feat(chat): Add disableChat configuration option

Introduces a comprehensive disableChat config option that disables the entire chat feature including button visibility, notifications, sounds, private messages, and keyboard shortcuts. When disabled, the chat tab is hidden from the chat panel while allowing other tabs (polls, files, CC) to remain accessible.

Author: hristoterezov

config.js

@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ var config = {
     // Disables polls feature.
     // disablePolls: false,
 
+    // Disables chat feature entirely including notifications, sounds, and private messages.
+    // disableChat: false,
+
     // Disables demote button from self-view
     // disableSelfDemote: false,
 

lang/main.json

@@ -1464,8 +1464,8 @@
         "openChat": "Open chat",
         "openReactionsMenu": "Open reactions menu",
         "participants": "Participants",
-        "polls": "Polls",
         "pip": "Enter Picture-in-Picture mode",
+        "polls": "Polls",
         "privateMessage": "Send private message",
         "profile": "Edit your profile",
         "raiseHand": "Raise your hand",

react/features/base/config/configType.ts

@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ export interface IConfig {
     disableAudioLevels?: boolean;
     disableBeforeUnloadHandlers?: boolean;
     disableCameraTintForeground?: boolean;
+    disableChat?: boolean;
     disableChatSmileys?: boolean;
     disableDeepLinking?: boolean;
     disableFilmstripAutohiding?: boolean;

react/features/base/config/configWhitelist.ts

@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ export default [
     'disableAudioLevels',
     'disableBeforeUnloadHandlers',
     'disableCameraTintForeground',
+    'disableChat',
     'disableChatSmileys',
     'disableDeepLinking',
     'disabledNotifications',

react/features/chat/actions.any.ts

@@ -220,6 +220,34 @@ export function openCCPanel() {
     };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Opens the chat panel with polls tab active.
+ *
+ * @returns {Object} The redux action.
+ */
+export function openPollsPanel() {
+    return async (dispatch: IStore['dispatch']) => {
+        dispatch(setFocusedTab(ChatTabs.POLLS));
+        dispatch({
+            type: OPEN_CHAT
+        });
+    };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Opens the chat panel with file sharing tab active.
+ *
+ * @returns {Object} The redux action.
+ */
+export function openFileSharingPanel() {
+    return async (dispatch: IStore['dispatch']) => {
+        dispatch(setFocusedTab(ChatTabs.FILE_SHARING));
+        dispatch({
+            type: OPEN_CHAT
+        });
+    };
+}
+
 
 /**
  * Initiates the sending of messages between a moderator and a lobby attendee.

react/features/chat/actions.native.ts

@@ -1,30 +1,33 @@
+import { IStore } from '../app/types';
 import { IParticipant } from '../base/participants/types';
 import { navigate } from '../mobile/navigation/components/conference/ConferenceNavigationContainerRef';
 import { screen } from '../mobile/navigation/routes';
 
 import { OPEN_CHAT } from './actionTypes';
+import { setFocusedTab } from './actions.any';
+import { ChatTabs } from './constants';
 
 export * from './actions.any';
 
 /**
- * Displays the chat panel.
+ * Displays the chat panel with the CHAT tab active.
  *
  * @param {Object} participant - The recipient for the private chat.
  * @param {boolean} disablePolls - Checks if polls are disabled.
  *
- * @returns {{
- *     participant: participant,
- *     type: OPEN_CHAT
- * }}
+ * @returns {Function}
  */
 export function openChat(participant?: IParticipant | undefined | Object, disablePolls?: boolean) {
-    if (disablePolls) {
-        navigate(screen.conference.chat);
-    }
-    navigate(screen.conference.chatandpolls.main);
+    return (dispatch: IStore['dispatch']) => {
+        if (disablePolls) {
+            navigate(screen.conference.chat);
+        }
+        navigate(screen.conference.chatandpolls.main);
 
-    return {
-        participant,
-        type: OPEN_CHAT
+        dispatch(setFocusedTab(ChatTabs.CHAT));
+        dispatch({
+            participant,
+            type: OPEN_CHAT
+        });
     };
 }

react/features/chat/actions.web.ts

@@ -8,12 +8,13 @@ import {
     SET_CHAT_WIDTH,
     SET_USER_CHAT_WIDTH
 } from './actionTypes';
-import { closeChat } from './actions.any';
+import { closeChat, setFocusedTab } from './actions.any';
+import { ChatTabs } from './constants';
 
 export * from './actions.any';
 
 /**
- * Displays the chat panel.
+ * Displays the chat panel with the CHAT tab active.
  *
  * @param {Object} participant - The recipient for the private chat.
  * @param {Object} _disablePolls - Used on native.
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ export * from './actions.any';
  */
 export function openChat(participant?: Object, _disablePolls?: boolean) {
     return function(dispatch: IStore['dispatch']) {
+        dispatch(setFocusedTab(ChatTabs.CHAT));
         dispatch({
             participant,
             type: OPEN_CHAT

react/features/chat/components/native/ChatButton.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { arePollsDisabled } from '../../../conference/functions.any';
 import { navigate } from '../../../mobile/navigation/components/conference/ConferenceNavigationContainerRef';
 import { screen } from '../../../mobile/navigation/routes';
 import { getUnreadPollCount } from '../../../polls/functions';
-import { getUnreadCount, getUnreadFilesCount } from '../../functions';
+import { getUnreadCount, getUnreadFilesCount, isChatDisabled } from '../../functions';
 
 interface IProps extends AbstractButtonProps {
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class ChatButton extends AbstractButton<IProps> {
  * @returns {IProps}
  */
 function _mapStateToProps(state: IReduxState, ownProps: any) {
-    const enabled = getFeatureFlag(state, CHAT_ENABLED, true);
+    const enabled = getFeatureFlag(state, CHAT_ENABLED, true) && !isChatDisabled(state);
     const { visible = enabled } = ownProps;
 
     return {

react/features/chat/components/web/Chat.tsx

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import {
     toggleChat
 } from '../../actions.web';
 import { CHAT_SIZE, ChatTabs, OPTION_GROUPCHAT, SMALL_WIDTH_THRESHOLD } from '../../constants';
-import { getChatMaxSize } from '../../functions';
+import { getChatMaxSize, getFocusedTab, isChatDisabled } from '../../functions';
 import { IChatProps as AbstractProps } from '../../types';
 
 import ChatHeader from './ChatHeader';
@@ -41,13 +41,18 @@ interface IProps extends AbstractProps {
     /**
      * The currently focused tab.
      */
-    _focusedTab: ChatTabs;
+    _focusedTab?: ChatTabs;
 
     /**
      * True if the CC tab is enabled and false otherwise.
      */
     _isCCTabEnabled: boolean;
 
+    /**
+     * True if chat is disabled.
+     */
+    _isChatDisabled: boolean;
+
     /**
      * True if file sharing tab is enabled.
      */
@@ -217,6 +222,7 @@ const Chat = ({
     _isOpen,
     _isPollsEnabled,
     _isCCTabEnabled,
+    _isChatDisabled,
     _isFileSharingTabEnabled,
     _focusedTab,
     _isResizing,
@@ -229,6 +235,11 @@ const Chat = ({
     dispatch,
     t
 }: IProps) => {
+    // If no tabs are available, don't render the chat panel at all.
+    if (_isChatDisabled && !_isPollsEnabled && !_isCCTabEnabled && !_isFileSharingTabEnabled) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
     const { classes, cx } = useStyles({ _isResizing, width: _width });
     const [ isMouseDown, setIsMouseDown ] = useState(false);
     const [ mousePosition, setMousePosition ] = useState<number | null>(null);
@@ -416,7 +427,7 @@ const Chat = ({
         return (
             <>
                 {renderTabs()}
-                <div
+                {!_isChatDisabled && (<div
                     aria-labelledby = { ChatTabs.CHAT }
                     className = { cx(
                         classes.chatPanel,
@@ -442,7 +453,7 @@ const Chat = ({
                     )}
                     <ChatInput
                         onSend = { onSendMessage } />
-                </div>
+                </div>) }
                 { _isPollsEnabled && (
                     <>
                         <div
@@ -484,17 +495,27 @@ const Chat = ({
      * @returns {ReactElement}
      */
     function renderTabs() {
-        let tabs = [
-            {
+        // The only way focused tab will be undefined is when no tab is enabled. Therefore this function won't be
+        // executed because Chat component won't render anything. This should never happen but adding the check
+        // here to make TS happy (when passing the _focusedTab in the selected prop for Tabs).
+        if (!_focusedTab) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        let tabs = [];
+
+        // Only add chat tab if chat is not disabled.
+        if (!_isChatDisabled) {
+            tabs.push({
                 accessibilityLabel: t('chat.tabs.chat'),
                 countBadge:
                     _focusedTab !== ChatTabs.CHAT && _unreadMessagesCount > 0 ? _unreadMessagesCount : undefined,
                 id: ChatTabs.CHAT,
                 controlsId: `${ChatTabs.CHAT}-panel`,
                 icon: IconMessage,
                 title: t('chat.tabs.chat')
-            }
-        ];
+            });
+        }
 
         if (_isPollsEnabled) {
             tabs.push({
@@ -602,7 +623,7 @@ const Chat = ({
  * }}
  */
 function _mapStateToProps(state: IReduxState, _ownProps: any) {
-    const { isOpen, focusedTab, messages, unreadMessagesCount, unreadFilesCount, width, isResizing } = state['features/chat'];
+    const { isOpen, messages, unreadMessagesCount, unreadFilesCount, width, isResizing } = state['features/chat'];
     const { unreadPollsCount } = state['features/polls'];
     const _localParticipant = getLocalParticipant(state);
 
@@ -611,8 +632,9 @@ function _mapStateToProps(state: IReduxState, _ownProps: any) {
         _isOpen: isOpen,
         _isPollsEnabled: !arePollsDisabled(state),
         _isCCTabEnabled: isCCTabEnabled(state),
+        _isChatDisabled: isChatDisabled(state),
         _isFileSharingTabEnabled: isFileSharingEnabled(state),
-        _focusedTab: focusedTab,
+        _focusedTab: getFocusedTab(state),
         _messages: messages,
         _unreadMessagesCount: unreadMessagesCount,
         _unreadPollsCount: unreadPollsCount,

react/features/chat/components/web/ChatButton.tsx

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { IconMessage } from '../../../base/icons/svg';
 import AbstractButton, { IProps as AbstractButtonProps } from '../../../base/toolbox/components/AbstractButton';
 import { closeOverflowMenuIfOpen } from '../../../toolbox/actions.web';
 import { toggleChat } from '../../actions.web';
+import { isChatDisabled } from '../../functions';
 
 import ChatCounter from './ChatCounter';
 
@@ -91,7 +92,8 @@ class ChatButton extends AbstractButton<IProps> {
  */
 const mapStateToProps = (state: IReduxState) => {
     return {
-        _chatOpen: state['features/chat'].isOpen
+        _chatOpen: state['features/chat'].isOpen,
+        visible: !isChatDisabled(state)
     };
 };