Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - TFP Chat Guide! (Updated 3-23-2007)

SecretMethod70 · 02-03-2007, 04:36 AM

That's right, TFP has its very own IRC channel! This is much like the shoutbox, but allows users to more easily chat while browsing the forum since they don't need to be on the main page. Better yet, it means that users can leave IRC chat open even when they're not browsing TFP so that conversations can happen at any time! Since the shoutbox has been added, IRC chat has been less active, but if you try hanging out for awhile I think you'll find it adds a new dimension to the TFP community. Remember though, don't expect bustling conversation immediately when you join: sometimes you need to be patient, or better yet, start a conversation yourself!

For an overview of the details and some of the (very basic) rules, take a look at this thread.

For a quick and easy way to use TFP chat, there is a "chat" link along the top of the site. Clicking that will allow you to use a browser-based java applet to enter TFP chat. While there's nothing technically wrong with the java chat applet, it's recommended that you use an application specifically designed for IRC chat. Ultimately, it's up to you.

Below, I am providing several guides to help you get started in TFP chat with a variety of different clients. Pick the one that seems most appealing to you.

X-Chat and mIRC are both strictly IRC clients, whereas Gaim and Trillian can be used for AIM, MSN, YIM, and many others, along with IRC. ChatZilla is an extension for Firefox and other Mozilla Foundation products.

My apologies if this information sometimes comes across as condescending. Due to the wide range of technical ability on TFP, I am doing my best to write this in a way which will be of the most help to the most people. Pictures of some of the steps will follow each written guide.

<a href=#XChat>X-Chat</a>
<a href=#mIRC>mIRC</a>
<a href=#Gaim>Gaim</a>
<a href=#Trillian>Trillian</a>
<a href="#cz">ChatZilla</a>

<a name=XChat>Using X-Chat for TFP chat</a>

This tutorial is based on X-Chat version 2.6.8-1 from Silverex.org. It is highly recommended that you acquire X-Chat from Silverex.org as opposed to the "official" X-Chat site. This tutorial may or may not work with the "official" version for Windows from xchat.org.

1) Download X-Chat from Silverex.org
2) Install
3) Run X-Chat
4) In the Network List window, type your TFP username in the "Nick name" field and some variation of it in the second and third choice fields. These alternatives will be used if you get disconnected and automatically re-connect or if someone else on the IRC network is already using the nick you have as your first choice. For "User name" and "Real name" you can put whatever you want - I use my TFP username in both fields.
5) Click the "Add" button so that we can add the Shadowfire network to X-Chat's list. It will automatically highlight "New Network" in the "Networks" section. Erase that and type, "Shadowfire." If you accidentally lose the ability to edit the name, just click twice (NOT a double click) on the "New Network."
6) Once "Shadowfire" is added in the "Networks" column, highlight it and click "Edit..."
7) Click twice on "newserver/6667" so that you can edit the text. Delete "newserver/6667" and type "irc.shadowfire.org"
8) Click "Add" and you should see "newserver/6667" placed underneath "irc.shadowfire.org" Once again, click that twice and delete the text. This time, replace it with "us.shadowfire.org" (provided you are a North American citizen). If you are nearer to Europe, type "eu.shadowfire.org" and if you are nearer to South Africa, type "za.shadowfire.org"
9) For now, press the "Close" button on the bottom right corner of the window. We'll return to this window later to add more information.
10) Highlight "Shadowfire" in the "Networks" column and click the "Connect" button on the bottom right of the server window.
11) When the "Connection Complete" window pops up, leave "Nothing, I'll join a channel later." marked. If you do not plan on using X-Chat for anything other than TFP chat, uncheck the "Always show this dialog after connecting" box on the bottom. Click "OK"
12) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. On the bottom of the X-Chat window, you should see a bar to enter text. To the left of it you will see your current nickname. Make sure it is one of the nicknames you entered in step 4. If it is, type, "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step!
13) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the X-Chat window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete.
14) Next, we're going to tie your other two nickname choices into the registration you just completed. Type "/msg NickServ LINK [choice2]" where [choice2] is the nickname you entered as your second choice in the "Network List" window. Now type "/msg NickServ LINK [choice3]"
15) We're almost done! Click the X-Chat menu on the top left and select "Network List." If you only plan on using X-Chat for TFP chat, check the "skip network list on startup" box near the bottom of the window.
16) Highlight "Shadowfire" in the "Networks" column, and click the "Edit..." button. Again, if you will only be using X-Chat for TFP chat, check the "Auto connect to this network at startup" box in the "Connecting" section.
17) In the bottom third of the window, you'll see a field for "Channels to join." Type "#tfp" in that field.
18) There will also be a field for "Nickserv password." Type the password you used when you registered in that field.
19) Click the close button on the bottom of both those windows and then exit X-Chat. When you start the program up again, it should automatically connect to Shadowfire, supply your identification password to NickServ, and log into #tfp for you!

Some X-Chat Customizations:

Using tabs instead of the tree

By default, X-Chat uses a tree view on the left side for organizing networks and channels. For most people, especially if you are only going to be using X-Chat for TFP chat, this is a waste of screen space. To use tabs instead, simply go to View > Layout and select "Tabs."

Using a black background instead of white

Until recently, X-Chat used a black background with light gray text. Many X-Chat users I know prefer it that way, so here are some simple instructions on restoring the black bacnground to this newer version of X-Chat!
1) Make sure X-Chat is CLOSED.
2) Download this file: http://www.xchat.org/files/themes/blacktheme.zip
3) In Windows XP, go to C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\X-Chat 2, where [user] is the name you use to log into Windows. (If you are using an older version of Windows, I'm sorry, but I don't know where the data is located.)
4) Unzip the file you downloaded and copy the files it contains into the above folder.
5) Open X-Chat. The main text are should now be black.
6) Go to Settings > Preferences. Under "Interface" on the left, click on "Input Box." Select "Use the Text box font and colors."
7) Now click on "User list," right underneath "Input Box." Again, select "Use the Text box font and colors."

If you don't like the black appearance, you can easily change it back to the old way by deleting "colors.conf" "palette.conf"
and "pevents.conf" from C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\X-Chat 2

<a name=mIRC>Using mIRC for TFP chat

mIRC is technically only free for a 30 day evaluation period, and since it is not based on "open source" code, there are no other versions to download which are totally free, unlike with X-Chat. That said, I have been told that mIRC continues to work after the 30 day evaluation period (also unlike the "official" version of X-Chat).

This tutorial is based on mIRC version 6.21.

1) Download mIRC from mirc.com
2) Install
3) Run mIRC
4) The "mIRC Options" window should automatically open and bring you to your connection settings (after you click "Continue" the nagging registration screen). For "Full Name" and "Nickname," enter your TFP username. Don't bother using your real e-mail address in the "E-Mail Address" field, simply type some junk that looks like an e-mail address into there. For example, I typed "foo@bar.com"
5) Click on "Servers" in the menu on the left to see a list of many IRC servers. Scroll through that list to find "Shadowfire," click on it, and then click the button that says "Select." You should be taken back to your connection options.
6) Next, go to "Options" in the menu on the left. If you only plan on using mIRC to connect to TFP chat, select "Connect on startup" and uncheck "pop up connect dialog on startup." Regardless of how you intend to use mIRC, you may optionally select "reconnect on disconnection" as well. I recommend doing this.
7) Go back to the "Connect" section on the left side and then click the "Connect to Server" button.
8) After you are connected to the Shadowfire network, the "mIRC Favorites" window should pop up. Click the "Add" button on the left side.
9) For the Channel, enter #tfp. On the right side, check the "join on connect" box. Click "OK."
10) Back in the mIRC Favorites window, uncheck the "Pop up favorites on connect" option at the bottom. Make sure "#tfp" is highlighted in the list, and click the "Join" button on the left. (There are two, click the one above the "Names" button.)
11) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. You should see two windows in mIRC: one is the chat room and the other contains information from the server. Click over to the server window. Look at the title bar to make sure your nick on the server is the same as your TFP username (and the one you set in the mIRC Options window). For example, my window's title starts out by saying "Status: SecretMethod70 ..." It is important for the following steps that you are using the right nickname. If you are not connected with your TFP nickname, type "/nick [TFP username]" in the server window. For example, I would type "/nick SecretMethod70"
12) Once you're using the correct nickname, type "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step!
13) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the server window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete.
14) Next, we're going to tie your alternative nickname choice into the registration you just completed. Type "/msg NickServ LINK [alternative]" where [alternative] is the nickname you entered as your alternative in the mIRC Options window.
15) Now that your registration is complete, go to Tools > Options... and select Servers on the left side. If it's not already selected in the IRC Servers list, find the Shadowfire folder, double click it, and select "Random server" underneath it. Click the "Edit" button on the right.
16) In the "Password" field, enter your registration password. Using the previous example, I would enter "abc123"
17) Click "OK" in both windows to get out of the mIRC Options and you should be all set! Close mIRC and re-open it to verify everything worked. Upon opening, mIRC should automatically connect to Shadowfire, enter the #tfp chat room, and identify itself to NickServ (you will see confirmation of this in the server window, where it will say "-NickServ- Password accepted -- you are now recognized."

<a name=Gaim>Using Gaim for TFP chat

This tutorial is based on Windows Gaim, version 1.5.0.

1) Download Windows Gaim from http://gaim.sourceforge.net/win32/ Be sure to use the link provided in the page text. Going to the "Downloads" section that is linked to on the right side of the page will take you to *NIX versions of Gaim, not one for Windows!
2) Install
3) Run Gaim
4) The "Add Account" window will automatically open for you. For Protocol, select "IRC." For Screen Name, enter your TFP username. In the server section, delete the text that is there and replace it with "irc.shadowfire.org" You may also want to consider checking the "Auto-login" box.
5) Click on "Show more options" at the bottom of the window. For Username and Real Name, enter your TFP username. Finally, click the Save button.
6) You should be brought to the Accounts window, where you will see an account for "[nickname]@irc.shadowfire.org" where [nickname] is the TFP username you entered into the above settings. Click the "Online" box for that account and you will be connected to the Shadowfire network.
7) Once fully connected, you may close the Accounts window. You should see two windows remaining: the Buddy List window (this is the main Gaim window) and the chat window (which will probably be titled "[Something].Shadowfire.ORG")
8) In the chat window, there will be multiple tabs. Each tab contains information about connecting to Shadowfire. Go ahead and close the tab that says "[Something].Shadowfire.ORG" by clicking the X on the tab. You can do the same for the tab that says "IRC."
9) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. In the "Shadowfire" tab, type "test" and hit enter. Make sure that the nickname you are using is your TFP username. It is important for the following steps that you are using the right nickname. If you are not connected with your TFP nickname, type "/nick [TFP username]" For example, I would type "/nick SecretMethod70"
10) Once you're using the correct nickname, type "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step!
11) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete.
12) In the Buddy List window, go to Tools > Accounts. Highlight your IRC account and then click the "Modify" button. In the account information window, type your registration password into the Password field, and then check the "Remember password" option. Click Save and then close the accounts window.
13) In the Buddy List window, select Buddies > Join a Chat... Make sure "Account" is set to "[nickname]@irc.shadowfire.org (IRC)" For channel, type "#tfp" Click the Join button.
14) Once you've connected to the TFP chat room, click the Add button at the bottom of the window to add the room to your buddy list. You may want to right click on the "#tfp" entry in the Buddy List and select Auto-Join.
15) Close the Buddy List window to disconnect and exit Gaim. Run Gaim again and it should automatically connect to Shadowfire, #tfp, and indentify itself to NickServ. You can verify it has identified by clicking on the "NickServ" tab and seeing that the last message it sent to you says "NickServ: (notice) Password accepted -- you are now recognized."
16) Your done! Each time you connect, multiple tabs will open up with various messages from the server. You can close these tabs without worrying about anything.

<a name=Trillian>Using Trillian for TFP chat

This tutorial is based on Trillian Basic, version 3.1

1) Download Trillian from ceruleanstudios.com
2) Install.
3) Run Trillian. Be sure to enable IRC when given the option.
4) Go to Trillian > Connections > Manage my Connections... and click the "Add a new connection..." button near the bottom right of the window. Select IRC.
5) For the Server Alias (the top field), type in "Shadowfire." Below that, type "irc.shadowfire.org::6667" In the next three fields, type in your TFP username. This will be your nickname on TFP chat. You may also want to consider checking the "Automatically connect to this account at startup" box. When you've done all this, click the "Connect" button.
6) Once you've connected, close the preferences window and take a look at the Trillian buddy list. It may be difficult to see, but there will be a small button for your IRC connection underneath your user picture. It's marked by a red box in the below image.
7) Click that button and select "Show status window." The window may initially be pretty small, so you'll need to resize it in order to see it and be able to type in it. In that window, type "/nick" in order to see the nickname you are currently connected with. Make sure that the nickname you are using is your TFP username. It is important for the following steps that you are using the right nickname. If you are not connected with your TFP nickname, type "/nick [TFP username]" For example, I would type "/nick SecretMethod70"
8) Once you're using the correct nickname, type "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step!
9) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete.
10) Click the hide button on the Shadowfire status window (it's on the top right, where you'd normally see a close button). Now, click that small button in the Trillian buddy list window again, and select "Connection preferences."
11) The middle section is called "Perform Buffer." Check the box in there, and type the following into the field below it: "/msg NickServ IDENTIFY [password]; /j #tfp" where [password] is your registration password. For example: /msg NickServ IDENTIFY abc123; /j #tfp
12) Click "Save Settings." Exit Trillian by going to Trillian > Exit, and then start Trillian back up to make sure it does everything correctly. It should automatically connect to Shadowfire, identify itself to NickServ, and connect to #tfp chat!

<a name="cz"></a>Using ChatZilla for TFP chat

This tutorial is based on ChatZilla v0.9.77 running on Firefox 2.0.0.1 under Windows XP. While not tested, the following instructions will likely work with ChatZilla under Mac OS X as well, if you use Firefox.

1) Download and install the <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/16/">ChatZilla extension</a>. It will require restarting your browser.
2) Once you've restarted your browser, click Tools > ChatZilla
3) In the newly created ChatZilla window, click on ChatZilla > Preferences
4) Be sure that "Global Settings" is selected on the left hand side. While in the General tab, check the box for "Rejoin when kicked." In the identification section, enter your TFP username for "Nickname" and some variation of it in the "Nickname (away)" field. Finally, replace the default Username with your TFP username.
5) Click on the "Startup" tab. The second section in this tab is "Auto-connect URLs" - click the "Add..." button in that section. When it asks you what to add, enter "irc://irc.shadowfire.org" and click OK.
6) Click the OK button on the bottom of the window, then exit ChatZilla. Restart it by clicking on Tools > ChatZilla in Firefox. ChatZilla should automatically connect to the Shadowfire network when it starts.
7) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. On the bottom of the ChatZilla window, you should see a bar to enter text. To the left of it you will see your current nickname. Make sure it is the nickname you entered in step 4 (your TFP username). If it is, type, "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step!
8) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the Chatzilla window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete.
9) Next, we're going to tie your away nickname choice into the registration you just completed. Type "/msg NickServ LINK [awaynick]" where [awaynick] is the nickname you entered in the "Nickname (away)" field in step 4.
10) We're almost done! Go into the preferences again by clicking ChatZilla > Preferences...
11) This time, you should also see "irc.shadowfire.org" on the left side. Click on it, then click on the "Lists" tab.
12) In the "Auto-perform" section, click the "Add..." button. When it asks you what to add, type "msg NickServ IDENTIFY [password]" where password is the identification password you used in step 7. Click OK.
13) Click the "Add..." button again. This time, when it asks you what to add, type "j #tfp" and click OK.
14) Click the OK button on the bottom of the window, then exit ChatZilla. Restart it by clicking on Tools > ChatZilla in Firefox. ChatZilla should now automatically connect to the Shadowfire network, supply your identification password to NickServ, and join #tfp for you!

02-03-2007, 04:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	TFP Chat Guide! (Updated 3-23-2007) That's right, TFP has its very own IRC channel! This is much like the shoutbox, but allows users to more easily chat while browsing the forum since they don't need to be on the main page. Better yet, it means that users can leave IRC chat open even when they're not browsing TFP so that conversations can happen at any time! Since the shoutbox has been added, IRC chat has been less active, but if you try hanging out for awhile I think you'll find it adds a new dimension to the TFP community. Remember though, don't expect bustling conversation immediately when you join: sometimes you need to be patient, or better yet, start a conversation yourself! For an overview of the details and some of the (very basic) rules, take a look at this thread. For a quick and easy way to use TFP chat, there is a "chat" link along the top of the site. Clicking that will allow you to use a browser-based java applet to enter TFP chat. While there's nothing technically wrong with the java chat applet, it's recommended that you use an application specifically designed for IRC chat. Ultimately, it's up to you. Below, I am providing several guides to help you get started in TFP chat with a variety of different clients. Pick the one that seems most appealing to you. X-Chat and mIRC are both strictly IRC clients, whereas Gaim and Trillian can be used for AIM, MSN, YIM, and many others, along with IRC. ChatZilla is an extension for Firefox and other Mozilla Foundation products. My apologies if this information sometimes comes across as condescending. Due to the wide range of technical ability on TFP, I am doing my best to write this in a way which will be of the most help to the most people. Pictures of some of the steps will follow each written guide. <a href=#XChat>X-Chat</a> <a href=#mIRC>mIRC</a> <a href=#Gaim>Gaim</a> <a href=#Trillian>Trillian</a> <a href="#cz">ChatZilla</a> <a name=XChat>Using X-Chat for TFP chat</a> This tutorial is based on X-Chat version 2.6.8-1 from Silverex.org. It is highly recommended that you acquire X-Chat from Silverex.org as opposed to the "official" X-Chat site. This tutorial may or may not work with the "official" version for Windows from xchat.org. 1) Download X-Chat from Silverex.org 2) Install 3) Run X-Chat 4) In the Network List window, type your TFP username in the "Nick name" field and some variation of it in the second and third choice fields. These alternatives will be used if you get disconnected and automatically re-connect or if someone else on the IRC network is already using the nick you have as your first choice. For "User name" and "Real name" you can put whatever you want - I use my TFP username in both fields. 5) Click the "Add" button so that we can add the Shadowfire network to X-Chat's list. It will automatically highlight "New Network" in the "Networks" section. Erase that and type, "Shadowfire." If you accidentally lose the ability to edit the name, just click twice (NOT a double click) on the "New Network." 6) Once "Shadowfire" is added in the "Networks" column, highlight it and click "Edit..." 7) Click twice on "newserver/6667" so that you can edit the text. Delete "newserver/6667" and type "irc.shadowfire.org" 8) Click "Add" and you should see "newserver/6667" placed underneath "irc.shadowfire.org" Once again, click that twice and delete the text. This time, replace it with "us.shadowfire.org" (provided you are a North American citizen). If you are nearer to Europe, type "eu.shadowfire.org" and if you are nearer to South Africa, type "za.shadowfire.org" 9) For now, press the "Close" button on the bottom right corner of the window. We'll return to this window later to add more information. 10) Highlight "Shadowfire" in the "Networks" column and click the "Connect" button on the bottom right of the server window. 11) When the "Connection Complete" window pops up, leave "Nothing, I'll join a channel later." marked. If you do not plan on using X-Chat for anything other than TFP chat, uncheck the "Always show this dialog after connecting" box on the bottom. Click "OK" 12) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. On the bottom of the X-Chat window, you should see a bar to enter text. To the left of it you will see your current nickname. Make sure it is one of the nicknames you entered in step 4. If it is, type, "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step! 13) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the X-Chat window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete. 14) Next, we're going to tie your other two nickname choices into the registration you just completed. Type "/msg NickServ LINK [choice2]" where [choice2] is the nickname you entered as your second choice in the "Network List" window. Now type "/msg NickServ LINK [choice3]" 15) We're almost done! Click the X-Chat menu on the top left and select "Network List." If you only plan on using X-Chat for TFP chat, check the "skip network list on startup" box near the bottom of the window. 16) Highlight "Shadowfire" in the "Networks" column, and click the "Edit..." button. Again, if you will only be using X-Chat for TFP chat, check the "Auto connect to this network at startup" box in the "Connecting" section. 17) In the bottom third of the window, you'll see a field for "Channels to join." Type "#tfp" in that field. 18) There will also be a field for "Nickserv password." Type the password you used when you registered in that field. 19) Click the close button on the bottom of both those windows and then exit X-Chat. When you start the program up again, it should automatically connect to Shadowfire, supply your identification password to NickServ, and log into #tfp for you! Some X-Chat Customizations: Using tabs instead of the tree By default, X-Chat uses a tree view on the left side for organizing networks and channels. For most people, especially if you are only going to be using X-Chat for TFP chat, this is a waste of screen space. To use tabs instead, simply go to View > Layout and select "Tabs." Using a black background instead of white Until recently, X-Chat used a black background with light gray text. Many X-Chat users I know prefer it that way, so here are some simple instructions on restoring the black bacnground to this newer version of X-Chat! 1) Make sure X-Chat is CLOSED. 2) Download this file: http://www.xchat.org/files/themes/blacktheme.zip 3) In Windows XP, go to C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\X-Chat 2, where [user] is the name you use to log into Windows. (If you are using an older version of Windows, I'm sorry, but I don't know where the data is located.) 4) Unzip the file you downloaded and copy the files it contains into the above folder. 5) Open X-Chat. The main text are should now be black. 6) Go to Settings > Preferences. Under "Interface" on the left, click on "Input Box." Select "Use the Text box font and colors." 7) Now click on "User list," right underneath "Input Box." Again, select "Use the Text box font and colors." If you don't like the black appearance, you can easily change it back to the old way by deleting "colors.conf" "palette.conf" and "pevents.conf" from C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\X-Chat 2 <a name=mIRC>Using mIRC for TFP chat mIRC is technically only free for a 30 day evaluation period, and since it is not based on "open source" code, there are no other versions to download which are totally free, unlike with X-Chat. That said, I have been told that mIRC continues to work after the 30 day evaluation period (also unlike the "official" version of X-Chat). This tutorial is based on mIRC version 6.21. 1) Download mIRC from mirc.com 2) Install 3) Run mIRC 4) The "mIRC Options" window should automatically open and bring you to your connection settings (after you click "Continue" the nagging registration screen). For "Full Name" and "Nickname," enter your TFP username. Don't bother using your real e-mail address in the "E-Mail Address" field, simply type some junk that looks like an e-mail address into there. For example, I typed "foo@bar.com" 5) Click on "Servers" in the menu on the left to see a list of many IRC servers. Scroll through that list to find "Shadowfire," click on it, and then click the button that says "Select." You should be taken back to your connection options. 6) Next, go to "Options" in the menu on the left. If you only plan on using mIRC to connect to TFP chat, select "Connect on startup" and uncheck "pop up connect dialog on startup." Regardless of how you intend to use mIRC, you may optionally select "reconnect on disconnection" as well. I recommend doing this. 7) Go back to the "Connect" section on the left side and then click the "Connect to Server" button. 8) After you are connected to the Shadowfire network, the "mIRC Favorites" window should pop up. Click the "Add" button on the left side. 9) For the Channel, enter #tfp. On the right side, check the "join on connect" box. Click "OK." 10) Back in the mIRC Favorites window, uncheck the "Pop up favorites on connect" option at the bottom. Make sure "#tfp" is highlighted in the list, and click the "Join" button on the left. (There are two, click the one above the "Names" button.) 11) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. You should see two windows in mIRC: one is the chat room and the other contains information from the server. Click over to the server window. Look at the title bar to make sure your nick on the server is the same as your TFP username (and the one you set in the mIRC Options window). For example, my window's title starts out by saying "Status: SecretMethod70 ..." It is important for the following steps that you are using the right nickname. If you are not connected with your TFP nickname, type "/nick [TFP username]" in the server window. For example, I would type "/nick SecretMethod70" 12) Once you're using the correct nickname, type "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step! 13) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the server window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete. 14) Next, we're going to tie your alternative nickname choice into the registration you just completed. Type "/msg NickServ LINK [alternative]" where [alternative] is the nickname you entered as your alternative in the mIRC Options window. 15) Now that your registration is complete, go to Tools > Options... and select Servers on the left side. If it's not already selected in the IRC Servers list, find the Shadowfire folder, double click it, and select "Random server" underneath it. Click the "Edit" button on the right. 16) In the "Password" field, enter your registration password. Using the previous example, I would enter "abc123" 17) Click "OK" in both windows to get out of the mIRC Options and you should be all set! Close mIRC and re-open it to verify everything worked. Upon opening, mIRC should automatically connect to Shadowfire, enter the #tfp chat room, and identify itself to NickServ (you will see confirmation of this in the server window, where it will say "-NickServ- Password accepted -- you are now recognized." <a name=Gaim>Using Gaim for TFP chat This tutorial is based on Windows Gaim, version 1.5.0. 1) Download Windows Gaim from http://gaim.sourceforge.net/win32/ Be sure to use the link provided in the page text. Going to the "Downloads" section that is linked to on the right side of the page will take you to NIX versions of Gaim, not one for Windows! 2) Install 3) Run Gaim 4) The "Add Account" window will automatically open for you. For Protocol, select "IRC." For Screen Name, enter your TFP username. In the server section, delete the text that is there and replace it with "irc.shadowfire.org" You may also want to consider checking the "Auto-login" box. 5) Click on "Show more options" at the bottom of the window. For Username and Real Name, enter your TFP username. Finally, click the Save button. 6) You should be brought to the Accounts window, where you will see an account for "[nickname]@irc.shadowfire.org" where [nickname] is the TFP username you entered into the above settings. Click the "Online" box for that account and you will be connected to the Shadowfire network. 7) Once fully connected, you may close the Accounts window. You should see two windows remaining: the Buddy List window (this is the main Gaim window) and the chat window (which will probably be titled "[Something].Shadowfire.ORG") 8) In the chat window, there will be multiple tabs. Each tab contains information about connecting to Shadowfire. Go ahead and close the tab that says "[Something].Shadowfire.ORG" by clicking the X on the tab. You can do the same for the tab that says "IRC." 9) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. In the "Shadowfire" tab, type "test" and hit enter. Make sure that the nickname you are using is your TFP username. It is important for the following steps that you are using the right nickname. If you are not connected with your TFP nickname, type "/nick [TFP username]" For example, I would type "/nick SecretMethod70" 10) Once you're using the correct nickname, type "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step! 11) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete. 12) In the Buddy List window, go to Tools > Accounts. Highlight your IRC account and then click the "Modify" button. In the account information window, type your registration password into the Password field, and then check the "Remember password" option. Click Save and then close the accounts window. 13) In the Buddy List window, select Buddies > Join a Chat... Make sure "Account" is set to "[nickname]@irc.shadowfire.org (IRC)" For channel, type "#tfp" Click the Join button. 14) Once you've connected to the TFP chat room, click the Add button at the bottom of the window to add the room to your buddy list. You may want to right click on the "#tfp" entry in the Buddy List and select Auto-Join. 15) Close the Buddy List window to disconnect and exit Gaim. Run Gaim again and it should automatically connect to Shadowfire, #tfp, and indentify itself to NickServ. You can verify it has identified by clicking on the "NickServ" tab and seeing that the last message it sent to you says "NickServ: (notice) Password accepted -- you are now recognized." 16) Your done! Each time you connect, multiple tabs will open up with various messages from the server. You can close these tabs without worrying about anything. <a name=Trillian>Using Trillian for TFP chat* This tutorial is based on Trillian Basic, version 3.1 1) Download Trillian from ceruleanstudios.com 2) Install. 3) Run Trillian. Be sure to enable IRC when given the option. 4) Go to Trillian > Connections > Manage my Connections... and click the "Add a new connection..." button near the bottom right of the window. Select IRC. 5) For the Server Alias (the top field), type in "Shadowfire." Below that, type "irc.shadowfire.org::6667" In the next three fields, type in your TFP username. This will be your nickname on TFP chat. You may also want to consider checking the "Automatically connect to this account at startup" box. When you've done all this, click the "Connect" button. 6) Once you've connected, close the preferences window and take a look at the Trillian buddy list. It may be difficult to see, but there will be a small button for your IRC connection underneath your user picture. It's marked by a red box in the below image. 7) Click that button and select "Show status window." The window may initially be pretty small, so you'll need to resize it in order to see it and be able to type in it. In that window, type "/nick" in order to see the nickname you are currently connected with. Make sure that the nickname you are using is your TFP username. It is important for the following steps that you are using the right nickname. If you are not connected with your TFP nickname, type "/nick [TFP username]" For example, I would type "/nick SecretMethod70" 8) Once you're using the correct nickname, type "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step! 9) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete. 10) Click the hide button on the Shadowfire status window (it's on the top right, where you'd normally see a close button). Now, click that small button in the Trillian buddy list window again, and select "Connection preferences." 11) The middle section is called "Perform Buffer." Check the box in there, and type the following into the field below it: "/msg NickServ IDENTIFY [password]; /j #tfp" where [password] is your registration password. For example: /msg NickServ IDENTIFY abc123; /j #tfp 12) Click "Save Settings." Exit Trillian by going to Trillian > Exit, and then start Trillian back up to make sure it does everything correctly. It should automatically connect to Shadowfire, identify itself to NickServ, and connect to #tfp chat! <a name="cz"></a>Using ChatZilla for TFP chat This tutorial is based on ChatZilla v0.9.77 running on Firefox 2.0.0.1 under Windows XP. While not tested, the following instructions will likely work with ChatZilla under Mac OS X as well, if you use Firefox. 1) Download and install the <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/16/">ChatZilla extension</a>. It will require restarting your browser. 2) Once you've restarted your browser, click Tools > ChatZilla 3) In the newly created ChatZilla window, click on ChatZilla > Preferences 4) Be sure that "Global Settings" is selected on the left hand side. While in the General tab, check the box for "Rejoin when kicked." In the identification section, enter your TFP username for "Nickname" and some variation of it in the "Nickname (away)" field. Finally, replace the default Username with your TFP username. 5) Click on the "Startup" tab. The second section in this tab is "Auto-connect URLs" - click the "Add..." button in that section. When it asks you what to add, enter "irc://irc.shadowfire.org" and click OK. 6) Click the OK button on the bottom of the window, then exit ChatZilla. Restart it by clicking on Tools > ChatZilla in Firefox. ChatZilla should automatically connect to the Shadowfire network when it starts. 7) Now we're going to register your nickname so that others can't easily use it. On the bottom of the ChatZilla window, you should see a bar to enter text. To the left of it you will see your current nickname. Make sure it is the nickname you entered in step 4 (your TFP username). If it is, type, "/msg NickServ REGISTER [password] [e-mail]" where [password] is the password you would like to protect your nick with and [e-mail] is your e-mail address. For example "/msg NickServ REGISTER abc123 foo@bar.com" Be sure to use an e-mail address which you can check for this step! 8) You will be told that an authentication code has been sent to your e-mail. Check your e-mail and copy the command it gives you. It should look something like this: "/msg NickServ AUTH 806067362" Paste it into the Chatzilla window and hit enter. You should be told that your nickname registration is now complete. 9) Next, we're going to tie your away nickname choice into the registration you just completed. Type "/msg NickServ LINK [awaynick]" where [awaynick] is the nickname you entered in the "Nickname (away)" field in step 4. 10) We're almost done! Go into the preferences again by clicking ChatZilla > Preferences... 11) This time, you should also see "irc.shadowfire.org" on the left side. Click on it, then click on the "Lists" tab. 12) In the "Auto-perform" section, click the "Add..." button. When it asks you what to add, type "msg NickServ IDENTIFY [password]" where password is the identification password you used in step 7. Click OK. 13) Click the "Add..." button again. This time, when it asks you what to add, type "j #tfp" and click OK. 14) Click the OK button on the bottom of the window, then exit ChatZilla. Restart it by clicking on Tools > ChatZilla in Firefox. ChatZilla should now automatically connect to the Shadowfire network, supply your identification password to NickServ, and join #tfp for you! __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling Last edited by onodrim; 11-02-2007 at 08:09 PM..