Introduction

ICQ Chat is a virtual meeting place where people from all over the world can meet and talk.

You'll find a diversity of human interests, ideas, and issues discussed in ICQ Chats. Chat to share your opinions, learn something new, or just to have a good time.

With ICQ chat you'll be able to participate in public group discussions, or talk in private to family or friends - wherever they are in the world. Use ICQ Chat to make new friends and to keep in touch with old ones. Chat with the person in the next room or with people on the other side of the world.

Chatting allows you to "talk" in real-time, viewing each other's responses as they are written.

See: Chat - Opening

See: Chat - Responding to a Request

See: Chat - Making Yourself Free

See: Chat Window

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat - Opening

Sending a Chat Invitation

Chatting requires that both the sender and the recipient are online. You may, however, compose a Chat Request while your are offline. The request will be saved in the OutBox until both you and the recipient are online. The request will also be saved in the OutBox if you send a request to an offline user.

Note: Double-click on the System Menu button to view requests stored in your OutBox.

To request a chat:

1.	Click a user's name on your Contact List and select ICQ Chat. A Send Chat Request dialog is displayed.

2.	You may choose from the following options.

•	Click on the User Information button to view the details that the recipient entered upon registration.

•	Check the Auto-Send ChatDirect Request later, when the user is online box to automatically send the chat request the next time the user is online.

3.	Enter the chat subject in the Enter Chat Subject field and click on the Chat button. The chat session will begin when the requested party accepts the chat invitation.

If you want to abort the chat request, click Cancel, or close the Send Chat Request dialog.

You may invite one or more users to join in the chat session.

To invite a user to join an existing chat session:

1.	Click the user on your Contact List and select ICQ Chat. A Send Chat request dialog is displayed.

2.	Click on the Join Session button and select the name of the chat session to which you want to invite the user. Alternatively, drag and drop a user's name from your Contact List into the chat window.

If you want to abort the chat request, click Cancel, or close the Send Chat Request dialog.

When the user accepts your request, the user will be added to your existing chat session.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat - Responding to a Request

You are notified of an incoming Chat Request by a unique sound and a flashing Chat Request icon in your desktop tray and next to the sender's name on your Contact List.

You may receive two types of Chat Requests – a Regular Chat Request, in which a user wants to chat with you; or a Multiple Chat Request, in which a user wants you to join an ongoing chat session.

The first time you respond to a request after installing ICQ, the IRC/Split Style dialog is displayed. Choose the mode in which you'd like to chat:

•	Click on the Switch to Split button so that each character typed is seen in real time.

•	Click on the Switch to IRC button so that text is sent to your chat partner's window only after you press Enter.

To respond to a Chat Request:

1.	Double-click on the flashing Chat icon in your desktop tray or next to the sender's name on your Contact List.

Or, click the sender's name on your Contact List and select Receive from the pop-up menu. The Incoming Chat Request dialog is displayed.

2.	Choose from the following options.

•	Click on the More Functions button for advanced options regarding the Chat Request.

•	Click on the Accept button to start the chat session. A chat session dialog is displayed and you may begin the chat. If there is a delay of more than a few minutes, the sender has either cancelled the request or is unavailable.

•	Click on the Do Not Accept button of you do not want to participate in the chat session. Choose from the possible responses displayed in the pop-up menu.

If you are already involved in another chat session, the user may participate in your current chat session (provided that the user has requested a regular chat – two multiple chat sessions cannot be combined.) You may, however, open two separate chat dialogs and engage in a multiple chat session in each.

To add a user to a chat already in progress:

1.	Click the Add to Session button in the Incoming Chat Request dialog.

2.	Select Chat session name from the pop-up menu. The user is added to your existing chat session. Alternatively, drag and drop the user from your Contact List into your chat window.

See Chat Window for instructions on participating in a chat.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat Window

When a Chat Request is accepted, a chat dialog is displayed for both the sender and recipient of the request.

The default chat style for the chat dialog is IRC style. You may switch to Split Style, by selecting the Layout menu and then Split style.

In Split Style, the chat dialog is divided into two sections:

•	The upper section displays the text that you type under the heading My Chat View.

•	The lower section displays the chat text that you receive from your chat partners.

Each person participating in the chat session will have his or her own pane of the dialog, in which he or she receives text that the other user types. Your chat partner's name is displayed in the name bar at the top of the user's window for easy indentification.

In IRC Style, you have one window and a pane, in which you type in the text. You must press Enter for your chat partner to see what you have typed.

The chat dialog also contains the following options on the menu bar.

File Menu

Select File in the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following options.

•	Select Send Focus to inform your chat partners when you are not focused on your chat window. If this option is checked, other users will be given an indication that you are away and not reading the chat message. In IRC style, your ICQ user name will appear in italic in your chat partner's participants list if you are in Away to User, Invisible to User or Visible to User status. If this option is not checked when you minimize your chat dialog, your chat partner will assume that you are reading his or her chat message and will not know that your chat dialog is minimized.

•	Select Clear Buffer to clear the displayed text from the chat windows in your chat dialog window only. (This will only clear the text from your view)

•	Select Log on to specify that the chat will be saved as a text file. If you select this option before you begin the chat, the entire chat, from start to finish, will be saved. Selecting this option will open a Save As dialog in which you specify the file to which you want to save the chat.

•	Select Save Buffer to save the current chat as a text file. This option enables you to save only what is currently displayed in the chat windows. It opens a Save As dialog in which you specify the file name to which you want to save the chat.

•	Select Kick User to remove a selected chat partner from your chat session as a result of a majority vote.

•	Select Quit to end a chat session or to save it before closing a chat.

Edit Menu

Select Edit on the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following options.

•	Choose Copy to copy selected text to the clipboard.

•	Choose Paste to paste the clipboard text to your chat dialog.

Layout Menu

Select Layout in the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following option.

•	Choose Reset to reset the window sizes in the chat dialog to the default settings.

•	Choose Vertical to change the layout of the windows in the chat dialog to vertical layout, displaying the chat windows side by side.

•	Choose Horizontal to change the layout of the windows in the chat dialog to horizontal layout, displaying the chat windows in a stack.

•	Choose Split to change the layout of the windows in the chat dialog from the current layout to a horizontally tiled layout.

•	Choose IRC Style to change the chat layout to the standard IRC style. IRC style displays the text of the conversation in the order that it was entered and presents the name of the person who is communicating next to that person's entered text.

Note: Once a chat consists of seven or more people, the chat session will automatically be displayed in IRC style.

•	Choose Tool Bar to select/deselect the option to display the tool bar.

•	Choose Name Bars to select/deselect the option to display the name bars.

•	Choose Always on top to select/deselect the option to keep the chat dialog displayed on top of all other open applications (always showing on your desktop).

Display Menu

Select Display in the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following options.

•	Select Color to specify the color of the text you type into your chat dialog that you and your chat partners will view.

•	Select Back Color to specify the background color of the window in which you type text. In your chat partner's chat dialog, your window in which he or she views your text, will have this background color.

•	Select Font to specify a font or text in your chat dialog. The text in your chat partner's chat dialog will not be affected by your font selection.

•	Select Auto Color to assign a different color to each user in an IRC style of chat. This option overrides each user's color selection.

•	Select Override Format to assign your chosen font and color settings to your whole view, including your partner's chat window.

Tip: You can combine Override with Auto Color so that each participant in the chat will have a unique color but the text in the chat session will appear in your selected fonts and font sizes.

Other Menu

Select Other in the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following options.

•	Choose Enable Sounds to activate the Chat Beep in addition to other sounds, such as those that accompany the Chat Actions and Chat Emotions. These sounds can be configured in the Events tab of your Owner Preferences.

•	Choose Keystroke Sound to hear your typing skills in action.

•	Choose Beep Users (or press Ctrl+G) to page all of the other users in the chat by playing a beeping sound.

•	Choose LOL (or press Ctrl+L) to let your chat partners know that you're "laughing out loud".

•	Choose Sleep (or press Ctrl+S) to minimize the chat dialog until you or your chat partner types something.

•	Choose (IRC) Send Line after Enter if you are in IRC style and you want to send text to your chat session window only after you press Enter, if the recipient is in Split screen.

•	Choose (IRC) Send Each Character if you are in IRC style and you want your text to be immediately visible to other users in the chat session, if they are in Split mode.

Action Menu

Select Action in the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following options.

•	Select Send Action (or press CTRL-A) to send a Chat Action to the chat session.

•	Select Send Emote (or press CTRL-E) to send a Chat Emotion to the chat session.

Help Menu

Select Help in the Menu bar to display the pull-down menu and choose from the following options.

•	Select Index to lead you to online help for working with ICQ Chat.

•	Select About to display version details about ICQ Chat.

See Chat Toolbar for more options in the Chat Window.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat Toolbar

The chat dialog contains chat buttons as well as standard Word font settings, as described below.

The settings you use in the Chat toolbar influence how you and your chat partners will view your chat.

•	Click on the Sleep [image] button to minimize your chat dialog until your chat partner begins typing.

•	Click on the Override font & color format [image] button to assign the font and color settings that you chose to be displayed for all participants in chat, on your window. Any changes (in color or font) made by your partner will not be viewed by you.

•	Click on the Background Color [image] button to specify the background color of the window in which you type the text (the upper section of your chat dialog). In your chat partner's chat dialog, the window in which he or she views your text, will have this background color unless he or she had chosen to override your settings.

•	Click on the Color [image] button to specify the font color of the text you type into your chat dialog that you and your chat partners will view.

•	Click on the Bold [image] button to type your chat in bold text.

•	Click on the Italic [image] button to type your text in italic.

•	Click on the Underline [image] button to underline your text.

•	Click on the Style [image] button to change your screen style from Split Screen to IRC, or vice versa.

•	Click on the Sound [image] button to hear your typing skills in action.

•	Click on the Action [image] button to automatically place words or phrases into your chat session. Choose from many defaults or add your own Actions. See Chat Actions.

•	Click on the Emotions [image] button to insert up to nine different animations containing words or a phrase for your chat session. See Chat Emotions.

•	Click on the Set User's Local Time [image] button to adjust the other user's time to his or her own time zone. This option is available only in the Split Mode.

The three buttons, described below, are displayed in your chat partner's name bar, just above his or her chat window only in your chat dialog in Split Mode only.

•	Click on the Menu [image] button to open an ICQ menu that enables you to send an event to your chat partner, or to view his or her ICQ Personal Homepage or user details.

•	Click on the Freeze [image] button to temporarily stop the receipt of incoming chat so that you can copy the desired text to the clipboard. If you continue to type text while in Freeze, the other chat participant will not be able to see your text until you un-freeze the chat screen.

Note:  Be sure to deselect this option as soon as you are finished copying text, in order to view what your chat partner has written to you while you were in Freeze mode.

•	Select the Erase [image] button to delete all the text that is visible in your chat partner's dialog.

If your chat partner's chat dialog is not active, that person's name bar on your screen indicates that he or she is away and the amount of time that he or she has been away. You may prevent the people you chat with from being notified when your chat window is not active, by clicking on the File menu and checking Send Focus.

Note:  For LAN users, once you are in a chat, you and/or your chat partner can disconnect from the Internet and continue your chat. This is especially useful if you are having trouble with your Internet Service Provider.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat Emotions

ICQ Chat Emotions are a great way to express how you feel through a picture and a descriptive word, by inserting an emotion graphic into your chat. You may add text to accompany your emotion graphic. There are nine different graphics to choose from and each graphic is accompanied by its own unique Chat Emotion sound.

To insert a Chat Emotion into your chat:

1.	Click on the Send Emotion [image] button in the Chat tool bar to display the Gesture Event dialog.

Alternatively, select Send Emote from the Action pull-down menu at the top of your chat window. You may use the shortcut Ctrl+E.

2.	The left column displays the nine Emotion graphics. Select an emotion graphic and enter at least one character in the Enter Message field.

3.	Click on the Send button. The emotion graphic and your message will be displayed in the chat dialog.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat Actions

Chat Actions are words or phrases that represent actions or gestures. They may be inserted into your chat by selecting a Chat Action message from the list of default messages available. The Action icon appears beside your action message. You also have the option to make up your own action messages.

To insert a Chat Action into your chat:

1.	Click on the Chat Action [image] button in the chat dialog.

2.	Select an action message from one of the default Action Messages and your selection will appear in the chat session (written in third person).

To edit or add Chat Action Messages:

1.	Click on the Chat Action [image] button, and select Enter New Message. The Action Event dialog is displayed.

2.	Enter the text that you want to represent the action in the Action Description field. Describe the action that you wish to convey. Write the action message in third person, such as "cries tears of joy."

3.	Click on the Send button. Your Action Message automatically appears in the chat windows of the other chat partners, preceded by an action icon and your name, such as " [image] Sharon cries tears of joy."

To edit the preset messages in the Action Messages:

1.	Click on the Edit Presets button in the Action Event dialog. The Edit Actions Presets dialog is displayed.

2.	Click on the arrow next to the Preset Label text field to view the drop-down list of Preset Messages; select the message that you want to edit.

3.	Enter a new description in the Preset Action Description field.

4.	Click on the Rename button to display an Edit Preset Label dialog.

5.	Enter a new name for the action and click Save.

6.	Click Save again to return to the Action Event dialog

7.	Click on the Send button to send your action message to your chat screen.

8.	Click on the Cancel button to minimize your Actions Messages dialog.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat File Player

The ICQ Chat File Player enables you to record, save, and play back all of your chat sessions. This feature is especially useful for times that you would like to remember a long chat with another user or group of users or when you want to continue where you left off in a previous chat.

Your ICQ Chat File Player safely stores all chat details (including the text of your chat, the time and date of the chat, and the chat participants) and plays the chat back to you at a speed that is determined by you. Your chat playback files may be as long as the space available on your hard disk.

To save your chats:

1.	When you or your chat partner or partners choose to end the chat (select Quit in the File menu, or click on the X to end a chat), a dialog will appear with the following options.

•	Select Quit - Save Chat Session if you wish to end the chat session and save the chat text in the ICQ Message Archive.

•	Select Quit - Don't Save Chat Session if you wish to end the chat session without saving its content.

2.	If you decide to quit and save your chat session, a Chat Session Ended dialog is displayed.
The Keep a Copy Of This Chat Session in the ICQ Message Archive box is checked by default and your chat session will be automatically saved to the ICQ Message Archive. This is where your chat sessions are located for retrieval at a later date.

3.	Enter a brief description in the Enter Description field to help you recognize your different chat sessions in the ICQ Message Archive. The default description of your chat will show the text inserted during your chat request, if no description was entered the default description is Enter Description Here.

The following features of this dialog describe details of your chat session.

•	File Size tells you the size (in bytes) of your chat session file.

•	Chat Length tells you the period of time that your chat session lasted.

•	Click on the Print button to print a hard copy of your chat.

•	Click on the Export button to open two options for exporting your chat to another directory. You may save your chat session as a text file or as a chat playback file.

•	Click on the Play Chat button if you would like to play back your chat.

4.	Click on the OK button to save your chat.

Once you have saved your chat session in the ICQ Message Archive, it will be stored there until you delete it. You may retrieve it for playback at any time. When you decide that you would like to play back a chat session, go to the Chat folder in the ICQ Message Archive.

To play back your most recent chat session:

1.	Follow the previous instructions for saving your chat session up to Step 3, or after double-clicking on a chat in the ICQ Message Archive Chat folder.  After you click on the Play Chat button, the ICQ Chat File Player is displayed.

2.	Choose from the following features to find out more information about your chat session.

•	The Description section of the dialog records the details of your chat, which you defined in the previous dialog.

•	Click on the View Participants button to view the names of the participants in your chat. You can right-click on the user's name and choose from the following options - Add to Contact List, Add To Address Book, Info, Message, or View User's ICQ Page.

•	Click on the Export button to open two options for exporting your chat to another directory. You may save your chat session as a text file or as a playback chat file.

•	Click on the Print button to print a hard copy of your chat.

•	Click on the Contract [image] button to contract the ICQ Chat File Player. Click on this button again to expand the dialog and display further information about your chat session.

•	File Size tells you the size (in bytes) of your chat session file.

•	Click on the Play [image] button to begin your chat playback. Choose from the following features to adjust your chat playback.

•	Adjust the Speed bar to control the speed of our chat playback.

•	Adjust the Time Line to move around in your chat playback.

•	Click on the Rewind [image] button to rewind the playback to the beginning.

•	Click on the Stop [image] button to interrupt your chat playback.

•	Click on the Fast-forward [image] button to forward your chat playback to the end.

•	The Total Time/Position section of the dialog provides details of the time length of your chat and the time position during playback.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Random Chat - Opening

The ICQ Random Chat feature allows you to find other online ICQ users who have made themselves available for random chats. This feature also allows you to make yourself available to other ICQ users. Use these features to find a chat partner to discuss similar interests, to make a new friend, or just when you feel like chatting and the users on your Contact List are not available for a chat.

To request a Random Chat:

1.	In the ICQ Window, click on your Status [image] bar (in the bottom right corner of the ICQ Window) to display the pop-up menu of Availability-Status modes. Select Random Chat to display the pop-up menu of options.

2.	Select Find Random User to display a Random dialog and begin your search for a random user.

You may also click on the Find Random Chat Partner button at the bottom of your Contact List.

Alternatively, from the ICQ button, choose Find/Add Users and select Random Chat.

3.	Choose the Details tab and check the I want to be available for random Chat & Messages box if you wish to make yourself available to be found by another user looking for a random chat partner.

Enter whichever of the following personal details you wish, to enable other users to learn about you and your interests and request chats with you.

•	Click on the Group arrow to display the pull-down menu of chat groups.  Select the group within which you want to find a chat partner.

•	Enter your first name or nickname in the Enter Name field.

•	Enter your age in the Enter Your Age field.

•	Select your gender from the Gender pull-down menu.

•	Select the language in which you would like to chat from the Select Language pull-down menu.

•	Select your country in the Select Country pull-down menu.

•	Enter the URL of your ICQ Personal Homepage or other homepage in the Home Page field.

•	Enter a few words to describe your interests or hobbies, or describe the topic of your chat, in the Chat Topic/Interest field.

4.	Choose the Finding tab.

5.	Click on the Group arrow to display the pull-down menu of chat groups.  Select the group with which you want to be affiliated. (You may select only one group.)

6.	Click on the Find a Random Chat Partner button to begin your search for a chat partner. Click on the Stop Search button if you wish to interrupt the search.

When the ICQ server has located a random chat partner, the user's details will appear in the Information on Random User pane of the dialog (if the user entered details in the Details tab).

You may choose from the following options.

•	Click on the Request Chat button to request a chat session with the random user.

•	Click on the Send Message button to send the random user an ICQ message.

•	Click on the Send URL button to send the random user a Web page address.

•	In addition, you may choose from the following options on this dialog before, during, or after your search.

•	Click on the Random Chat Guide button to access the ICQ Web site, via your browser, for online information about Random Chat.

•	Click on the Close button to exit the Random User dialog.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Random Chat - Responding to a Request

Responding to a Chat Request from a Random User

When you have made yourself available for a random chat, and a user sends you a Random Chat request, the user's ICQ# or name will appear in your ICQ Window under the heading Random.

To respond to a Random Chat request:

Double-click on the flashing icon of the random user in your desktop tray or beside the Random user's ICQ# or name on your Contact List to accept his or her incoming event, chat request, message, or Web page address.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Chat - Making Yourself Free

You have two options for making yourself available for chat. You may make yourself available for chat only for the people on your Contact List or, you may make yourself available for a random chat with any user who searches for a random chat partner.

Note:  Users may extend a chat request with you regardless of you being on an Available for Chat mode or not. Choosing this option only informs them that you wish to receive chat requests.

To make yourself available for chat with users on your Contact List:

1.	Click on the Status button in your ICQ Window (at the bottom right corner of the window) to display the pop-up menu of Availability-Status modes.

2.	Select the Free For Chat status [image] icon to display the Change/Confirm "Free For Chat" Message dialog.

3.	Enter a name for your chat room in which you would like to invite other users on your Contact List to join, in the Chat Room Name field, or leave the default name - My Chat Session.

Check the Auto add users to chat room when requesting chat box to automatically accept all chat requests you receive while you are in Free For Chat mode.

Enter whatever topic you would like to chat about in the Chat Mode Message field, or leave the default message - I would like to chat about anything.

Other ICQ users who have you on their Contact Lists will see your Free For Chat status. Users who select your name on their Contact Lists and then select the Read Chat Room-Message option will see your Chat Mode Message.

To make yourself available for a Random Chat:

1.	In your ICQ Window, click on the Status [image] bar (in the bottom right corner of the window) to display the pop-up menu of Availability-Status modes. Select Random Chat to display the pop-up menu of options.

2.	Check the Available For Random Chat option.

Alternatively, click on the Find a Random Chat Partner button at the bottom of your Contact List. Choose the Details tab of the Random: [user] dialog, and check the I want to be available for random Chat and Messages box.

This Help File is provided as a convenience only (See Welcome to ICQ version 99b*) and is subject to the provisions of the ICQ Terms of Service.

*Access this from the main Help File by clicking on the ICQ button, selecting Help and then selecting Help Topics.

Copyright © 1999 ICQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.