diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh index 21f0d1a4..595524d6 100755 --- a/autogen.sh +++ b/autogen.sh @@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ cat docs/help/in/Makefile.am.gen|sed "s/@HELPFILES@/$files/g"|sed 's/?/\\?/g'|tr files=`echo $files|sed 's/\.in//g'` cat docs/help/Makefile.am.gen|sed "s/@HELPFILES@/$files/g"|sed 's/?/\\?/g'|tr '\!?' '\t\n' > docs/help/Makefile.am +# .html -> .txt with lynx +echo "Documentation: html -> txt..." +lynx -dump -nolist docs/startup-HOWTO.html > docs/startup-HOWTO.txt + echo "Checking auto* tools..." # *********** a bit modified GNOME's macros/autogen.sh ********** diff --git a/docs/Makefile.am b/docs/Makefile.am index c78e5b7f..34ad4b96 100644 --- a/docs/Makefile.am +++ b/docs/Makefile.am @@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ doc_DATA = \ perl.txt \ signals.txt \ special_vars.txt \ + startup-HOWTO.html \ startup-HOWTO.txt EXTRA_DIST = $(doc_DATA) diff --git a/docs/startup-HOWTO.html b/docs/startup-HOWTO.html new file mode 100644 index 00000000..60aa9d75 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/startup-HOWTO.html @@ -0,0 +1,647 @@ +

Startup HOWTO

+ +

To new Irssi users (not to new IRC users ..)

+ +

Copyright (c) 2000-2001 by Timo Sirainen

+ + +

Index with some FAQ questions that are answered in the chapter:

+ +
    +
  1. For all the lazy people
    2. +
  2. Basic user interface usage
    3. +
  3. Server and channel automation +
    4. +
  4. Setting up windows and automatically restoring them + at startup
    5. +
  5. Status and msgs windows & message levels +
    6. +
  6. How support for multiple servers works in irssi +
    7. +
  7. /LASTLOG and jumping around in scrollback +
    8. +
  8. Logging
    9. +
  9. Irssi's settings
    10. +
+ +

1. For all the lazy people

+ +

These settings should give you pretty good defaults (the ones I use):

+ +

I don't like automatic query windows, I don't like status window, I do +like msgs window where all messages go:

+ +
+     /SET autocreate_own_query OFF
+     /SET autocreate_query_level DCCMSGS
+     /SET use_status_window OFF
+     /SET use_msgs_window ON
+
+ +

Disable automatic window closing when /PARTing channel or /UNQUERYing +query:

+ +
+     /SET autoclose_windows OFF
+     /SET reuse_unused_windows ON
+
+ +

And example how to add servers:

+ +

(openprojects network, identify with nickserv and wait for 2 seconds before +joining channels)

+ +
+     /IRCNET ADD -autosendcmd "/^msg nickserv ident pass;wait -opn 2000" opn
+
+ +

Then add some servers to different networks (ircnet is already set up +for them), irc.kpnqwest.fi is used by default for IRCNet but if it fails, +irc.funet.fi is tried next:

+ +
+     /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet ircnet irc.kpnqwest.fi 6667
+     /SERVER ADD -ircnet ircnet irc.funet.fi 6667
+     /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet efnet efnet.cs.hut.fi 6667
+
+ +

Automatically join to channels after connected to server, send op request +to bot after joined to efnet/#irssi:

+ +
+     /CHANNEL ADD -auto #irssi ircnet
+     /CHANNEL ADD -auto -bots *!*@bot@host.org -botcmd "/^msg $0 op pass"
+		  #irssi efnet
+
+ +

2. Basic user interface usage

+ +

By default, irssi uses "hidden windows" for everything. Hidden +window is created every time you /JOIN a channel or /QUERY someone. +There's several ways you can change between these windows:

+ +
+     ALT-1, ALT-2, ... ALT-0 - Jump directly between windows 1-10
+     ALT-q .. ALT-p          - Jump directly between windows 11-20
+     ESC-1 .. ESC-0          - ALT-keys don't work everywhere, but you can
+			       use ESC-key instead of ALT.
+     /WINDOW <number>        - Jump to any window with specified number
+     Ctrl-P, Ctrl-N          - Jump to previous / next window
+
+ +

Clearly the easiest way is to use ALT-number keys. Some terminals +just don't allow it, with xterm and rxvt you should be able to fix it +with changing X resources:

+ +
+     XTerm*eightBitInput:   false
+     XTerm*metaSendsEscape: true
+
+ +

And how exactly does it happen? For Debian, there's +/etc/X11/Xresources/xterm file where you can put them and it's read +automatically when X starts. ~/.Xresources file might also work. If you +can't get anything else to work, just copy&paste those lines to +~/.Xresources and directly call "xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources" in some +xterm. The resources affect only the new xterms you start, not existing +ones.

+ +

Many windows SSH clients also don't allow usage of ALT. One excellent +client that does allow is putty, you can download it from + +http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/.

+ +

Irssi also supports split windows, they've had some problems in past +but I think they should work pretty well now :) Here's some commands +related to them:

+ +
+     /WINDOW NEW                    - Create new split window
+     /WINDOW NEW HIDE               - Create new hidden window
+     /WINDOW CLOSE                  - Close split or hidden window
+
+     /WINDOW HIDE [<number>|<name>] - Make the split window hidden window
+     /WINDOW SHOW <number>|<name>   - Make the hidden window a split window
+
+     /WINDOW SHRINK [<lines>]       - Shrink the split window
+     /WINDOW GROW [<lines>]         - Grow the split window
+     /WINDOW BALANCE                - Balance the sizes of all split windows
+
+ +

By default, irssi uses "sticky windowing" for split windows. This means +that windows created inside one split window cannot be moved to another +split window without some effort. For example you could have following +window layout:

+ +
+     Split window 1: win#1 - Status window, win#2 - Messages window
+     Split window 2: win#3 - ircnet/#channel1, win#4 - ircnet/#channel2
+     Split window 3: win#5 - efnet/#channel1, win#6 - efnet/#channel2
+
+ +

When you are in win#1 and press ALT-6, irssi changes jumps to split +window #3 and moves the efnet/#channel2 the active window.

+ +

With non-sticky windowing the windows don't have any relationship with +split windows, pressing ALT-6 in win#1 moves win#6 to split window 1 +and sets it active, except if win#6 was already visible in some other +split window irssi just changes to that split window. This it the way +windows work with ircii, if you prefer it you can set it with

+ +
+     /SET autostick_split_windows OFF
+
+ +

Each window can have multiple channels, queries and other "window +items" inside them. If you don't like windows at all, you disable +automatic creating of them with

+ +
+     /SET autocreate_windows OFF
+
+ +

If you want to group only some channels or queries in one window, +use

+ +
+     /JOIN -window #channel
+     /QUERY -window nick
+
+ +

3. Server and channel automation

+ +

Irssi's multiple IRC network support is IMHO very good - at least +compared to other clients :) Even if you're only in one IRC network you +should group all your servers to be in the same IRC network as this +helps with reconnecting if your primary server breaks and is probably +useful in some other ways too :) For information how to actually use +irssi correctly with multiple servers see the chapter 6.

+ +

First you need to have your IRC network set, use /IRCNET command to +see if it's already there. If it isn't, use /IRCNET ADD yourircnet. To +make Irssi work properly with different IRC networks, you might need to +give some special settings to /IRCNET ADD, see manual.txt for more +information about them. Irssi defaults to IRCNet's behaviour.

+ +

After that you need to add your servers. For example:

+ +
+     /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet ircnet irc.kpnqwest.fi 6667
+     /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet worknet irc.mycompany.com 6667 password
+
+ +

The -auto option specifies that this server is automatically connected +at startup. You don't need to make more than one server with -auto +option to one IRC network, other servers are automatically connected in +same network if the -auto server fails.

+ +

And finally channels:

+ +
+     /CHANNEL ADD -auto -bots *!*@bot@host.org -botcmd "/^msg $0 op pass"
+		  #irssi efnet
+     /CHANNEL ADD -auto #secret ircnet password
+
+ +

-bots and -botcmd should be the only ones needing a bit of +explaining. They're used to send commands automatically to bot when +channel is joined, usually to get ops automatically. You can specify +multiple bot masks with -bots option separated with spaces (and +remember to quote the string then). The $0 in -botcmd specifies the +first found bot in the list. If you don't need the bot masks (ie. the +bot is always with the same nick, like chanserv) you can give only the +-botcmd option and the command is always sent.

+ + +

4. Setting up windows and automatically restoring them at startup

+ +

First connect to all the servers, join the channels and create the +queries you want. If you want to move the windows or channels around +use commands:

+ +
+     /WINDOW MOVE LEFT/RIGHT/number    - move window elsewhere
+     /WINDOW ITEM MOVE <number>|<name> - move channel/query to another window
+
+ +

When everything looks the way you like, use /LAYOUT SAVE command +(and /SAVE, if you don't have autosaving enabled) and when you start +irssi next time, irssi remembers the positions of the channels, queries +and everything. This "remembering" doesn't mean that simply using +/LAYOUT SAVE would automatically make irssi reconnect to all servers +and join all channels, you'll need the /SERVER ADD -auto and /CHANNEL +ADD -auto commands to do that.

+ +

If you want to change the layout, you just rearrange the layout like +you want it and use /LAYOUT SAVE again. If you want to remove the +layout for some reason, use /LAYOUT RESET.

+ + +

5. Status and msgs windows & message levels

+ +

By default, all the "extra messages" go to status window. This means +pretty much all messages that don't clearly belong to some channel or +query. Some people like it, some don't. If you want to remove it, use

+ +
+     /SET use_status_window OFF
+
+ +

This doesn't have any effect until you restart irssi. If you want to +remove it immediately, just /WINDOW CLOSE it.

+ +

Another common window is "messages window", where all private +messages go. By default it's disabled and query windows are created +instead. To make all private messages go to msgs window, say:

+ +
+     /SET use_msgs_window ON
+     /SET autocreate_query_level DCCMSGS  (or if you don't want queries to
+					   dcc chats either, say NONE)
+
+ +

use_msgs_window either doesn't have any effect until restarting +irssi. To create it immediately say:

+ +
+     /WINDOW NEW HIDE     - create the window
+     /WINDOW NAME (msgs)  - name it to "(msgs)"
+     /WINDOW LEVEL MSGS   - make all private messages go to this window
+     /WINDOW MOVE 1       - move it to first window
+
+ +

Note that neither use_msgs_window nor use_status_window have any +effect at all if /LAYOUT SAVE has been used.

+ +

This brings us to message levels.. What are they? All messages that +irssi prints have one or more "message levels". Most common are PUBLIC +for public messages in channels, MSGS for private messages and CRAP for +all sorts of messages with no real classification. You can get a whole +list of levels with

+ +
+     /HELP levels
+
+ +

Status window has message level "ALL -MSGS", meaning that all messages, +except private messages, without more specific place go to status +window. The -MSGS is there so it doesn't conflict with messages +window.

+ + +

6. How support for multiple servers works in irssi

+ +

ircii and several other clients support multiple servers by placing +the connection into some window. IRSSI DOES NOT. There is no required +relationship between window and server. You can connect to 10 servers +and manage them all in just one window, or join channel in each one of +them to one sigle window if you really want to. That being said, here's +how you do connect to new server without closing the old connection:

+ +
+     /CONNECT irc.server.org
+
+ +

Instead of the /SERVER which disconnects the existing connection. To +see list of all active connections, use /SERVER without any parameters. +You should see a list of something like:

+ +
+     -!- IRCNet: irc.telia.fi:6667 (IRCNet)
+     -!- OPN: tolkien.openprojects.net:6667 (OPN)
+     -!- RECON-1: 192.168.0.1:6667 () (02:59 left before reconnecting)
+
+ +

Here you see that we're connected to IRCNet and OPN networks. The +the IRCNet at the beginning is called the "server tag" while the +(IRCnet) at the end shows the IRC network. Server tag specifies unique +tag to refer to the server, usually it's the same as the IRC network. +When the IRC network isn't known it's some part of the server name. +When there's multiple connections to same IRC network or server, irssi +adds a number after the tag so there could be ircnet, ircnet2, ircnet3 +etc.

+ +

Server tags beginning with RECON- mean server reconnections. Above we +see that connection to server at 192.168.0.1 wasn't successful and +irssi will try to connect it again in 3 minutes.

+ +

To disconnect one of the servers, or to stop irssi from +reconnecting, use

+ +
+     /DISCONNECT ircnet   - disconnect server with tag "ircnet"
+     /DISCONNECT recon-1  - stop trying to reconnect to RECON-1 server
+     /RMRECONNS           - stop all server reconnections
+
+     /RECONNECT recon-1   - immediately try reconnecting back to RECON-1
+     /RECONNECT ALL       - immediately try reconnecting back to all
+			    servers in reconnection queue
+
+ +

Now that you're connected to all your servers, you'll have to know how +to specify which one of them you want to use. One way is to have an +empty window, like status or msgs window. In it, you can specify which +server to set active with

+ +
+     /WINDOW SERVER tag    - set server "tag" active
+     Ctrl-X                - set the next server in list active
+
+ +

When the server is active, you can use it normally. When there's +multiple connected servers, irssi adds [servertag] prefix to all +messages in non-channel/query messages so you'll know where it came +from.

+ +

Several commands also accept -servertag option to specify which server +it should use:

+ +
+     /MSG -tag nick message
+     /JOIN -tag #channel
+     /QUERY -tag nick
+
+ +

/MSG tab completion also automatically adds the -tag option when +nick isn't in active server.

+ +

Window's server can be made sticky. When sticky, it will never +automatically change to anything else, and if server gets disconnected, the +window won't have any active server. When the server gets connected again, +it is automatically set active in the window. To set the window's server +sticky use

+ +
+     /WINDOW SERVER -sticky tag
+
+ +

This is useful if you wish to have multiple status or msgs windows, one +for each server. Here's how to do them (repeat for each server)

+ +
+     /WINDOW NEW HIDE
+     /WINDOW NAME (status)
+     /WINDOW LEVEL ALL -MSGS
+     /WINDOW SERVER -sticky ircnet
+
+     /WINDOW NEW HIDE
+     /WINDOW NAME (msgs)
+     /WINDOW LEVEL MSGS
+     /WINDOW SERVER -sticky ircnet
+
+ +

7. /LASTLOG and jumping around in scrollback

+ +

/LASTLOG command can be used for searching texts in scrollback +buffer. Simplest usages are

+ +
+     /LASTLOG word     - print all lines with "word" in them
+     /LASTLOG word 10  - print last 10 occurances of "word"
+     /LASTLOG -topics  - print all topic changes
+
+ +

If there's more lines to be printed than 1000, irssi doesn't thinks +that you probably made some mistake and won't print them without -force +option. If you want to save the full lastlog to file, use

+ +
+     /LASTLOG -file ~/irc.log
+
+ +

With -file option you don't need -force even if there's more than 1000 +lines. /LASTLOG has a lot of other options too, see /HELP lastlog for +details.

+ +

Once you've found the lines you were interested in, you might want +to check the discussion around them. Irssi has /SCROLLBACK (or alias +/SB) command for jumping around in scrollback buffer. Since /LASTLOG +prints the timestamp when the message was originally printed, you can +use /SB GOTO hh:mm to jump directly there. To get back to the bottom of +scrollback, use /SB END command.

+ + +

8. Logging

+ +

Irssi can automatically log important messages when you're set away +(/AWAY reason). When you set yourself unaway (/AWAY), the new messages +in away log are printed to screen. You can configure it with:

+ +
+     /SET awaylog_level MSGS HILIGHT     - Specifies what messages to log
+     /SET awaylog_file ~/.irssi/away.log - Specifies the file to use
+
+ +

Easiest way to start logging with Irssi is to use autologging. With it +Irssi logs all channels and private messages to specified directory. +You can turn it on with

+ +
+     /SET autolog ON
+
+ +

By default it logs pretty much everything execept CTCPS or CRAP +(/WHOIS requests, etc). You can specify the logging level yourself with

+ +
+     /SET autolog_level ALL -CRAP -CLIENTCRAP -CTCPS (this is the default)
+
+ +

By default irssi logs to ~/irclogs/<servertag>/<target>.log. +You can change this with

+ +
+     /SET autolog_path ~/irclogs/$tag/$0.log (this is the default)
+
+ +

The path is automatically created if it doesn't exist. $0 specifies +the target (channel/nick). You can make irssi automatically rotate the +logs by adding date/time formats to the file name. The formats are in +"man strftime" format. For example

+ +
+     /SET autolog_path = ~/irclogs/%Y/$tag/$0.%m-%d.log
+
+ +

For logging only some specific channels or nicks, see /HELP log

+ + +

9. Irssi's settings

+ +

You probably don't like Irssi's default settings. I don't like them. +But I'm still convinced that they're pretty good defaults. Here's some +of them you might want to change (the default value is shown):

+ +

Queries

+ +
+
/SET autocreate_own_query ON
+
Should new query window be created when you send message to someone + (with /msg).
+ +
/SET autocreate_query_level MSGS
+
New query window should be created when receiving messages with + this level. MSGS, DCCMSGS and NOTICES levels work currently. You can + disable this with /SET -clear autocrate_query_level.
+ +
/SET autoclose_query 0
+
Query windows can be automatically closed after certain time of + inactivity. Queries with unread messages aren't closed and active + window is neither never closed. The value is given in seconds.
+
+ +

Windows

+ +
+
/SET use_msgs_window OFF
+
Create messages window at startup. All private messages go to this + window. This only makes sense if you've disabled automatic query + windows. Message window can also be created manually with /WINDOW LEVEL + MSGS, /WINDOW NAME (msgs).
+ +
/SET use_status_window ON
+
Create status window at startup. All messages that don't really + have better place go here, like all /WHOIS replies etc. Status window + can also be created manually with /WINDOW LEVEL ALL -MSGS, /WINDOW NAME + (status).
+ +
/SET autocreate_windows
+
Should we create new windows for new window items or just place + everything in one window
+ +
/SET autoclose_windows OFF
+
Should window be automatically closed when the last item in them is + removed (ie. /PART, /UNQUERY).
+ +
/SET reuse_unused_windows OFF
+
When finding where to place new window item (channel, query) Irssi + first tries to use already existing empty windows. If this is set ON, + new window will always be created for all window items. This setting is + ignored if autoclose_windows is set ON.
+ +
/SET window_auto_change OFF
+
Should Irssi automatically change to automatically created windows + - usually queries when someone sends you a message. To prevent + accidentally sending text meant to some other channel/nick, Irssi + clears the input buffer when changing the window. The text is still in + scrollback buffer, you can get it back with pressing arrow up key.
+ +
/SET print_active_channel OFF
+
When you keep more than one channel in same window, Irssi prints + the messages coming to active channel as "<nick> text" + and other channels as "<nick:channel> text". If this + setting is set ON, the messages to active channels are also printed in + the latter way.
+ +
/SET window_history OFF
+
Should command history be kept separate for each window.
+
+ + +

User information

+ +
+
/SET nick
+
Your nick name
+ +
/SET alternate_nick
+
Your alternate nick.
+ +
/SET user_name
+
Your username, if you have ident enabled this doesn't affect + anything
+ +
/SET real_name
+
Your real name.
+
+ + +

Server information

+ +
+
/SET skip_motd OFF
+
Should we hide server's MOTD (Message Of The Day).
+ +
/SET server_reconnect_time 300
+
Seconds to wait before connecting to same server again. Don't set + this too low since it usually doesn't help at all - if the host is + down, the few extra minutes of waiting won't hurt much.
+ +
/SET lag_max_before_disconnect 300
+
Maximum server lag in seconds before disconnecting and trying to + reconnect. This happens mostly only when network breaks between you and + IRC server.
+
+ + +

Appearance

+ +
+
/SET timestamps ON
+
Show timestamps before each message.
+ +
/SET hide_text_style OFF
+
Hide all bolds, underlines, MIRC colors, etc.
+ +
/SET show_nickmode ON
+
Show the nick's mode before nick in channels, ie. ops have + <@nick>, voices <+nick> and others < nick>
+ +
/SET show_quit_once OFF
+
Show quit message only once in some of the channel windows the + nick was in instead of in all windows.
+ +
/SET topicbar ON
+
Show the channel's topic in top of screen.
+ +
/SET lag_min_show 100
+
Show the server lag in status bar if it's bigger than this, the + unit is 1/100 of seconds (ie. the default value of 100 = 1 second).
+ +
/SET indent 10
+
When lines are longer than screen width they have to be split to + multiple lines. This specifies how much space to put at the beginning + of the line before the text begins. This can be overridden in text + formats with %| format.
+ +
/SET noact_channels
+
If you don't want to see window activity in some certain channels + or queries, list them here. For example "#boringchannel =bot1 =bot2". + If any highlighted text or message for you appears in that window, this + setting is ignored and the activity is shown.
+ +
/SET mail_counter ON
+
Show the number of mails in your mbox in status + bar. The mbox file is taken from $MAIL environment setting. Only mbox + format works for now.
+ +
/SET statusbar_xxx
+
Change these to change the colors of the statusbar. Type "/SET + statusbar" to see all the different settings.
+
+ + +

Nick completion

+ +
+
/SET completion_auto OFF
+
Automatically complete the nick if line begins with start of nick + and the completion character. Learn to use the tab-completion instead, + it's a lot better ;)
+ +
/SET completion_char :
+
Completion character to use.
+
diff --git a/docs/startup-HOWTO.txt b/docs/startup-HOWTO.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5bd81e74..00000000 --- a/docs/startup-HOWTO.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,513 +0,0 @@ - - To new Irssi users (not to new IRC users ..) - - Copyright (c) 2000-2001 by Timo Sirainen - - -Index with some FAQ questions that are answered in the chapter: - - 1. For all the lazy people - 2. Basic user interface usage - 3. Server and channel automation - - how do I automatically connect to servers at starup? - - how do I automatically join to channels at startup? - 4. Setting up windows and automatically restoring them at startup - 5. Status and msgs windows & message levels - - I want /WHOIS to print reply to current window - - I want all messages to go to one window, not create new windows - - I want to have own status and/or msgs window for each servers - 6. How support for multiple servers works in irssi - - I connected to some server that doesn't respond and now irssi - keeps trying to reconnect to it again and again, how can I stop it?? - 7. /LASTLOG and jumping around in scrollback - - How can I save all texts in a window to file? - 8. Logging - 9. Irssi's settings - - - 1. For all the lazy people - -------------------------- - -These settings should give you pretty good defaults (the ones I use): - -I don't like automatic query windows, I don't like status window, I do -like msgs window where all messages go: - /SET autocreate_own_query OFF - /SET autocreate_query_level DCCMSGS - /SET use_status_window OFF - /SET use_msgs_window ON - -Disable automatic window closing when /PARTing channel or /UNQUERYing -query: - /SET autoclose_windows OFF - /SET reuse_unused_windows ON - -And example how to add servers: - -(openprojects network, identify with nickserv and wait for 2 seconds before -joining channels) - /IRCNET ADD -autosendcmd "/^msg nickserv ident password;wait -opn 2000" opn - -Then add some servers to different networks (ircnet is already set up -for them), irc.kpnqwest.fi is used by default for IRCNet but if it fails, -irc.funet.fi is tried next: - /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet ircnet irc.kpnqwest.fi 6667 - /SERVER ADD -ircnet ircnet irc.funet.fi 6667 - /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet efnet efnet.cs.hut.fi 6667 - -Automatically join to channels after connected to server, send op request -to bot after joined to efnet/#irssi: - /CHANNEL ADD -auto #irssi ircnet - /CHANNEL ADD -auto -bots *!*@bot@host.org -botcmd "/^msg $0 op pass" - #irssi efnet - - - 2. Basic user interface usage - ----------------------------- - -By default, irssi uses "hidden windows" for everything. Hidden window is -created every time you /JOIN a channel or /QUERY someone. There's several -ways you can change between these windows: - - ALT-1, ALT-2, ... ALT-0 - Jump directly between windows 1-10 - ALT-q .. ALT-p - Jump directly between windows 11-20 - ESC-1 .. ESC-0 - ALT-keys don't work everywhere, but you can use - ESC-key instead of ALT. - /WINDOW - Jump to any window with specified number - Ctrl-P, Ctrl-N - Jump to previous / next window - -Clearly the easiest way is to use ALT-number keys. Some terminals just -don't allow it, with xterm and rxvt you should be able to fix it with -changing X resources: - - XTerm*eightBitInput: false - XTerm*metaSendsEscape: true - -And how exactly does it happen? For Debian, there's -/etc/X11/Xresources/xterm file where you can put them and it's read -automatically when X starts. ~/.Xresources file might also work. If you -can't get anything else to work, just copy&paste those lines to -~/.Xresources and directly call "xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources" in some -xterm. The resources affect only the new xterms you start, not existing -ones. - -Many windows SSH clients also don't allow usage of ALT. One excellent -client that does allow is putty, you can download it from -http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/. - -Irssi also supports split windows, they've had some problems in past -but I think they should work pretty well now :) Here's some commands -related to them: - - /WINDOW NEW - Create new split window - /WINDOW NEW HIDE - Create new hidden window - /WINDOW CLOSE - Close split or hidden window - - /WINDOW HIDE [|] - Make the split window hidden window - /WINDOW SHOW | - Make the hidden window a split window - - /WINDOW SHRINK [] - Shrink the split window - /WINDOW GROW [] - Grow the split window - /WINDOW BALANCE - Balance the sizes of all split windows - -By default, irssi uses "sticky windowing" for split windows. This means -that windows created inside one split window cannot be moved to another -split window without some effort. For example you could have following -window layout: - - Split window 1: win#1 - Status window, win#2 - Messages window - Split window 2: win#3 - ircnet/#channel1, win#4 - ircnet/#channel2 - Split window 3: win#5 - efnet/#channel1, win#6 - efnet/#channel2 - -When you are in win#1 and press ALT-6, irssi changes jumps to split -window #3 and moves the efnet/#channel2 the active window. - -With non-sticky windowing the windows don't have any relationship with -split windows, pressing ALT-6 in win#1 moves win#6 to split window 1 -and sets it active, except if win#6 was already visible in some other -split window irssi just changes to that split window. This it the way -windows work with ircii, if you prefer it you can set it with - - /SET autostick_split_windows OFF - -Each window can have multiple channels, queries and other "window -items" inside them. If you don't like windows at all, you disable -automatic creating of them with - - /SET autocreate_windows OFF - -If you want to group only some channels or queries in one window, use - - /JOIN -window #channel - /QUERY -window nick - - - 3. Server and channel automation - -------------------------------- - -Irssi's multiple IRC network support is IMHO very good - at least -compared to other clients :) Even if you're only in one IRC network you -should group all your servers to be in the same IRC network as this -helps with reconnecting if your primary server breaks and is probably -useful in some other ways too :) For information how to actually use -irssi correctly with multiple servers see the chapter 6. - -First you need to have your IRC network set, use /IRCNET command to see -if it's already there. If it isn't, use /IRCNET ADD yourircnet. To make -Irssi work properly with different IRC networks, you might need to give -some special settings to /IRCNET ADD, see manual.txt for more -information about them. Irssi defaults to IRCNet's behaviour. - -After that you need to add your servers. For example: - - /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet ircnet irc.kpnqwest.fi 6667 - /SERVER ADD -auto -ircnet worknet irc.mycompany.com 6667 password - -The -auto option specifies that this server is automatically connected -at startup. You don't need to make more than one server with -auto -option to one IRC network, other servers are automatically connected in -same network if the -auto server fails. - -And finally channels: - - /CHANNEL ADD -auto -bots *!*@bot@host.org -botcmd "/^msg $0 op pass" - #irssi efnet - /CHANNEL ADD -auto #secret ircnet password - --bots and -botcmd should be the only ones needing a bit of explaining. -They're used to send commands automatically to bot when channel is -joined, usually to get ops automatically. You can specify multiple bot -masks with -bots option separated with spaces (and remember to quote -the string then). The $0 in -botcmd specifies the first found bot in -the list. If you don't need the bot masks (ie. the bot is always with -the same nick, like chanserv) you can give only the -botcmd option and -the command is always sent. - - - 4. Setting up windows and automatically restoring them at startup - ----------------------------------------------------------------- - -First connect to all the servers, join the channels and create the -queries you want. If you want to move the windows or channels around -use commands: - - /WINDOW MOVE LEFT/RIGHT/number - move window elsewhere - /WINDOW ITEM MOVE | - move channel/query to another window - -When everything looks the way you like, use /LAYOUT SAVE command (and -/SAVE, if you don't have autosaving enabled) and when you start irssi -next time, irssi remembers the positions of the channels, queries and -everything. This "remembering" doesn't mean that simply using /LAYOUT -SAVE would automatically make irssi reconnect to all servers and join -all channels, you'll need the /SERVER ADD -auto and /CHANNEL ADD -auto -commands to do that. - -If you want to change the layout, you just rearrange the layout like -you want it and use /LAYOUT SAVE again. If you want to remove the -layout for some reason, use /LAYOUT RESET. - - - 5. Status and msgs windows & message levels - ------------------------------------------- - -By default, all the "extra messages" go to status window. This means -pretty much all messages that don't clearly belong to some channel or -query. Some people like it, some don't. If you want to remove it, use - - /SET use_status_window OFF - -This doesn't have any effect until you restart irssi. If you want to -remove it immediately, just /WINDOW CLOSE it. - -Another common window is "messages window", where all private messages -go. By default it's disabled and query windows are created instead. To -make all private messages go to msgs window, say: - - /SET use_msgs_window ON - /SET autocreate_query_level DCCMSGS (or if you don't want queries to - dcc chats either, say NONE) - -use_msgs_window either doesn't have any effect until restarting irssi. -To create it immediately say: - - /WINDOW NEW HIDE - create the window - /WINDOW NAME (msgs) - name it to "(msgs)" - /WINDOW LEVEL MSGS - make all private messages go to this window - /WINDOW MOVE 1 - move it to first window - -Note that neither use_msgs_window nor use_status_window have any effect -at all if /LAYOUT SAVE has been used. - -This brings us to message levels.. What are they? All messages that -irssi prints have one or more "message levels". Most common are PUBLIC -for public messages in channels, MSGS for private messages and CRAP for -all sorts of messages with no real classification. You can get a whole -list of levels with - - /HELP levels - -Status window has message level "ALL -MSGS", meaning that all messages, -except private messages, without more specific place go to status -window. The -MSGS is there so it doesn't conflict with messages window. - - - 6. How support for multiple servers works in irssi - -------------------------------------------------- - -ircii and several other clients support multiple servers by placing the -connection into some window. IRSSI DOES NOT. There is no required -relationship between window and server. You can connect to 10 servers -and manage them all in just one window, or join channel in each one of -them to one sigle window if you really want to. That being said, here's -how you do connect to new server without closing the old connection: - - /CONNECT irc.server.org - -Instead of the /SERVER which disconnects the existing connection. To -see list of all active connections, use /SERVER without any parameters. -You should see a list of something like: - - -!- IRCNet: irc.telia.fi:6667 (IRCNet) - -!- OPN: tolkien.openprojects.net:6667 (OPN) - -!- RECON-1: 192.168.0.1:6667 () (02:59 left before reconnecting) - -Here you see that we're connected to IRCNet and OPN networks. The the -IRCNet at the beginning is called the "server tag" while the (IRCnet) -at the end shows the IRC network. Server tag specifies unique tag to -refer to the server, usually it's the same as the IRC network. When -the IRC network isn't known it's some part of the server name. When -there's multiple connections to same IRC network or server, irssi adds -a number after the tag so there could be ircnet, ircnet2, ircnet3 etc. - -Server tags beginning with RECON- mean server reconnections. Above we -see that connection to server at 192.168.0.1 wasn't successful and -irssi will try to connect it again in 3 minutes. - -To disconnect one of the servers, or to stop irssi from reconnecting, -use - - /DISCONNECT ircnet - disconnect server with tag "ircnet" - /DISCONNECT recon-1 - stop trying to reconnect to RECON-1 server - /RMRECONNS - stop all server reconnections - - /RECONNECT recon-1 - immediately try reconnecting back to RECON-1 - /RECONNECT ALL - immediately try reconnecting back to all - servers in reconnection queue - -Now that you're connected to all your servers, you'll have to know how -to specify which one of them you want to use. One way is to have an -empty window, like status or msgs window. In it, you can specify which -server to set active with - - /WINDOW SERVER tag - set server "tag" active - Ctrl-X - set the next server in list active - -When the server is active, you can use it normally. When there's -multiple connected servers, irssi adds [servertag] prefix to all -messages in non-channel/query messages so you'll know where it came -from. - -Several commands also accept -servertag option to specify which server -it should use: - - /MSG -tag nick message - /JOIN -tag #channel - /QUERY -tag nick - -/MSG tab completion also automatically adds the -tag option when nick -isn't in active server. - - - 7. /LASTLOG and jumping around in scrollback - -------------------------------------------- - -/LASTLOG command can be used for searching texts in scrollback buffer. -Simplest usages are - - /LASTLOG word - print all lines with "word" in them - /LASTLOG word 10 - print last 10 occurances of "word" - /LASTLOG -topics - print all topic changes - -If there's more lines to be printed than 1000, irssi doesn't thinks -that you probably made some mistake and won't print them without -force -option. If you want to save the full lastlog to file, use - - /LASTLOG -file ~/irc.log - -With -file option you don't need -force even if there's more than 1000 -lines. /LASTLOG has a lot of other options too, see /HELP lastlog for -details. - -Once you've found the lines you were interested in, you might want to -check the discussion around them. Irssi has /SCROLLBACK (or alias /SB) -command for jumping around in scrollback buffer. Since /LASTLOG prints -the timestamp when the message was originally printed, you can use /SB -GOTO hh:mm to jump directly there. To get back to the bottom of -scrollback, use /SB END command. - - - 8. Logging - ---------- - -Irssi can automatically log important messages when you're set away -(/AWAY reason). When you set yourself unaway (/AWAY), the new messages -in away log are printed to screen. You can configure it with: - - /SET awaylog_level MSGS HILIGHT - Specifies what messages to log - /SET awaylog_file ~/.irssi/away.log - Specifies the file to use - -Easiest way to start logging with Irssi is to use autologging. With it -Irssi logs all channels and private messages to specified directory. -You can turn it on with - - /SET autolog ON - -By default it logs pretty much everything execept CTCPS or CRAP (/WHOIS -requests, etc). You can specify the logging level yourself with - - /SET autolog_level ALL -CRAP -CLIENTCRAP -CTCPS (this is the default) - -By default irssi logs to ~/irclogs//.log. You can -change this with - - /SET autolog_path ~/irclogs/$tag/$0.log (this is the default) - -The path is automatically created if it doesn't exist. $0 specifies the -target (channel/nick). You can make irssi automatically rotate the logs -by adding date/time formats to the file name. The formats are in "man -strftime" format. For example - - /SET autolog_path = ~/irclogs/%Y/$tag/$0.%m-%d.log - -For logging only some specific channels or nicks, see /HELP log - - - 9. Irssi's settings - ------------------- - -You probably don't like Irssi's default settings. I don't like them. -But I'm still convinced that they're pretty good defaults. Here's some -of them you might want to change (the default value is shown): - - - - Queries - -/SET autocreate_own_query ON - Should new query window be created when -you send message to someone (with /msg). - -/SET autocreate_query_level MSGS - New query window should be created -when receiving messages with this level. MSGS, DCCMSGS and NOTICES -levels work currently. You can disable this with /SET -clear -autocrate_query_level. - -/SET autoclose_query 0 - Query windows can be automatically closed -after certain time of inactivity. Queries with unread messages aren't -closed and active window is neither never closed. The value is given in -seconds. - - - - Windows - -/SET use_msgs_window OFF - Create messages window at startup. All -private messages go to this window. This only makes sense if you've -disabled automatic query windows. Message window can also be created -manually with /WINDOW LEVEL MSGS, /WINDOW NAME (msgs). - -/SET use_status_window ON - Create status window at startup. All -messages that don't really have better place go here, like all /WHOIS -replies etc. Status window can also be created manually with /WINDOW -LEVEL ALL -MSGS, /WINDOW NAME (status). - -/SET autocreate_windows - Should we create new windows for new window -items or just place everything in one window - -/SET autoclose_windows OFF - Should window be automatically closed when -the last item in them is removed (ie. /PART, /UNQUERY). - -/SET reuse_unused_windows OFF - When finding where to place new window -item (channel, query) Irssi first tries to use already existing empty -windows. If this is set ON, new window will always be created for all -window items. This setting is ignored if autoclose_windows is set ON. - -/SET window_auto_change OFF - Should Irssi automatically change to -automatically created windows - usually queries when someone sends you -a message. To prevent accidentally sending text meant to some other -channel/nick, Irssi clears the input buffer when changing the window. -The text is still in scrollback buffer, you can get it back with -pressing arrow up key. - -/SET print_active_channel OFF - When you keep more than one channel in -same window, Irssi prints the messages coming to active channel as -" text" and other channels as " text". If this -setting is set ON, the messages to active channels are also printed in -the latter way. - -/SET window_history OFF - Should command history be kept separate for -each window. - - - - User information - -/SET nick (or default_nick in 0.7.95 and older) - Your nick name -/SET alternate_nick - Your alternate nick. -/SET user_name, /SET real_name - Your user- and real name. - - - - Server information - -/SET skip_motd OFF - Should we hide server's MOTD (Message Of The Day). - -/SET server_reconnect_time 300 - Seconds to wait before connecting to -same server again. Don't set this too low since it usually doesn't help -at all - if the host is down, the few extra minutes of waiting won't -hurt much. - -/SET lag_max_before_disconnect 300 - Maximum server lag in seconds -before disconnecting and trying to reconnect. This happens mostly only -when network breaks between you and IRC server. - - - - Appearance - -/SET timestamps ON - Show timestamps before each message. - -/SET hide_text_style OFF - Hide all bolds, underlines, MIRC colors, etc. - -/SET show_nickmode ON - Show the nick's mode before nick in channels, ie. -ops have <@nick>, voices <+nick> and others < nick> - -/SET show_quit_once OFF - Show quit message only once in some of the -channel windows the nick was in instead of in all windows. - -/SET topicbar ON - Show the channel's topic in top of screen. - -/SET lag_min_show 100 - Show the server lag in status bar if it's -bigger than this, the unit is 1/100 of seconds (ie. the default value -of 100 = 1 second). - -/SET indent 10 - When lines are longer than screen width they have to -be split to multiple lines. This specifies how much space to put at the -beginning of the line before the text begins. This can be overridden in -text formats with %| format. - -/SET noact_channels - If you don't want to see window activity in some -certain channels or queries, list them here. For example -"#boringchannel =bot1 =bot2". If any highlighted text or message for -you appears in that window, this setting is ignored and the activity is -shown. - -/SET mail_counter ON - Show the number of mails in your mbox in status -bar. The mbox file is taken from $MAIL environment setting. Only mbox -format works for now. - -/SET statusbar_xxx - Change these to change the colors of the -statusbar. Type "/SET statusbar" to see all the different settings. - - - - Nick completion - -/SET completion_auto OFF - Automatically complete the nick if line -begins with start of nick and the completion character. Learn to use -the tab-completion instead, it's a lot better ;) - -/SET completion_char : - Completion character to use.