getAvatar (25)

The getAvatar message is sent to request a contact's profile picture. A node that receives this message is expected to respond with an avatar message containing its current avatar image data.

This message can also be used by a bot to request the avatar of a specific third-party user within a group chat it manages.

Core Data Types

• IxiBytes: See IxiBytes Encoding.

Payload Structure

The payload is optional and is used to specify a third-party address, primarily in the context of bot interactions.

Field	Data Type	Min	Max	Description
targetAddress	IxiBytes	0	*	Optional. The address of the user whose avatar is being requested. If this field is empty or omitted, it is a request for the recipient's own avatar.

Behavioral Notes

• Standard Request: To fetch a direct contact's avatar, a client sends a getAvatar message with an empty payload.
• Bot Request: A client can send this message to a bot, providing a targetAddress, to request the avatar of a specific user within a group chat that the bot manages.
• Response: Upon receiving a getAvatar message, a node MUST respond with an avatar message. If the avatar is not set, the node should respond with an avatar message containing an empty or zero-byte payload.
• Timing: This request is typically sent after a handshake is fully completed (handshakeStatus == 3), but may be sent at any time to refresh contact information.