educational

An Introduction to IRC: Part 3

In his first installment, Cracker introduced us to IRC, some common terms, and popular clients, while in Part 2 he discussed modes, etiquette, and connecting through a proxy server. In this final installment, Cracker will wrap up his IRC tutorial with a comprehensive list of commands:

IRC Commands
There are many commands that will help you while chatting on IRC; you can send private messages to people, and talk using colors, bold text, etc. If you are using a script, then most of these commands will be built into pop-up windows, so you don't actually have to type them out yourself. My recommendation to learn the commands is to download mIRC and read the help file. It takes a bit of time, but it is very good source of information on IRC commands and operations.

Here's a 'complete' reference list of IRC commands and their syntax:

/ Recalls the previous line entered in the current window.

/! Recalls the last command typed in any window.

/action {action text} Sends the specified action to the active channel or query window.

/add [-apuce] {filename.ini} Loads aliases, pop-ups, users, commands, and events.

/ame {action text} Sends the specified action to all channels which you are currently on.

/amsg {text} Sends the specified message to all channels which you are currently on.

/auser {level} {nick|address} Adds a user with the specified access level to the remote users list.

/auto [on|off|nickname|address] Toggles auto-op of a nick or address or sets it on or off totally.

/away {away message} Sets you as Away, and an away message.

/away Sets you being back.

/ban [#channel] {nickname} [type] Bans the specified nick from the current or given channel.

/beep {number} {delay} Locally beeps 'number' times with 'delay' in between the beeps.

/channel Pops up the channel central window (only works in a channel).

/clear Clears the entire scroll-back buffer of the current window.

/clearall Clears all text in all open windows.

/ctcp {nickname} {ping|finger|version|time|userinfo|clientinfo} Does the given CTCP on nickname.

/closemsg {nickname} Closes the query window you have open to the specified nick.

/commands [on|off] Sets the Tools/Remote/Commands section on or off or checks its status.

/creq [ask | auto | ignore] Sets your DCC 'On Chat request' settings in DCC/Options.

/dcc send {nickname} {file1} {file2} {file3} ... {fileN} Sends the specified files to nick.

/dcc chat {nickname} Opens a DCC window and sends a DCC chat request to nickname.

/dde [-r] {service} {topic} {item} [data] Allows DDE control between mIRC and other applications.

/ddeserver [[on [service name] | off] To turn on the DDE server mode, with a given service name.

/describe {#channel} {action text} Sends the specified action to the specified channel window.

/disable {#groupname} De-activates a group of commands or events.

/disconnect Forces a hard and immediate disconnect from your IRC server. Use it with care.

/dlevel {level} Changes the default user level in the remote section.

/dns {nickname | IP address | IP name} Uses your providers DNS to resolve an IP address.

/echo [nickname|#channel|status] {text} Displays the given text only to YOU.

/enable {#groupname} Activates a group of commands or events.

/events [on|off] Shows the remote events status or sets it to listening or not.

/exit Forces mIRC to closedown and exit.

/finger Does a finger on a users address.

/flood [{numberoflines} {seconds} {pausetime}] Sets a crude flood control method.

/flush [levels] Clears all nicknames from the Remote/users list that are not on your channels.

/font Activates the font selection dialog.

/fsend [on|off] Shows fsends status and allows you to turn DCC fast send on or off.

/fserve {nickname} {maxgets} {homedirectory} [welcome text file] Opens a fileserver.

/groups [-e|d] Shows all (enabled or disabled) groups defined in the remote sections.

/guser {level} {nick} [type] Adds the user to the user list with the specified level and address type.

/help {keyword} Brings up the Basic IRC Commands section in the mIRC help file.

/ignore [on|off|nickname|address] Toggles ignoring of a nick or address or sets it on or off totally.

/invite {nickname} {#channel} Invites another user to a channel.

/join {#channel} Makes you join the specified channel.

/kick {#channel} {nickname} Kicks nickname off a given channel.

/list [#string] [-min #] [-max #] Lists all currently available channels, etc. filtering for parameters.

/load {-apuce} {filename.ini} Loads Aliases, Pop-ups or Remote items into mIRC.

/log [on|off] Shows the logging status or sets it on or off for the current window.

/me {action text} Sends the specified action to the active channel or query window.

/mode {#channel|nickname} [[+|-]modechars [parameters]] Sets channel or user modes.

/msg {nickname} {message} Send a private message to this user without opening a window.

/names {#channel} Shows the nicks of all people on the given channel.

/nick {new nickname} Changes your nickname to whatever you like.

/notice {nick} {message} Send the specified notice message to the nick.

/notify [on|off|nickname] Toggles notifying you of a nick on IRC or sets it on or off totally.

/onotice [#channel] {message} Send the specified notice message to all channel ops.

/omsg [#channel] {message} Send the specified message to all ops on a channel.

/part {#channel} Makes you leave the specified channel.

/partall Makes you leave all channels you are on.

/ping {server address} Pings the given server. NOT a nickname.

/play [-cpqmrlt] [channel/nick] {filename} [delay/linenumber] Allows you to play text files.

/pop {delay} [#channel] {nickname} Performs a randomly delayed +o on a not already opped nick.

/protect [on|off|nickname|address] Toggles protection of a nick or address or sets it on or off.

/query {nickname} {message} Open a window to this user and send them the private message.

/quit [reason] Disconnect you from IRC with the optional bye-bye message.

/raw {raw command} Sends any raw command directly to the server. Use it with care!

/remote [on|off] Shows the remote commands status or sets it to listening or not.

/rlevel {access level} Removes users from the remote users list with the specified access level.

/run {c:\path\program.exe} [parameters] Runs the specified program, etc. with parameters.

/ruser {nick[!]|address} [type] Removes the user from the remote users list.

/save [-apuce] {filename.ini} Saves remote sections into a specified INI file.

/say {text} Says whatever you want to the active window.

/server [server address [port] [password]] Reconnects to the previous server or a new one.

/sound [nickname|#channel] {filename.wav} {action text} Sends an action and sound request.

/speak {text} Uses the external text to speech program Monologue to speak up the text.

/sreq [ask | auto | ignore] Sets your DCC 'On Send request' settings in DCC/Options.

/time Tells you the time on the server you use.

/timer[N] {repetitions} {interval in seconds} {command} [| {more commands}] Activates a timer.

/timestamp [on | off] Sets time stamping on or off for all your conversations.

/topic {#channel} {newtopic} Changes the topic for the specified channel.

/ulist {level} Lists all users in the remote list with the specified access levels.

/url [-d] Opens the URL windows that allows you to surf the www parallel to IRC.

/uwho [nick] Pops up the user central with information about the specified user.

/wavplay {c:\path\sound.wav} Locally plays the specified wave file.

/who {#channel} Shows the nicks of all people on the given channel.

/who {*address.string*} Shows all people on IRC with a matching address.

/whois {nickname} Shows information about someone in the status window.

/whowas {nickname} Shows information about someone who -just- left IRC.

/write [-cidl] {filename} [text] To write the specified text to a .txt file. Many learning opportunities await you there, as well as a lot of possibilities for fun!

And for those of you who get add-on scripts, but don't know how to load them, do this:

/load -rs filename.mrc

and this will unload the script:

/unload -rs filename.mrc

I hope that this tutorial will help you to get involved in the wonderful world of IRC. Many learning opportunities await you there, as well as a lot of possibilities for fun! See you in the channels!

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Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

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