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Note For help in using the chat window, click the ? in the top right-hand corner of the window. |
To change your nickname during a chat session, do the following:
/nick new_nickname
where new_nickname is what you want to be known by. Note that the nickname can’t have spaces. Use underscores instead of spaces, if you like.
If someone else is using that nickname, a message appears in the left column telling you it is in use. Enter another name, as described in step 1.
Nicknames must be unique across all chat rooms, so even though the name doesn’t show up in your current room’s list, it means someone else chatting on this WebBoard site is using that name.
If no one else is using the name, a message is sent to the room that your name has changed, and your new nickname appears in the users list. Your new nickname is good until you change it or leave the chat room.
The two commands produce slightly different results. The two commands have similar syntax, as follows:
/msg nickname message
This command requires the nickname of another user and a message, for example:
/msg Fred are you around?
If Fred is in any chat room, he receives the message. In the Java client, the message appears as a separate, private chat window through which he can communicate with you.
/notice nickname|room message
This command is generally used for sending messages to a user in a different room or to an entire chat room. The command requires a nickname or a room (channel) name and a message, for example:
/notice #eatingout Come join our discussion of restaurants in #cooking!
Everyone in the other chat room sees the message. In the Java client, the message appears in a different color from the normal conversation text.
/action action message
for example:
/action is falling off the chair laughing
which produces the following message (action is replaced by the user’s nickname):
Skippy is falling off the chair laughing
The second command works the same way, but might be a bit easier to remember:
/me action message
for example:
/me shrugs her shoulders
which produces the following message (me is replaced by the user’s nickname):
Lia shrugs her shoulders
In the Java client, an action message is displayed in a different color and starts with an action icon.
To change the topic, use the following command, which requires a chat room and topic text:
/topic room new topic
For example:
/topic #studentquestions Fluid Mosaic Model
/who
This command shows you information about a specific user or all current chat users:
/who [nickname]
For example:
/who
gives information about all users, including their domain names.
/who Becky
gives information about the user Becky.
/whois
This command gives you more detailed information about a specific user and requires a nickname:
/whois nickname
For example:
/whois Becky
gives the same information as the /who command as well as what rooms she is in and how long it has been since she communicated with the server.
/part
You will be removed from the chat room, but the client stays open so you can easily rejoin the same or another chat room.
/join room
For example:
/join #botany
takes you to the botany chat room. If you have been kicked out of a chat room or disconnected somehow, you can use this command to quickly reenter the same room. Remember that you must include the chat room’s name, which always starts with a #.
/quit
This ends your chat session and returns the Java client to its login status. You can reenter the same chat room at any time by clicking Connect.
Changing Your Nickname
When you enter a chat room, WebBoard automatically uses your login name as your chat nickname.
Sending a Message
Whenever you have something to add to the chat conversation, you can send a message. Simply type your message in the input field and click Send. The input field scrolls so you can enter a longer message.
Your message appears to everyone else in the chat room, in the scrolling message frame.
Using Commands
With commands, you can change your nickname, send messages about what you are feeling or doing, set a topic for discussion, and find out about other users. All commands begin with a /, such as /nick. Some commands have only one argument (such as new_nickname), while others require more arguments, such as another user’s nickname or a chat room name. To issue a command, you type it in the input box and press Return.
Sending Messages to Other Users or Rooms
Chat has two commands for sending messages to specific users or rooms. The users can be in the same chat room you are in or in another room at your WebBoard site (even across different boards). The room can be the current one or another one at this site. Being able to send messages to other users and rooms is handy.
Including Nonverbal Comments
Chat supports two commands to let you insert nonverbal comments to the conversation. These are also called action comments, since you normally use them to express an action rather than a verbal response. These commands both work the same and produce the same results, as follows:
Changing the Topic
In many chat rooms, anyone can set or change the topic. The topic appears in the chat room list and makes it easy for newcomers to see the current topic of discussion. Not all rooms have topics, and not all rooms are enabled to allow topic changing. The channel operator determines who can change the topic for any room.
Finding Information About Other Users
You can quickly get information about other users who are currently in chat. This information can be helpful for tracking where someone comes from, what their real (or login) name is, and what privileges they have. There are two commands for finding this information, as follows:
Leaving a Chat Room
You can leave a chat room at any time and keep your chat client open. To do so, enter this command:
Joining Another Chat Room
You can move from chat room to chat room if you know their names. You can do so directly or by first leaving a chat room using the /part command. To join a new room, enter this command:
Leaving Chat
To completely leave chat, simply click the Close button on the chat client or enter the following command:
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