<a id="cli-aws-support-describe-communications"></a>

# describe-communications

## Description

Returns communications and attachments for one or more support cases. Use the `afterTime` and `beforeTime` parameters to filter by date. You can use the `caseId` parameter to restrict the results to a specific case.

Case data is available for 24 months after creation. If a case was created more than 24 months ago, a request for data might cause an error.

You can use the `maxResults` and `nextToken` parameters to control the pagination of the results. Set `maxResults` to the number of cases that you want to display on each page, and use `nextToken` to specify the resumption of pagination.

#### NOTE
* You must have an Amazon Web Services Business Support+, Amazon Web Services Enterprise Support, or Amazon Web Services Unified Operations plan to use the Amazon Web Services Support API. If you’re in an Amazon Web Services Region that doesn’t offer one of these Amazon Web Services Support plans, or if you haven’t transitioned to one of these plans, you can use the Amazon Web Services Support API with a Business, Enterprise On-Ramp, or Enterprise Support plan.
* If you call the Amazon Web Services Support API from an account that doesn’t have an Amazon Web Services Business Support+, Amazon Web Services Enterprise Support, or Amazon Web Services Unified Operations plan, the `SubscriptionRequiredException` error message appears. For information about changing your support plan, see [Amazon Web Services Support](http://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/) .

#### WARNING
Each  Communication returned by this operation includes attachment information in two fields:

* `attachmentSet` : returns only attachments that are 5 MB or smaller. Attachments larger than 5 MB are not included in this field.
* `attachments` : returns all attachments regardless of size.

Amazon Web Services recommends that you use the `attachments` field and download each attachment with  GetAttachmentDownloadLink , which supports attachments of any size. The `attachmentSet` field and  DescribeAttachment return only attachments that are 5 MB or smaller.

See also: [AWS API Documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/WebAPI/support-2013-04-15/DescribeCommunications)

`describe-communications` is a paginated operation. Multiple API calls may be issued in order to retrieve the entire data set of results. You can disable pagination by providing the `--no-paginate` argument.
When using `--output text` and the `--query` argument on a paginated response, the `--query` argument must extract data from the results of the following query expressions: `communications`

## Synopsis

```
  describe-communications
--case-id <value>
[--before-time <value>]
[--after-time <value>]
[--dry-run | --no-dry-run]
[--starting-token <value>]
[--page-size <value>]
[--max-items <value>]
[--cli-input-json | --cli-input-yaml]
[--generate-cli-skeleton <value>]
[--debug]
[--endpoint-url <value>]
[--no-verify-ssl]
[--no-paginate]
[--output <value>]
[--query <value>]
[--profile <value>]
[--region <value>]
[--version <value>]
[--color <value>]
[--no-sign-request]
[--ca-bundle <value>]
[--cli-read-timeout <value>]
[--cli-connect-timeout <value>]
[--cli-binary-format <value>]
[--no-cli-pager]
[--cli-auto-prompt]
[--no-cli-auto-prompt]
[--cli-error-format <value>]
[--help]
```

## Options

`--case-id` (string) [required]

> The support case ID requested or returned in the call. The case ID is an alphanumeric string formatted as shown in this example: case-*12345678910-exen-2025-c4c1d2bf33c5cf47*

`--before-time` (string)

> The end date for a filtered date search on support case communications. Case communications are available for 24 months after creation.

`--after-time` (string)

> The start date for a filtered date search on support case communications. Case communications are available for 24 months after creation.

`--dry-run` | `--no-dry-run` (boolean)

> Specifies whether to validate the request without actually returning communications. When set to `true` , the request is validated but no communications are returned, and the operation returns a `DryRunOperationException` . When omitted or set to `false` , the request runs normally.

`--starting-token` (string)

> A token to specify where to start paginating. This is the `NextToken` from a previously truncated response.

> For usage examples, see [Pagination](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/pagination.html) in the *AWS Command Line Interface User Guide* .

`--page-size` (integer)

> The size of each page to get in the AWS service call. This does not affect the number of items returned in the command’s output. Setting a smaller page size results in more calls to the AWS service, retrieving fewer items in each call. This can help prevent the AWS service calls from timing out.

> For usage examples, see [Pagination](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/pagination.html) in the *AWS Command Line Interface User Guide* .

> Constraints:

> * min: `10`
> * max: `100`

`--max-items` (integer)

> The total number of items to return in the command’s output. If the total number of items available is more than the value specified, a `NextToken` is provided in the command’s output. To resume pagination, provide the `NextToken` value in the `starting-token` argument of a subsequent command. **Do not** use the `NextToken` response element directly outside of the AWS CLI.

> For usage examples, see [Pagination](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/pagination.html) in the *AWS Command Line Interface User Guide* .

`--cli-input-json` | `--cli-input-yaml` (string)
Reads arguments from the JSON string provided. The JSON string follows the format provided by `--generate-cli-skeleton`. If other arguments are provided on the command line, those values will override the JSON-provided values. It is not possible to pass arbitrary binary values using a JSON-provided value as the string will be taken literally. This may not be specified along with `--cli-input-yaml`.

`--generate-cli-skeleton` (string)
Prints a JSON skeleton to standard output without sending an API request. If provided with no value or the value `input`, prints a sample input JSON that can be used as an argument for `--cli-input-json`. Similarly, if provided `yaml-input` it will print a sample input YAML that can be used with `--cli-input-yaml`. If provided with the value `output`, it validates the command inputs and returns a sample output JSON for that command. The generated JSON skeleton is not stable between versions of the AWS CLI and there are no backwards compatibility guarantees in the JSON skeleton generated.

## Global Options

`--debug` (boolean)

Turn on debug logging.

`--endpoint-url` (string)

Override command’s default URL with the given URL.

`--no-verify-ssl` (boolean)

By default, the AWS CLI uses SSL when communicating with AWS services. For each SSL connection, the AWS CLI will verify SSL certificates. This option overrides the default behavior of verifying SSL certificates.

`--no-paginate` (boolean)

Disable automatic pagination. If automatic pagination is disabled, the AWS CLI will only make one call, for the first page of results.

`--output` (string)

The formatting style for command output.

* json
* text
* table
* yaml
* yaml-stream
* off

`--query` (string)

A JMESPath query to use in filtering the response data.

`--profile` (string)

Use a specific profile from your credential file.

`--region` (string)

The region to use. Overrides config/env settings.

`--version` (string)

Display the version of this tool.

`--color` (string)

Turn on/off color output.

* on
* off
* auto

`--no-sign-request` (boolean)

Do not sign requests. Credentials will not be loaded if this argument is provided.

`--ca-bundle` (string)

The CA certificate bundle to use when verifying SSL certificates. Overrides config/env settings.

`--cli-read-timeout` (int)

The maximum socket read time in seconds. If the value is set to 0, the socket read will be blocking and not timeout. The default value is 60 seconds.

`--cli-connect-timeout` (int)

The maximum socket connect time in seconds. If the value is set to 0, the socket connect will be blocking and not timeout. The default value is 60 seconds.

`--cli-binary-format` (string)

The formatting style to be used for binary blobs. The default format is base64. The base64 format expects binary blobs to be provided as a base64 encoded string. The raw-in-base64-out format preserves compatibility with AWS CLI V1 behavior and binary values must be passed literally. When providing contents from a file that map to a binary blob `fileb://` will always be treated as binary and use the file contents directly regardless of the `cli-binary-format` setting. When using `file://` the file contents will need to properly formatted for the configured `cli-binary-format`.

* base64
* raw-in-base64-out

`--no-cli-pager` (boolean)

Disable cli pager for output.

`--cli-auto-prompt` (boolean)

Automatically prompt for CLI input parameters.

`--no-cli-auto-prompt` (boolean)

Disable automatically prompt for CLI input parameters.

`--cli-error-format` (string)

The formatting style for error output. By default, errors are displayed in enhanced format.

* legacy
* json
* yaml
* text
* table
* enhanced

`--help` (boolean)

Display help for the command/subcommand.

## Examples

#### NOTE
To use the following examples, you must have the AWS CLI installed and configured. See the [Getting started guide](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-chap-getting-started.html) in the *AWS CLI User Guide* for more information.

Unless otherwise stated, all examples have unix-like quotation rules. These examples will need to be adapted to your terminal’s quoting rules. See [Using quotation marks with strings](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/cli-usage-parameters-quoting-strings.html) in the *AWS CLI User Guide* .

**To describe the latest communication for a case**

The following `describe-communications` example returns the latest communication for the specified support case in your AWS account.

```bash
aws support describe-communications \
    --case-id "case-12345678910-2013-c4c1d2bf33c5cf47" \
    --after-time "2020-03-23T21:31:47.774Z" \
    --max-items 1
```

Output:

```json
{
    "communications": [
        {
            "body": "I want to learn more about an AWS service.",
            "attachmentSet": [],
            "caseId": "case-12345678910-2013-c4c1d2bf33c5cf47",
            "timeCreated": "2020-05-12T23:12:35.000Z",
            "submittedBy": "Amazon Web Services"
        }
    ],
    "NextToken": "eyJuZXh0VG9rZW4iOiBudWxsLCAiYm90b190cnVuY2F0ZV9hbW91bnQEXAMPLE=="
}
```

For more information, see [Case management](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/awssupport/latest/user/case-management.html) in the *AWS Support User Guide*.

## Output

communications -> (list)

> The communications for the case.

> (structure)

> > A communication associated with a support case. The communication consists of the case ID, the message body, attachment information, the submitter of the communication, and the date and time of the communication.

> > caseId -> (string)

> > > The support case ID requested or returned in the call. The case ID is an alphanumeric string formatted as shown in this example: case-*12345678910-exen-2025-c4c1d2bf33c5cf47*

> > body -> (string)

> > > The text of the communication between the customer and Amazon Web Services Support.

> > > Constraints:

> > > * min: `1`
> > > * max: `8000`

> > submittedBy -> (string)

> > > The identity of the account that submitted, or responded to, the support case. Customer entries include the IAM role as well as the email address (for example, “AdminRole (Role) <[janedoe@example.com](mailto:janedoe@example.com)>). Entries from the Amazon Web Services Support team display “Amazon Web Services,” and don’t show an email address.

> > timeCreated -> (string)

> > > The time the communication was created.

> > attachments -> (list)

> > > Information about all attachments on the case communication. This includes attachments added through `AddAttachmentsToSet` and attachments uploaded through `GetAttachmentUploadLinks` .

> > > Use this field to enumerate every attachment on the communication. To download an attachment listed in this field, use  GetAttachmentDownloadLink . `GetAttachmentDownloadLink` returns a presigned URL that works for attachments of any size.

> > > (structure)

> > > > The file name and ID of an attachment to a case communication. You can use the ID to retrieve the attachment with the  DescribeAttachment operation.

> > > > attachmentId -> (string)

> > > > > The ID of the attachment.

> > > > fileName -> (string)

> > > > > The file name of the attachment.

> > attachmentSet -> (list)

> > > Information about the attachments to the case communication that are 5 MB or smaller. This field doesn’t include attachments larger than 5 MB. To enumerate every attachment on the communication, including attachments larger than 5 MB, use the `attachments` field instead.

> > > (structure)

> > > > The file name and ID of an attachment to a case communication. You can use the ID to retrieve the attachment with the  DescribeAttachment operation.

> > > > attachmentId -> (string)

> > > > > The ID of the attachment.

> > > > fileName -> (string)

> > > > > The file name of the attachment.

nextToken -> (string)

> A resumption point for pagination.