Remote control
The remote control feature allows someone to take control of another user's screen in a session when given permission. A user can either request remote control of another user's screen or the other user can give it to them. Once given permission, a user can control the other user's mouse and keyboard, and even copy text from their screen.
Note: Since this enables remote control of a user's screen, it is your responsibility as the developer to inform the user of the permission they're giving to the person who can remote control their screen. This includes all notices, consents, and a well-defined user experience.
Prerequisites
- Set up screen sharing. You must configure screen sharing in order for remote control to work.
- Turn on remote control on the web portal. Go to Account Settings, In Session (Basic), and toggle the Remote control option on. Optionally select the Allow remote controlling user to share clipboard option.
- Before starting, check whether controllers can request (
canRequestControl) and users can start remote control.
Remote Control Flow
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On the requester side, identify the remote user (
ZMVideoSDKUser) to have remote control over, check for request access, and request for access.let user: ZMVideoSDKUser; // Get the user you want to remote control of let shareActionList = user.getShareActionList() // The shareActionList can contain 0 to multiple shares coming from the selected user if let shareActionList = shareActionList, shareActionList.count > 0 { // Get the share you want - Example the first share let shareAction = shareActionList[0] if shareAction.getRemoteControlHelper().canRequestControl() { shareAction.getRemoteControlHelper().requestRemoteControl() } }ZMVideoSDKUser* user; // Get the user you want to remote control of NSArray* shareActionList = [user getShareActionList]; // The shareActionList can contain 0 to multiple share coming from the selected user if (shareActionList.count > 0) { // Get the share you want - Example the first share ZMVideoSDKShareAction* shareAction = [shareActionList objectAtIndex:0]; if ([[shareAction getRemoteControlHelper] canRequestControl]) { [[shareAction getRemoteControlHelper] requestRemoteControl]; } } -
The requester will then get the
onRemoteControlRequestReceivedcallback within theZMVideoSDKDelegateclass. From this callback, the approver will get the user requesting for remote control access and also theZMVideoSDKRemoteControlRequestHandler, which the SDK will use to either approve or deny the request. If the approver denied the request, the requester can request again.Note: For macOS, the approver must give their application access in the Accessibility tab in the Privacy and Security preferences of their Mac.
func onRemoteControlRequestReceived(user: ZMVideoSDKUser, handler: ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlRequestHandler) { handler.approve() // OR handler.deny() }- (void)onRemoteControlRequestReceived:(ZMVideoSDKUser *)user shareAction:(ZMVideoSDKShareAction *)shareAction handler:(ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlRequestHandler *)handler { [handler approve]; // OR [handler deny]; } -
Both the requestor and approver will receive an
onRemoteControlStatuscallback under theZMVideoSDKDelegateclass on the request status. With aCanRequestControlcallback status on the requestor side, check ifcanRemoteControlistrueandisRemoteControllingisfalsebefore starting remote control.let remoteControlHelper = shareAction.getRemoteControlHelper() if remoteControlHelper.canRemoteControl() && !remoteControlHelper.isRemoteControlling() { remoteControlHelper.enterRemoteControl() }ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlHelper* remoteControlHelper = [shareAction getRemoteControlHelper]; if ([remoteControlHelper canRemoteControl] && ![remoteControlHelper isRemoteControlling]) { [remoteControlHelper enterRemoteControl]; } -
After entering remote control status, the requestor can choose to temporarily pause remote control using
leaveRemoteControland enter again later on withenterRemoteControl, or to end it withendRemoteControl. Whereas the approver can also choose to get the list of approved users usinggetRemoteControlApprovedUserListor to revoke all the approved user usingrevokeRemoteControl.// Requestor remoteControlHelper.leaveRemoteControl() remoteControlHelper.endRemoteControl() // Approver - These methods are only available for the local user themselves. shareAction.getRemoteControlApprovedUserList() shareAction.revokeRemoteControl()// Requestor [remoteControlHelper leaveRemoteControl]; [remoteControlHelper endRemoteControl]; // Approver - These methods are only available for the local user themselves. [shareAction getRemoteControlApprovedUserList] [shareAction revokeRemoteControl];
Callbacks
There are 2 callbacks related to remote control access under the ZMVideoSDKDelegate class.
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onRemoteControlRequestReceived: Triggered when a remote user requests to remote control the local user.func onRemoteControlRequestReceived(user: ZMVideoSDKUser, shareAction: ZMVideoSDKShareAction, handler: ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlRequestHandler) { handler.approve() // OR handler.deny() }- (void)onRemoteControlRequestReceived:(ZMVideoSDKUser *)user handler:(ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlRequestHandler *)handler { [handler approve]; // OR [handler deny]; } -
onRemoteControlStatus: Triggered when the remote control status changes. This applies to the local user either requesting remote control, controlling the remote user, or is being controlled by a remote user.ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlStatus EnumNone // For initialization CanRequestControl // Local user can enable the remote control RequestDenied // Local user have received a refused of remote control GotControl // Local user got control when remote control begins LostControl // Local user lost control when remote control ends ControlStart // Local user start controlling remotely another user ControlStop // Local user stop controlling remotely another user GiveControlTo // Local user gave remote control access to an user ControlRevoked // Local user revoked remote control access to an user ControlledBy // Local user is being remotely controlled by an user NotControlled // Local user is not remotely controlled by an userfunc onRemoteControlStatus(status: ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlStatus, user: ZMVideoSDKUser, shareAction: ZMVideoSDKShareAction) {}- (void)onRemoteControlStatus:(ZMVideoSDKRemoteControlStatus)status user:(ZMVideoSDKUser *)user shareAction:(ZMVideoSDKShareAction *)shareAction