matrix-docker-ansible-deploy/docs/configuring-playbook-client-schildichat.md

Configuring SchildiChat (optional)

This playbook can install the SchildiChat Matrix web client for you. SchildiChat is a feature-rich messenger for Matrix based on Element with some extras and tweaks. SchildiChat can be installed alongside or instead of Element.

WARNING: SchildiChat Web is based on Element-web, but its releases are lagging behind. As an example (from 2024-02-26), SchildiChat Web is 22 releases behind (it being based on element-web v1.11.36, while element-web is now on v1.11.58). Element-web frequently suffers from security issues, so running something based on an ancient Element-web release is dangerous. Use SchildiChat Web at your own risk!

Enabling SchildiChat

If you'd like for the playbook to install SchildiChat, you can enable it in your configuration file (inventory/host_vars/matrix.<your-domain>/vars.yml):

matrix_client_schildichat_enabled: true

Configuring SchildiChat settings

The playbook provides some customization variables you could use to change schildichat's settings.

Their defaults are defined in roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/defaults/main.yml and they ultimately end up in the generated /matrix/schildichat/config.json file (on the server). This file is generated from the roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/templates/config.json.j2 template.

If there's an existing variable which controls a setting you wish to change, you can simply define that variable in your configuration file (inventory/host_vars/matrix.<your-domain>/vars.yml) and re-run the playbook to apply the changes.

Alternatively, if there is no pre-defined variable for an schildichat setting you wish to change:

• you can either request a variable to be created (or you can submit such a contribution yourself). Keep in mind that it's probably not a good idea to create variables for each one of schildichat's various settings that rarely get used.

• or, you can extend and override the default configuration (config.json.j2) by making use of the matrix_client_schildichat_configuration_extension_json_ variable. You can find information about this in roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/defaults/main.yml.

• or, if extending the configuration is still not powerful enough for your needs, you can override the configuration completely using matrix_client_schildichat_configuration_default (or matrix_client_schildichat_configuration). You can find information about this in roles/custom/matrix-client-schildichat/defaults/main.yml.

Themes

To change the look of schildichat, you can define your own themes manually by using the matrix_client_schildichat_setting_defaults_custom_themes setting.

Or better yet, you can automatically pull it all themes provided by the aaronraimist/element-themes project by simply flipping a flag (matrix_client_schildichat_themes_enabled: true).

If you make your own theme, we encourage you to submit it to the aaronraimist/element-themes project, so that the whole community could easily enjoy it.

Note that for a custom theme to work well, all schildichat instances that you use must have the same theme installed.