New Channel: This will either join a channel that is currently active, or if a channel by the name you select is not active, it will create the channel for you. Proceed any channel name by the pound ΓÇÿ#ΓÇÖ character. For example, #hottub. (In these newer versions of Homer, you are not required to insert the pound '#' character anymore, but it will not hurt you to do so.
The Channel Password option is a new option for IRC servers running version 2.8 or above. (If you log onto a 2.7 server or below, the Channel Password option will not be visible). The Channel Password option is when a channel has been set with a password requiring anyone attempting to join the channel to know the password. The password is set by someone on the channel with Operator Status.
 
Close Channel: This will close the channel you are currently in. If you are on multiple channels, it will close you out of the channel that is active. Another easier way is to just click the upper left close window button on the channel screen, as you would any Macintosh window.
Capture All Text: Will capture to a text file all text that appears on EVERY channel you currently have open with Homer. Obviously if you have many multiple channels open, you will quickly create a very large file.
Capture xxx Text: Will capture to a text file text that appears on your screen of channel xxx, which will be the foremost active window.
Save Prefs Now: This will force Homer to save it's preferences immediately. For instance, if you make sound, color and speech option changes and Homer were to bomb, your changes would not be saved the next time you start because the preferences were not saved. This will remedy that possibility.
Edit Menu:
 
Cut/Copy/Paste/Clear: The cut/copy paste will work with any text selected within a channel window. You may paste text directly into the text input window as well. The Clear item will empty out any text you have typed into the input window.
Secondarily, since version .91, Homer has allowed you the ability to copy text directly from a channel window. You select any text within a channel or the console as you would in any word processing program and you can then paste it anywhere you like.
Clear All Channel Text: Will clear all text from the currently active channel.
Select All: Will select all the text that is currently in the input window.
Previous Input: Will paste into the input window previous messages/actions you sent in sequential order from most recent to oldest. The buffer can only hold so many characters so the number of times it can go back is variable. Once you cycle through them backwards, the buffer is cleared.
Actions Menu:
 
Actions: This will allow you to quit your IRC session and restart it without quitting Homer. If, for instance, the IRC server you were using is experiencing problems and you want to switch servers you can use this. In most cases, you wonΓÇÖt have to use this. View, Kick and Op are shortcut keys for the abilities you can perform with your Homer control panel (discussed later).
Options Menu:
 
Colored Text: Pretty self-explanatory. If ya got it, use it. This is automatically disabled if you do not have color capability.
Indented Text: This option will indent all text on the channel to align with each other. All nicks will be left justified while all channel text will be indented to the same point and will wrap at that point.
Cursor Focusing: Okay.. here's a pretty hairy thing to describe (sigh). Okay.. follow me on this one. Aww.. hell, I'll show you a picture of how it can be made useful.
 
Okay.. sorry for that huge window.. and for you B&W people.. it probably looks like junk, but you'll get the idea.
In the example above.. I was logged onto 5 different channels. I have a 13" monitor and I don't have the ability to see EVERY window completely... so you do like many Homer users do, tile the windows so that you may see the last 4-7 lines of each window. The only problem with such a setup is that when I decide to send a message to a channel that's buried in the middle, usually I would have to click on that window to bring it to the front, which would then cover up other windows. After my message had been sent, I would then have to take the time to retile the windows so that I could see them all readily. With 'Cursor Focusing', by simply pointing the mouse at a channel, I can send text to that channel. If you look in the 'Link' box above, you can see it says '#hotsex'. That happens to be the channel that the cursor is pointing at in the above sample. Additionally, in the sample above, I have private messages being sent to the console. The console is the lower-most window. With 'Cursor Focusing' on, whenever someone sends you a private message, you can automatically select them by pointing the mouse towards the console window. It will automatically select the last individual who sent a private message to you. In this latest version of Homer, a small delay has been placed into the Cursor Focusing so you can move the mouse without it automatically changing as you pass over other channels. Furthermore, the Link light must be activated so focusing is active. If you have focusing on and the link button is not on, you will continue to send text to the foremost window. If this explanation sucks.. sorry, but what do you expect for free?
Sound Options: Sound options allow you to control how interesting you want Homer to sound. You can toggle sound effects, beeps and speech through this box. With sound effects on, Homer will play specific sounds for various incidents that happen. (See sound effects for turning on/off specific sounds while leaving others on). Beeps are considered the control-g character that can be sent by users in either private messages or on channels. The beep will be whatever your current system sound is set at.
 
With 'Play Cool Sound Effects' not selected, no sounds from the 'Sound Effects Options' will be played. The 'Control-G' options allow you to decide when Homer will play the bells. Typically, if you're sick of the bells, you may only want to leave them on in private messages to allow someone to page you. Finally, 'Speech Options' allow you to take advantage of the new Apple Speech Manager extension . You select when Homer will speak, whether it be for all text, private text, or no speech at all. You can also designate if Homer will announce users entering and leaving the channel.
Control What Goes Where: This will allow you to control where your messages appear. You have the ability to send various types of messages to either the channel that you are currently on, or to the console which is always open while Homer is running. Notices are considered messages from NickServ or NoteServ, or any other non-system message. Messages are considered private messages sent to you from another user. DCC Requests would be someone requesting a DCC transfer from you. Server messages are considered messages from the server (which include actions, signon and signoff messages, nick changes).
The Version and Finger click box will tell Homer whether or not to tell you when others are sending CTCP requests to your computer. When someone sends a version request, Homer tells the person that you are running Homer and what version your Homer is. In a similar fashion, a finger request is answered by Homer as well. If you care not to see when people are sending these requests, click this.
In the example below (how my Homer is set up) all information is sent to the channel that it comes from, except private messages which are sent to my console window. This way if personal messages come to me, I won't miss them like I would if they were to have gone to the channel that they came from because of the discussions that might push the message off the screen.
 
Color Options: For those using color, it will allow you set the colors that the messages (channel, private, server, etc.) will appear in. The inverse color option will set it so that the line is the designated color while the actual text is white.
Channel List Options: When 'Use Channel List Feature' is activated, a list of all the channels currently active (those falling within the settings set below) will be kept in the Homer control panel 'user list' for the console window. Double-clicking on a channel name will join that channel. Selecting a specific channel and clicking on the 'View' button will show more info about it (who's on the channel). The channel list gets updated occasionally. You set how often you want Homer to update the list of channels with the update every xx seconds. Furthermore, you can set upper and lower limits on channel sizes you want Homer to display. Because there are often times hundreds of channels, you may not be concerned with channels containing less then 4 individuals. Additionally, many channels are private and you are not able to join them, yet they will still be listed in the Channel List if you select 'All Channels'. The final check box will always display a channel with a topic, even if that channel only has 1 user on it.
 
Below is what the user list would look like from the CONSOLE WINDOW if you had 'Channel List' features turned on. The names of the channels are listed followed by the number of users on each channel. If you were to double-click on any channel, Homer would automatically join that channel for you. Another function is to select any channel, then click on the 'View' button at the bottom of the Homer User List. It will give you a list of the nicknames of the individuals on that channel. If you want more information on the users, you can option-click on the 'View' button to see the full addresses of all the users on the selected channel. (NOTE: When you are in the console window and activate the Channel List feature, your user list will remain empty. Simply click on an active channel, then back to the console and it will have fully updated.)
 
If you have the channel list turned on, you'll be receiving a big glob of data every X seconds, so if you're on a slow modem connection, the channel list is gonna cause delays every X seconds. A good amount is 600 unless you're intent on watching channels throughout your whole day.
Timestamping Options: When you are away, often times you might receive a message privately or for that matter even public messages. After you come back from lunch, you have no idea what time someone sent you the message. This option tells Homer to timestamp messages per the settings below. As it's set below (as I have my settings), Homer will timestamp any private messages to me when I am away. All other messages are not stamped, nor are public messages when I am away.
 
Sound Effects Options: When your sound effects are turned on in the 'Sound Options' menu, you are able to control what sound effects you want to play. After some time, you may find some sounds irritating while others humorous. Find your particular taste. In the newest version of Homer, you have the options for Homer to play a sound when you are away and if someone is on your notify list and they send you a private message.
 
Edit Macros: This is a new feature. Since macros are not vital to the begining user of Homer, they will be discussed near the end of the document.
Font Size: You have the ability to set the size of the text that Homer displays. Keep in mind that as you increase the size of the text, the size of Homer's channel window will increase accordingly.
 
Voice: Voices and the associated abilities with that are discussed in a later chapter of these docs. Please refer to that section.
Users Menu:
 
Reply To Last Messager: This will set Homer so that you may send a private message to the individual who last sent a private message to you. What Homer does is turns on the Link button and automatically inserts the last messager's nickname into your Link box.
Who The Hell Was That?: Will perform a ΓÇÿwhoisΓÇÖ on the last person to send a private message to you. Or for that matter, will perform a ΓÇÿwhoisΓÇÖ on the name of the individual at the left hand side of your input window (the 'Link' button') (A /whois will tell you the nick, address, username, server address and any /away message for a user)
Delete xxx From Messaging List: Will delete xxx from the user list of nicknames that is in the Link box.
Save Current Messaging List: Will save the current list of nicknames that are in your private message list (the 'Link' button). This will allow you to quickly select individuals you send private messages to that are not on channels. (Hint: You can quickly cycle through the individuals who are listed in your 'Link' list by using the key combinations of Command-Right Arrow and Command-Left Arrow.)
Ignore Specific Users: If someone is a complete bore or a major pain in the butt (like Primary), this is what you use to set Homer to ignore anything that user says or does. By clicking on the 'Add User' you can either type in the users nickname or address. After you type in the information and click okay, you will have four check boxes underneath Pub., Priv., Not., and CTCP. This allows you to set what level of ignoring you want to go to. If all four boxes are checked, that person doesn't exist on IRC as far as Homer is concerned. In order, the check boxes control:
Pub (Public): Will ignore any public (channel) messages that the user sends.
Priv. (Private): Will ignore any private messages that the person might send to you.
Not. (Notifications): Will ignore any actions or signon and signoff messages for this user.
CTCP: Will ignore this persons ctcp version and finger requests.
If you use a nickname to set an ignore, and the individual changes their nickname, thus bypassing Homer's ignore features, it may be necessary to use their address and wildcards to set up your ignore.
In the case below, for an example, let's say a person is harassing me, and this individual is always logged in from his acount that looks like this: george@spuds.barney.zeek.edu.
Furthermore, if this individual changes their nickname or account, they would be able to harass me again. But I can make Homer ignore anyone attempting to send me messages with a IP address that ends with 'barney.zeek.edu' by doing an ignore on "*@*.barney.zeek.edu". The asterisks act as wildcards and any text that appears in those spots will match.
Thus, the following would be ignored:
george@bozo.barney.zeek.edu
slip-128@tester.barney.zeek.edu
frenchie@hummer.barney.zeek.edu
With the other selections at the right.. you can set Homer to skip telling you when someone fingers or checks Homer's version.
The buttons below that set how much server infomation you want to see. The default is see all text. If you set it to ignore mode changes, you won't see who gives another user operator status or who is being banned, etc.
The lower button will basically ignore almost every piece of text the server sends. You won't see who joins and leaves the channel (look to the user list to see who's on the channel). Essentially all you'll see will be actions and individuals talking.
 
Edit Friend List: Here's a handy-dandy little nifty addition. When you add someone to your 'Friends' list, he is considered your best buddy in the world. In fact, if he's in the list and you have operator status on a channel, you'll automatically op him when he comes on the channel. Even better, if someone tries to de-op your friend, you will automatically de-op the person who did the deed and you'll then proceed to kick the offending party off the channel. See.. that's what friends are for!! Take a look below. This is exactly how mine appears. As you can see, I got the group pretty much covered. In this example, I didn't have ZenMaster in my list, so I selected him in the 'User List' window, and then selected 'Edit Friend List'. When it opens, it automatically inserts whoever was selected in the user list. I can then choose to add ZenMaster. You can also user wildcards in your 'Friend List' As you can see for LanceWax, I have the following:
LanceWax!pumpkins@*.ots.utexas.edu
Since LanceWax uses a slip line, the initial part of his internet address varies, so it will match every part of his address and match anything that appears in the asterik section.
If at some point you need to edit an existing listing, simply double click on their entry in the list above it Homer will insert their information in the bottom for you to edit.
 
Add Nick to Notify List: Also new and dandy. By selecting this, and typing in the nickname of a individual, Homer will add their name to the portion of nicknames below the double line in the user list. All nicknames appearing above the double line are individuals that are currently on the channel, those below the double line are individuals in your notify list. When someone on your notify list comes online and is on your channel, their name will appear in purple (as Primary does below). In the case where someone on my notify list logs into IRC but is not on the channel I am currently on, their name will turn blue and will switch from italics to normal text (as tHINGLES does below). In the case below, LanceWax and usurper are not logged into IRC at this time.
Remove Nick From Notify List: To remove a nick from your list, simply click on their name to highlight it, and select this menu item.
 
Windows Menu:
 
Displays all the currently open channels (windows). You may select the window you want to go to or use the command key shortcuts. You may use the command-[ and command-] to cycle through windows.
Faces Window: Just now utilized in the .93 release!! Refer to the chapter on Faces to get all the up to date information.
DCC Window: Now fully implemented in .93. DCC is covered in a later chapter. Please refer to that chapter for the full instructions of DCC.
User List: Allows you to toggle the user list off/on. This is helpful for those with small monitors who have no place to really put it. Hey.. come on! Mac prices are low, go out and get yourself a new computer.
