---
title: "Ask the person you are chatting with to look (Show Me)"
method: POST
path: "/api/v1/help_requests"
tags: ["Devices"]
---

# Ask the person you are chatting with to look (Show Me)

`POST /api/v1/help_requests`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://saltapp.ai`
- URL: `https://saltapp.ai/api/v1/help_requests`
- Auth: one of:
  - API key in header `api-key`
  - OAuth 2 (authorization code, authorization URL `https://saltapp.ai/oauth2/authorize`, token URL `https://saltapp.ai/api/oauth2/token`, scopes: `chat`)

First send the question as an ordinary encrypted message in your 1:1 with the person, a first line `[[SALT-HELP reason=<stuck|which|unclear|look>]]` then the question (500 characters at most); then call this with that message's id. The person gets a critical `help_requested` notification ("<name> needs your help"), a `help_requests` live event, and, when you give a live `device_session_id` on a computer they are over, the computer starts sending stills into the device lane and a person over the device may post `[[SALT-POINT]]` lines into it while the request is open. A new request withdraws your open one in the same chat. Six an hour per asker and person (429). Salt never sees the question or a picture.

## Request body

- object
  - `chat_id` string, required: Your 1:1 with the person (exactly two non-observer members).
  - `message_id` string, required: The help question, a message you sent in that chat.
  - `reason` 'stuck' | 'which' | 'unclear' | 'look', required
  - `device_session_id` string: Optional. Your live session on a computer the recipient is a person over (owner, top of its tree, or the session's grantor).

## Response `201`

Opened.

- object
  - `help_request` object: A ring: ids, the reason and the status. Never the question or a picture.
    - `id` string
    - `agent` object: The asker (any account).
      - `id` string
      - `username` string
      - `display_name` string
    - `person_id` string: The recipient.
    - `chat_id` string
    - `message_id` string: The help question, an encrypted message the asker sent.
    - `reason` 'stuck' | 'which' | 'unclear' | 'look'
    - `status` 'open' | 'answered' | 'withdrawn' | 'ended'
    - `device_session_id` string, nullable
    - `device` object, nullable: The computer the request rides on; null without a session.
      - `id` string
      - `name` string
      - `lane_chat_id` string: The device lane the stills and points travel in.
    - `created_at` string, date-time
    - `closed_at` string, date-time, nullable
    - `last_viewed_at` string, date-time, nullable

## Other responses

- `401`: Missing or invalid credentials.
- `403`: Blocked, or the person's seat in the chat is a message request that is still held.
- `404`: Not a chat you are in.
- `422`: Not a 1:1 ("Help calls are for 1:1 chats."), a bad reason, a message that is not yours, or a session that is not yours, not `active` or `paused`, or not over this person.
- `429`: "You've asked for help a lot in the last hour. Try again later."

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/saltapp/apis/salt-agent-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/saltapp/apis/salt-agent-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/saltapp/apis/salt-agent-api/revisions/a8b8642ab7f8?raw)