuccess:^(CallSession *session) {
        NSLog(@"Joined call");
    } onError:^(CometChatException *error) {
        NSLog(@"Join failed: %@", error.errorDescription);
    }];
}

- (void)shareInviteLink {
    NSURL *inviteUrl = [self generateInviteUrlWithSessionId:self.sessionId meetingName:self.meetingName];
    
    NSString *shareMessage = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"📞 Join my meeting: %@\n\n%@", self.meetingName, inviteUrl.absoluteString];
    
    UIActivityViewController *activityVC = [[UIActivityViewController alloc]
        initWithActivityItems:@[shareMessage]
        applicationActivities:nil];
    
    if (activityVC.popoverPresentationController) {
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.sourceView = self.view;
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.sourceRect = CGRectMake(
            CGRectGetMidX(self.view.bounds),
            CGRectGetMidY(self.view.bounds),
            0, 0
        );
        activityVC.popoverPresentationController.permittedArrowDirections = 0;
    }
    
    [self presentViewController:activityVC animated:YES completion:nil];
}

- (NSURL *)generateInviteUrlWithSessionId:(NSString *)sessionId meetingName:(NSString *)meetingName {
    NSString *encodedName = [meetingName stringByAddingPercentEncodingWithAllowedCharacters:[NSCharacterSet URLQueryAllowedCharacterSet]];
    return [NSURL URLWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"https://yourapp.com/join?sessionId=%@&name=%@", sessionId, encodedName]];
}

- (void)onShareInviteButtonClicked {
    [self shareInviteLink];
}

@end

---

Related Documentation

• Events - Button click events
• Session Settings - Configure share button visibility
• Join Session - Join a call session