Chat tips

[AdamAnt316]

Hello everyone. Figured I'd start a new thread with pointers on how to use the newly-returned chat feature on this forum. I'll start with what I consider the most important feature, the pop-up window. This allows you to browse the main forum while viewing the chatroom in a 'floating' window separate from it. Here is a step-by-step description of how to use this feature:

1. After entering the chatroom, click the button in the top right corner which looks like three horizontal lines
2. Click the button in the resulting "Options" menu which says "Open in popup" (your browser may block the pop-up window; if so, bypass it)
3. In the main AK window, after the pop-up window has opened, use the browser's 'back' button to return to the main forum.

That's it! Here's a handy pictoral diagram which I created using my Mac's Safari browser, but it should work similarly on other systems and browsers:

 

[AdamAnt316]

Tip 2: Posting images

There are two ways to post images in the chat, either from images hosted on other websites, or by uploading them directly from your computer or other device. To post images hosted elsewhere, first click the button which looks like a picture in a frame, labeled "Insert image":

A box will pop up which you can then enter a URL into:

Enter the image URL into the box, then click the 'Insert' button. You may get an error saying "Image cannot be loaded from the passed link." If so, check the address and try again. Some websites do not allow images being linked from other sites, so you may have to download them from the page (if allowed) and upload it using the second method below. I have yet to come across a list of which image formats work , but the common ones like .jpg, .gif and .png should work fine (not sure what the size limit is, if any). If the image loads correctly, it will appear in the message box, and when you send the message (optionally with text included), the image will appear in the chat window.

The second method is to upload them from your computer or other device. Click the
'rectangle with arrow' button labeled "Chat image uploads", which you may have to click the rightmost 'three dots' "More options" button to find:

A box will pop up. Click the "Attach files" button on it:

On a computer, an 'Open files' window will open up; on a phone or other device, it will ask where you want to upload the file from. Once you've selected the file and hit OK, the uploaded image will show up in the "Chat image uploads" box. Select it, and then click "Insert selected":

As mentioned in the "Chat image uploads" box, you can upload a maximum of 1,000 images (not sure whether or not there's a size limit per image; may be 10MB, but I don't know this for certain). To delete images, click or tap the trash can icon in the upper right corner of the image you wish to delete. If you inserted the now-deleted image into the chat recently, it will disappear from the chat window within minutes.

Anyway, after clicking/tapping "Insert selected", the "Chat image uploads" box will disappear, and the image will appear in the message box. Send the message (optionally with some text included), and the image will appear in the chat window. That's all there is to it!

 

[AdamAnt316]

Tip 3: Message functions, part 1

In the chat, there are additional functions available with regards to messages, both yours and those of others. If you're using a computer, they appear when hovering the mouse cursor over messages; on a phone or other mobile device, tap the desired message and they will appear. Here's what it looks like when you hover/tap one of someone else's messages:

From left to right:

Like a post. Simply clicking/tapping on the button adds a standard 'thumbs up' like to the message. Hovering/holding your finger on it brings up a further menu with a series of emoji which can be used instead:

Click/tap on one to add it to the message. Note that liking a user's chat post doesn't increment their 'Reaction score' (likes count) on the remainder of the forum.

Quote the message text. Doing so with the above message will cause this to appear in the text box of the chat window:

Type your reply after the code, then click 'Submit'. Note that anything currently in your text box when you click the 'Quote' button will be replaced with the 'QUOTE' code; I suggest cut/copying said text before clicking the 'Quote' button, then pasting it back in afterwards.

Link button. Creates a link to the chat post in question which can be posted elsewhere. A box will appear on the chat screen with a link address, like so:

The message link can be copied from here, then press 'Okay' or the 'X' to make the box go away.

Report (flag) the message to moderators. Clicking the button brings up the following box:

Type a reason the message is bring reported into the text box, then click the 'Report' button. If you clicked the Report button in error, click the 'X' button in the upper right corner to cancel the report, and make the box go away.

 

[init4fun]

Hi AdamAnt316,

First, I'd like to extend a very well deserved Thank You to you for creating such a helpful thread for those who enjoy the chat room. I'm sure your thread is gonna be a great help for new chat users to use the features you've explained, and I hope you (and other chat users too!) will continue to add helpful tips to this thread. In recognition of your work putting this tip thread together, I have made your thread a Sticky, so it'll remain at (or very near) the top of the page.

Now my friends, please, let's allow this thread to one of helpful chat room tips ONLY, with no thread drift side topics to get in the way of the pertinent material to be presented here

 

[AdamAnt316]

Tip 4: Message functions, part 2:

Similarly, there are functions available when hovering the mouse cursor over/tapping on your own messages. Doing so will look something like this:

Again, the buttons from left to right:

Quote the message text. Same as above, except with the text from your own message.

Link button. Same as above, except with your own post.

Edit your post. Clicking on this button within five (5) minutes of posting your message will bring up the following box:

Edit the message to your liking, then click the 'Save' button. If you clicked the 'Edit' button in error, clicking the 'X' in the upper right corner will make the box go away.

 

[AdamAnt316]

Hi AdamAnt316,

First, I'd like to extend a very well deserved Thank You to you for creating such a helpful thread for those who enjoy the chat room. I'm sure your thread is gonna be a great help for new chat users to use the features you've explained, and I hope you (and other chat users too!) will continue to add helpful tips to this thread. In recognition of your work putting this tip thread together, I have made your thread a Sticky, so it'll remain at (or very near) the top of the page.

Now my friends, please, let's allow this thread to one of helpful chat room tips ONLY, with no thread drift side topics to get in the way of the pertinent material to be presented here

I'm glad you appreciate it! Many of the functions available within the chatroom are less than intuitive, so I see this thread as a way to educate my fellow AKers on the finer points of the chat software as I have figured them out thus far. If it's OK with you, I'd also like this thread to be a place where folks can ask questions about chat functions they don't understand, or make comments about the tips I've posted thus far.
-Adam

 

[init4fun]

Hi Adam,

Absolutely I think having people post questions / comments about the chat features and be able to get help would be really great! My request in my other post was more about not wanting to see your thread get bogged down with side talk not relating to the chat, or worse yet turn into a debate thread about how "useful" or not the chat feature is (yes I have seen a thread where people who don't even use the chat don't like that it exists, and I'll have none of that fouling your very helpful thread here).

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Request for a Tip:

I appear to be too dumb to do a "carriage return" in chat to start a new paragraph while I am writing. I am used to using the Enter button to do that but in chat that posts my message.
Old guy brain blockage, I am sure that the answer is very simple.

Thanks,
James

 

[highvoltage_]

Request for a Tip:

I appear to be too dumb to do a "carriage return" in chat to start a new paragraph while I am writing. I am used to using the Enter button to do that but in chat that posts my message.
Old guy brain blockage, I am sure that the answer is very simple.

Thanks,
James

Hold down the "alt" key and then press enter. That should give you a carriage return without posting your message. I say "should" because I haven't tried it in chat, but it works all other places I've tried.

 

[AdamAnt316]

Request for a Tip:

I appear to be too dumb to do a "carriage return" in chat to start a new paragraph while I am writing. I am used to using the Enter button to do that but in chat that posts my message.
Old guy brain blockage, I am sure that the answer is very simple.

Thanks,
James

Hold down the "alt" key and then press enter. That should give you a carriage return without posting your message. I say "should" because I haven't tried it in chat, but it works all other places I've tried.

In the case of the chat software, it's actually Shift + Return to perform a carriage return to the next line while still writing the message. However, watch where the blinking text cursor is if you press Return to send the message, as that will perform a carriage return within the message text as the message is sent if it's not at the end of the line. This also affects the other text boxes, like the one for Edit, though clicking/tapping the button associated with said text box (or the Submit button for the main chat text box, of course) avoids the undesired carriage return regardless of where the cursor is.
-Adam

 

[Bratwurst7s]

In the case of the chat software, it's actually Shift + Return to perform a carriage return to the next line while still writing the message. However, watch where the blinking text cursor is if you press Return to send the message, as that will perform a carriage return within the message text as the message is sent if it's not at the end of the line. This also affects the other text boxes, like the one for Edit, though clicking/tapping the button associated with said text box (or the Submit button for the main chat text box, of course) avoids the undesired carriage return regardless of where the cursor is.
-Adam

Thanks highvoltage and Adam.

James

 

[AdamAnt316]

Tip 5: "You may ask yourself, 'Well, how did I get here?!'"

You clicked the 'Chat' tab at the top of the screen, whether intentionally or accidentally. I'd prefer it if, like with the old AK Chat from the vBulletin days, clicking the Chat tab gave you an option to either enter the chat normally, or to have it open in a floating browser window as detailed in the first tip above. Instead, the only menu options given if you click on the down arrow to the right of the Chat tab are for the Archive or the list of Top Chatters. Not sure if there would be a way to make said tab/menu work like the old vBulletin chat menu; maybe the mods know something about that.

In any case, once you enter the chat, you're there until you log out, either from the chat or from AK itself. Hitting the back button to return to the forum, or closing the pop-up window, doesn't exit you from the chatroom. After ten minutes of inactivity, the green dot next to your name in the chatter list turns gray; after 30 minutes of idle time, your name disappears from the chatter list, but you're technically still logged in.

If you desire to formally log out of the chat, open the same 'three lines' menu mentioned above in my pop-up post, and click the "Logout" option at the bottom of said menu next to the 'popup' option. You don't absolutely need to log out of the chatroom when you leave, of course; I haven't manually logged out of the chat since shortly after it was reintroduced. While in the chat, you will see messages which say "Sys: {user name} has left the room." even though they haven't said anything, possibly in months. That's people who popped in once being logged out remotely, possibly when they've logged out from AK itself, I'm not sure. Again, maybe one of the mods will clarify.
-Adam

 

[tha(t)oneguy]

Request for a Tip:

I appear to be too dumb to do a "carriage return" in chat to start a new paragraph while I am writing. I am used to using the Enter button to do that but in chat that posts my message.
Old guy brain blockage, I am sure that the answer is very simple.

Thanks,
James

Lol if a carriage return is when you hold shift and hit enter, i even do that when it's unnecessary just in case and never dropped the habit because ive never found anything where it doesn't still work the same.

Very thanks for the chat tips. It's not a new thing to me, was there when i got here lol. (i suppose that just means it's all new to me though)

 

[jrtrent]

Hello everyone. Figured I'd start a new thread with pointers on how to use the newly-returned chat feature on this forum. I'll start with what I consider the most important feature, the pop-up window. This allows you to browse the main forum while viewing the chatroom in a 'floating' window separate from it. Here is a step-by-step description of how to use this feature:

1. After entering the chatroom, click the button in the top right corner which looks like three horizontal lines
2. Click the button in the resulting "Options" menu which says "Open in popup" (your browser may block the pop-up window; if so, bypass it)
3. In the main AK window, after the pop-up window has opened, use the browser's 'back' button to return to the main forum.

Thanks for directing me to this thread. I'll need to read it several times, but I was relieved to see I wasn't the only one confused by how the enter key works. One thing that stuck out to me, though, is that it appears you can be in Chat and in the main forums simultaneously! It never occurred to me that I wouldn't need to log out of Chat to resume browsing the forums.

 

[AdamAnt316]

Thanks for directing me to this thread. I'll need to read it several times, but I was relieved to see I wasn't the only one confused by how the enter key works. One thing that stuck out to me, though, is that it appears you can be in Chat and in the main forums simultaneously! It never occurred to me that I wouldn't need to log out of Chat to resume browsing the forums.

Yep, the 'floating chat window' option is very handy, and I still wish it was easier to access than it currently is. And yes, logging out of the chat when you leave isn't absolutely necessary. I haven't forgotten about this thread, and intend to add to it before too long.
-Adam

 

[renricv]

Helllo everyone...!