ICQ-Chat IRC Commands Help

There are lots of websites out there with lists of all the commands for IRC networks, but I figured one more wouldn't hurt...

 

Here are some of the common handy commands available in ICQ-Chat rooms and a bit more explanation than you will get at most sites. I've already covered how to register your nickname and how to open and register your own chat room on other pages, so I won't repeat myself here.

 

KEY:

< > denotes a "place filler" for the information within the <>. Please do NOT type the <> symbols.  For example, if

                     it says <nickname> just put the nickname in that place, such as bumblebee, and not <bumblebee>

 

<password> put the password here -- usually this is a password of your choice, and it is part of the command.  The server

                    will not ask you to put in the password, you must include it as part of the command.

 

#channel tells you to put the channel/room/chat room name here. You must use the # in front of the channel name,

                    and do not use a space after the # sign.

 

/whois nickname -I have found this to be one of the most often-used commands I use.  It will show you if a particular nick is online at that time, give you the "masked" IP of whatever chatter nick you use,  and tell you what "non-secret" channels they are sitting in.  For example, I have a friend who uses the nick coconuts, and I want to see if she is online. I type:

 

/whois coconuts

 

In my Status window I read:

 

coconuts is [email protected] * GoneNutz
coconuts on #Tony's_room
coconuts using irc-p01a.blue.icq.net ICQ IRC Server (LEAF)

coconuts is logged in as coconuts
coconuts End of /WHOIS list.

 

This tells me my friend coconuts is online, and is hanging out in the channel #Tony's_room.  Incidentally, if you are using mIRC, you might be familiar with some of the info you had to fill in during setup.  In this example, Coco is the Identd and GoneNutz is the real name from the mIRC Options you had to fill in.  That string of letters and numbers is the IP, or in the case of ICQ-Net, it's a "masked" or encoded IP so that people cannot use this command and get your computer's IP address, by which all sorts of unsavory things can be done.  The third line just tells which one of the several network servers you happen to be signed in on. And of course the last line tells you that is the end of the info available with that command.

If there is an idiot in the room, whether they are creating a disruption, trying to hassle you, or you just don't like them or don't want to deal with them. There are several options for "ignoring" them. Most people can use at least one of them, although there may be occasions when none of them will work.  There are two different commands you can try so that you don't have to see what someone is typing:

 

For text in the chat room:

/ignore nickname 3  (example: /ignore coconuts 3) [the 3 picks up the ip, in case they change their nickname]

 

If they keep trying to private you:

/silence +nick  (example: /silence +coconuts) [this only works for private messages and notices sent to you, not for text in the channel]

If they change their IP (some can simply disconnect and reconnect to change it, depends on their connection) then you will have to re-set the ignore or silence again.  Also this is not permanent.  If you (or they) leave the room (either parting the channel or disconnecting from the network), the ignore list disappears and you will have to reset them again if you want to ignore the person again. Sometimes the ignore feature simply times out and turns off and you just need to reset it again.

To remove the ignore or silence -

/ignore -r nickname (if you do not use the nickname here, it will clear your whole ignore list)

/silence -nickname (to turn off the silence on a nickname) I have found that sometimes this does not work and I have to disconnect and reconnect to turn the silence off. Oh well.

 

Another handy thing to know - if someone is pestering you with private messages, especially if they are "flooding" you with a lot of messages or lots of nicknames, you can try typing /mode <yournick> +Rc instead of using the /silence +nick command.

Of course you would put in your own nickname, and be sure you use capital R and lowercase c. 

For example, if I was coconuts I would use:

/mode coconuts +Rc

The + means to turn these modes ON. Turning on the R blocks unregistered nicknames from private messaging you, and turning on the c blocks anyone not in the same channels you are in from private messaging you. If you wanted to turn them off you would use the same command but use a - (Off) instead of a + (On).

 

Please use these commands generously.  There is nothing "wimpy" about ignoring someone who is being an ass.  Why stress yourself out by forcing yourself to see the proof of their stupidity?  Slap an /ignore nickname on them and move on.  They will eventually either get pissed you are not responding and scale up their harassment (which you won't see, because you've blocked their text), which will usually have them getting themselves banned (I call it "cyber suicide"), or they will get frustrated enough to stop or leave.  Don't make a big deal of it, and don't post it in the channel that you are ignoring them - that's really tacky and just inciting them to further stupidity. 

 

If you choose not to use the ignore options, then just pretend they are not there.  If you retaliate, chances are the situation will escalate, an Op will be called in, and the ass will have the sense to shut up, and you will try to get the last word in, only to find You are the one who gets booted from the room because You are the one the Op saw disrupting the channel when they entered.

 

If you haven't already done so, check out the Tips and Tricks page, along with the other links on the buttons near the top left of this page.  Here's where you can get yet more info:

If you are using mIRC or an mIRC script, then I would suggest you read the mirc help file contained in the program [In the mIRC menu at the top, click "Help", and choose "Help Files", then "mirc.chm".]

Some other options to read about the commands (Note: some options may be disabled/unavailable in some networks.):

These commands will display information into your Status window--

(you may type them into any mIRC window)

 

/HELPOP USERCMDS - To get the list of User Commands
/HELPOP OPERCMDS - To get the list of Oper Commands

/HELPOP UMODES - To get the list of User Modes

/HELPOP CHMODES - To get the list of Channel Modes

For general network info and chat room info on ICQ-Chat, you can join the #help room.

 

 

If you want more info on commands and such, the fine print that fills your screen when you log into the network will usually include the software the network is running on (networks occasionally change their software).