1. Intro
I was gently requested to write a short irssi tutorial, this is really basic.
Irssi is a modular real-time chat client supporting IRC and SILC protocols. Supports multiple servers, themes, Perl scripting and plug-ins.
It runs on GNU/Linux and Windows (Cygwin), it is a command line (text) IRClient, meaning that it does not have a GUI (graphical user interface). If you are looking for a graphical option this is not the one.
2. Where to get irssi?
First thing, irssi maybe already installed on your system as some "Distros" bring it already as default, go into a terminal (or emulator like: xterm, eterm, console..) and type irssi (in bold means commands you do in terminal), if it fails "command not found", means not installed or it's not in your path, so check whereis irssi or find / -name irssi, but very probably not installed.
So now what to do?, first don't panic, ask your host admin for it, if by chance you are the admin of a debian-based system type atp-get install irssi, if not get the sources in www.irssi.org.
3. How to install irssi by sources?
Get source code, the file is in *tar.gz or *tar.bz2 formats.
If it is in tar.gz do this tar -zxvf irssi*.tar.gz, if it is in tar.bz2 tar -jxvf irssi*.tar.bz2.
Next follow to irssi directory cd irssi/.
To install type:
./configure && make
(if everything goes ok, and it does not fail with errors.)
su <- super user, root. (insert root password).
make install
4. Basic start-up configs
All commands in underlined and italic are the ones you use in irssi command line.
First time you type irssi (as a normal unprivileged user; do not use root account for anything more then change system settings), a file "config" appears in your hidden irssi home directory (in ~/.irssi/), that file is responsible for your settings, but we are going do change things by irssi proper commands and not "by hand" in the config file.
Now type irssi if you closed it already, not knowing how because you haven't been told already, btw /quit quitmessage quits, who wold imagine that. Isn't it good looking with a blue bar and stuff.
For start you should be aware that everything you do can be reversed, if you don't save, by the /reload , attention because it reloads everything as it was before last save time. To save obvious /save will save settings and everything that was changed to the default directory (~/.irssi).
Don't forget if you are in doubt or even if not, use /help (will list the commands that has help).
Example:
/help away - will show how to use away and how it interact with the program.
In irssi the /set command is the one which you change settings with, if you use it with a string eg: /set user, a list of settings containing the string user will show up, then you choose which you want to change. Next are few examples:
/set nick - will show your present nick, by default your user name.
/set nick Bill - this will change your nick to Bill.
/set user - this will show up:
[misc]
ctcp_userinfo_reply = $Y
usermode = +i
[server]
user_name = Bill
(by default real_name is null so it does not show in).
/set user_name BillGates - this will change your user name (also known as ident) to BillGates.
/set real_name I-have-no-pride - this will change your real name, this shows in info.
One thing i don't like is to automatically join chans when i'm invited so I change:
/set join_auto_chans_on_invite OFF
5. Moving around in the environment:
If you want to "scroll-up" you need to press [Page-up] key in your keyb and [Page-down] to get back to the last action.
To move between windows just press [Alt] + [key-number], for example I want to go to window number 8,
I press [Alt] + [8]
If I want to go into window number 12
I press [Alt] + [w]
If you noticed when the numerical keys end we use the letters from left to right to move to the window.
If your [Alt] key does not give the correct signal you can also use [Esc] (for example if working under win with putty in secure shell access to a remote host)
If keyboard fails there is still hope type /window windownumberhere
As Example:
/window 5 - this is the same as pressing [Alt]+[5]
6. Other configs
Now lets add IRCFutureNET to the list of known networks:
/ircnet add IRCFutureNET - will add IRCFutureNET to the list of known networks.
/server add -network IRCFutureNET irc.ircfuture.net 6667 - this will add the server to the network.
Ok now lets become online /server IRCFutureNET, to use multiple networks, do /connect othernetworkname; to change between the networks you are connected to, in the main window, do [ctrl]+[x].
For example if irssi keeps fail reconnecting to a server do /rmreconns, and it will stop trying to reconnect. To disconnect a server /disconnect networkname quitmessage
To auto-send a command to the server on connecting simple, example:
/ircnet add -autosendcmd "/^msg nickserv identify password" IRCFutureNET.
Now Joining a chan /j #channame
Example:
/j #irssi - this will join channel irssi, starting a new window, and move into it.
/j #irssi,#linux,#hate-microshaft - this will join you into into the 3 chans and move into #hate-microshaft, because it's the last.
Exiting a chan
/part #chanels leavingreason, depending on the settings this should also close the window.
Starting a pvt (query)
/q beny - this will start a pvt conversation in a new window and move into it.
/wc - This closes the present window, whatever that is, a Chanel or pvt.
Now lets make some useful alias, alias are short form commands instead of typing the full command you just type the short form of it:
/alias aliasname command to execute
/alias nickserv /quote nickserv - this will make an alias nickserv to quote nickserv, now typing /nickserv is the same as /quote nickserv.
/alias chanserv /quote chanserv - the same as above but as shortform chanserv for quote chanserv
/alias memoserv /quote memoserv - the same as above but as shortform memoserv for quote memoserv
You can then play with those
/alias id /quote nickserv identify - now /id will be the same as /quote nickserv identify
7. Close up
Thanks for reading, hope you a well stay in IRCFutureNET and a good usage on your irssi IRClient. :) You can get scripts, themes, plugins, check www.irssi.org, for also much more info and help.
This tutorial was writen by
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, you can find me also in #irssi.
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