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Short introduction to tkirc2                         atte, 2000-08-27
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                                         Version of this README: 2.0
                                        -----------------------------


0. Contents
-----------

	 1. What is tkirc2?
	 2. Copyright
	 3. Why tkirc2?
	 4. Before installation
	 5. Installation of tkirc2
	 6. Shell options
	 7. Hidden features
	 8. Notification and additional commands
	10. Credits
	11. The author
	12. tkirc's homepage



1. What is tkirc2?
------------------

tkirc2 is the return of ircII's nice frontend. The last release was
two and a half years ago and when I don't release this next version
as soon as possible, I will be grandpa before. =:^) That's the
reason for a missing detailed manual. -- Family is more important!

ircII is a text-based client for the Internet Relay Chat and with 
Tcl/Tk it was possible to create this graphical user interface for
it. -- ircII, Tcl/Tk and tkirc should run under nearly all Unix-like
operating systems.

PS: It's called `tkirc2'... and not `TkIRC2' or `Tkirc2' or...  =;^)



2. Copyright
------------

Copyright (C) 1996-2000 Andreas Gelhausen (atte@netsplit.de)

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at
your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307,
USA



3. Why tkirc2?
--------------

Since the last release of version 1 (tkirc 1.202, 1998-03-10) this
program was nearly rewritten. Many new features were added and the
new configfiles are not fully compatible to version 1. To avoid
problems during the update from tkirc1 to tkirc2 different
configuration directories (.tkirc/ and .tkirc2/) are used. So you're
able to use both versions at the same time.



4. Before installation
----------------------

Before you start to install tkirc on your system, you should pay
attention to the following things:

    -  Make sure that you have installed a version of ircII that
       supports the options `-d' and `-q'. For example you can
       execute your ircII through `irc -v' and you will see its
       version number. -- Here I'm using ircII version 4.4S
       (20000318) and it works great. 

    -  tkirc needs Tcl/Tk 8.0+ and you should always try to use the
       newest version of it. -- tkirc is a simple script. The right
       interpreter of this script is command `wish' from Tcl/Tk.
       Dependent on the version of your `wish' you have to edit the
       first line of `tkirc2' to change the path of the interpreter.

    -  Make sure that `wish' (Tcl/Tk's interpreter) and `irc' (client
       to IRC) is in your path!

ircII and Tcl/Tk can usually be found in the different package
collections of FreeBSD, Linux, <another_Unix-like_operating_system>.
If you don't want to install these things, you should try another IRC
client or use ircII without this graphical user interface!



5. Installation of tkirc2
-------------------------

When you have correctly passed section 4, you should already be able
to start tkirc2 to get a first impression. It's possible to select
nickname and server via shell parameter.

Simple usage:
              ./tkirc2 [<nickname> [<server>]] 

Example:
              ./tkirc2 homer irc.belwue.de


Have you played a while with tkirc? -- Did you like your first view?
-- Then you should continue...

    -  Copy the script `tkirc2' to your preferred directory.

       Examples for a system wide installation:
           `/usr/local/bin/', `/usr/local/X11/bin/', ...

       Examples for a single user:
           `~/bin/', `~/tools/', ...

    -  When you move directory `.tkirc2/' (you can find it in tkirc2's
       tar-archive) to `~/.tkirc2/'. `.tkirc2/' includes some examples
       how to configure tkirc2...

       > ls -l .tkirc2/
       total 19
       drwxr-xr-x  2 atte  wheel    512 Aug 19 12:57 .data
       drwxr-xr-x  2 atte  wheel    512 Aug 19 11:03 autoload
       -rwxr-xr-x  1 atte  wheel    260 Aug 19 10:58 netscape.sh
       drwxr-xr-x  2 atte  wheel    512 Aug 19 12:48 scripts
       -rw-r--r--  1 atte  wheel  15215 Aug 19 13:36 tkircrc-example
       >

       .data/:       Directory to save internal configfiles in.

       autoload/:    You can copy your own Tcl-scripts `*.tcl' into
                     this directory and tkirc will automatically load
                     them by starting.

       netscape.sh:  A small shell-skript to start Netscape by
                     clicking a highlighted URL.

       scripts/:     Example scripts. Copy one to `~/.tkirc2/autoload/'
                     and it will be loaded next time.

       tkircrc-example:  Only some basic parameters can be saved
                         through menu "Save preferences...". The rest
                         can be done in your tkircrc. Here you will
                         find some examples.

When you have configured `tkirc2' (I hope you didn't need too much time.
*grin*), you only need to start it again. Please see also next section
("Shell options")!



6. Shell options
----------------

Synopsis:

   tkirc2 [-x <ircpath>] [-a] [-q] [-r] [-t <filename>]
            [<nickname> [<server>]]

Description:
    -x   <ircpath> 
                  You can declare another path for the ircII command.
                  So it's also possible to start ircII from another
                  host via remote shell command (`rsh' or better `ssh').
                  See also: /EXCHANGE
    -a
                  tkirc will give you a servers-request on startup.
                  The default server won't automatically be connected.
    -q
                  Start up tkirc quickly -- don't load file
                  `~/.tkirc2/tkircrc'. 
    -r
                  Usually tkirc doesn't pay attention to file
                  `~/.ircrc'. If you use this option tkirc will try
                  to load two rc-files (`~/.tkirc2/tkircrc' and
                  `~/.ircrc') during its startup.
    -t   <filename>
                  This option allows you to specify a file that will be
                  loaded during start instead of `~/.tkirc/tkircrc'. 
    <nickname>
                  Set the nickname (overrides the environment
                  variables `IRCNICK', `USER', `LOGNAME' and
                  tkirc's variable `preferred_nicknames'). 
    <server>
                  Set the list of servers. See also ircII's manual for
                  OPTIONS (server list)!



7. Hidden features
------------------

This section will show you some of tkirc2's features that you
possibly will never find, if you don't read this `README' or file
`tkircrc-example'. *grin*

nickname completion 

       If you have joined a channel, you can press TAB to complete the
       nicknames of other users. If the nickname is the first word in
       your command line, the value of variable `nick_completion_suffix'
       will be added.

more than one channel per window 

       You are able to join more than one channel in one window. The
       channelname above the userlist will be changed into a menubutton.
       All channels you have joined in that window will be displayed in
       window's title. If you type something without leading `/', it
       will be sent to that channel you see above the userlist. 

nickname history 

       When you receive a private message or a private notice, the
       nickname of the sender will be added to the nickname-history.
       Press ALT-TAB and you will find a `/msg <nickname>' within your
       command line. Press ALT-TAB again and you will see that tkirc
       cycles the nicknames. Maximum length of nickname-history is set
       to 5 to prevent long sequences of ALT-TABs.

user definable colors and text styles 

       You are able to choose your own colors and text styles for
       different kinds of messages, if you don't like the default
       values. See also comment to variable `user_styles' in file
       `tkircrc-example'. Don't mix it up with menus "Set colors"
       and "Set fonts"!

function to detect netsplits and netjoins 

       If the value of variable `react_to_netsplits' is set to `1',
       tkirc will show you one message for netsplit or netjoin
       instead of long sequences of netsplit-signoffs or join-messages. 

highlighted URLs

       URLs (addresses for the World Wide Web) will be highlighted (like
       buttons for example) and you can perform actions on them. See
       variables `on_urlclick' and `url_style'! 

highlighted message IDs

       Message IDs (of news articles for example) will also be
       highlighted and you can also perform actions on them. See
       variables `on_msgclick' and `msgid_style'! 

function to detect and prevent channel takeovers 

       If value of variable `react_to_takeover' is set to `1', tkirc
       will give you an audible and visible alarm. In the case that
       you have channel operator privileges at the moment of takeover,
       a request window will be opened and you can react with one ban
       and multiple kicks. Nothing will automatically happen. You have
       the choice to do something against the takeover. See also
       variables `react_to_takeover', `takeover_users',
       `takeover_period', `takeover_kick_reasons' and
       `takeover_star_patterns' in file `tkircrc-example'! 

ctcp-flood protection 

       tkirc also include a protection against ctcp-flooding. This
       feature is based on some settings of ircII. See also variables
       `react_to_ctcp_flood', `host_flood_ignore_period' and
       `global_flood_ignore_period'! 

file request for your commands 

       If you include `:file' to your command (you typed within one of
       tkirc's command lines), this `:file' will be replaced by the name
       of the file you selected through the request window.

       Example: Try `/dcc send <nick> :file'! 

command history 

       On CURSOR-UP and CURSOR-DOWN the command history will
       be cycled. 

programmable commands through Tcl/Tk 

       Beside ircII's aliases you are able to create your own Tcl/Tk
       commands and add your own menu to tkirc's graphical user
       interface.

many other user definable features

       This section is not a complete list of tkirc's features. You have
       to read the file `tkircrc-example' to see many more! 

ircII's commands 

       Besides tkirc's additional commands (listed in next section) you
       are able to use many of ircII's features and commands. 



8. Notification and additional commands
---------------------------------------

Since version 2 of tkirc there is a new mechanism for notification.
Therefore you should forget the old way of tkirc's notification. Please
take a look to command "/notify" and "/suspect"!

All additional commands of tkirc can be listed through "/help". You will
see there a list of tkirc's and ircII's commands. If you need more help
for the different commands, try "/help <command>" in commandline!



9. Credits
----------

During the last months/years many people send me mails. Many of these
mails came back, because my old address ("atte@gecko.north.de") became
invalid a long time ago. Sorry for that! *sigh*  Now I have a new
private mail-address. Please see below (10.)!

Indepent of you were successful or not... thank you for reporting bugs
and feature requests and... please continue! =;^>



10. The author
--------------

Do you want to reach me? In that case write a mail to...

		atte@netsplit.de (Andreas Gelhausen)

or try to get user...

		atte!*@*.netsplit.de

on IRCnet!



11. tkirc's homepage
--------------------

tkirc has a new homepage. If you want to see and maybe download
the latest public version of tkirc, take a look at...

		http://home.pages.de/~tkirc/

or better...

		http://www.netsplit.de/tkirc2/


You can also click on button "View homepage via web!" that you can
find in window `About'. You only need a connection to the internet
and a browser that is correctly configured to tkirc. (See also
variable `on_urlclick'!)



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End of transmission                                           Really!
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