WeeChat FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) ======================================== Sébastien Helleu [NOTE] This document is written for WeeChat versions > = 0.3.0. [[general]] General ------- [[weechat_name]] Where does the name "WeeChat" come from? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Wee" is a recursive acronym and stands for "Wee Enhanced Environment". So complete name is "Wee Enhanced Environment for Chat". "Wee" also means "very small" (and yes, there is other meaning, but it does not apply to WeeChat!). [[why_choose_weechat]] Why choose WeeChat? X-Chat and Irssi are so good... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Because WeeChat is very light and has new features. Some features (version > = 0.3.x): * multi-protocol support via plugins (IRC, Jabber) * many remote GUI's in addition to Curses (coming soon) * 256 colors support * available in many languages * extensible with plugins (C, Perl, Python, Ruby, Lua, Tcl) * buffers with free content * display filtering by tags and regular expressions * horizontal and vertical window split * customizable and extensible bars * native nicklist * list of buffers (script buffers.pl) * IRC proxy * redirection of IRC commands * incremental text search in buffers, jump to highlights * FIFO pipe for remote control * aspell support * double charset (encoding/decoding) * developed from scratch (not based on any other client) * multi-platform * 100% GPL and free More info on this page: http://www.weechat.org/features [[compilation_install]] Compilation / install --------------------- [[gui]] I heard about many GUI's for WeeChat. How can I compile/use them? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Today only a Curses GUI is available. Other GUI's will be available as remote clients (currently under development). [[compile_git]] I can't compile WeeChat after cloning git repository, why? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The recommended way to compile WeeChat is with cmake. If you're compiling with autotools (and not cmake), check that you have latest version of autoconf and automake. The other way is to install the "devel package", which needs less dependencies. This package is built almost every day using git repository. Note that this package may not correspond exactly to git base and that it's less convenient than git cloning for installing updates. [[lost]] I've launched WeeChat, but I'm lost, what can I do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For help you can type `/help`. For help about a command, type `/help command`. Keys and commands are listed in documentation. It's recommended for new users to read the quickstart guide (see the doc page on the website). [[display]] Display ------- [[charset]] I don't see some chars with accents, what can I do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's common issue, please read carefully and check *ALL* solutions below: * check that weechat-curses is linked to libncursesw (warning: needed on most distributions but not all): `ldd /path/to/weechat-curses` * check that the "Charset" plugin is loaded with `/plugin` command (if it is not, then you probably need the "weechat-plugins" package) * check the charset line (on server buffer). You should see 'ISO-XXXXXX' or 'UTF-8' for terminal charset. If you see 'ANSI_X3.4-1968' or other values, your locale is probably wrong. * setup global decode value, for example: `/set charset.default.decode "ISO-8859-15"` * if you are using UTF-8 locale: ** check that your terminal is UTF-8 ready (terminal recommended for UTF-8 is rxvt-unicode) ** if you are using screen, check that it is run with UTF-8 mode ("`defutf8 on`" in ~/.screenrc or `screen -U` to run screen) [NOTE] UTF-8 locale is recommended for WeeChat. If you're using ISO or other locale, please check that *all* your settings (terminal, screen, ..) are ISO and *not* UTF-8. [[bars_background]] Bars like title and status are not filled, background color stops after text, why? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This may be caused by a bad value of the TERM variable in your shell (look at output of `echo $TERM` in your terminal). Depending on where you launch WeeChat, you should have: * if WeeChat runs locally or on a remote machine without screen, it depends on the terminal used: 'xterm', 'rxvt', .. * if WeeChat runs under screen, you should have 'screen'. If needed, fix your TERM variable: `export TERM="xxx"`. [[screen_weird_chars]] When I'm using weechat under screen, I have weird random chars, how do I fix that? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This may be caused by bad value of the TERM variable in your shell (look at output of `echo $TERM` in your terminal). For example, 'xterm-color' may display such weird chars, you can use 'xterm' which is ok (like many other values). If needed, fix your TERM variable: `export TERM="xxx"`. [[osx_display_broken]] I compiled WeeChat under OS X, and I see "(null)" everywhere on screen, what's wrong? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you compiled ncursesw yourself, try to use standard ncurses (that comes with system). Moreover, under OS X, it is recommended to install WeeChat with Homebrew package manager. [[buffer_vs_window]] I heard about "buffers" and "windows", what's the difference? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A 'buffer' is composed by a number, a name, lines displayed (and some other data). A 'window' is a screen area which displays a buffer. It is possible to split your screen into many windows. Each window displays one buffer. A buffer can be hidden (not displayed by a window) or displayed by one or more windows. [[buffers_list]] How to display the buffers list on the left side? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use script 'buffers.pl'. To limit size of bar: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.bar.buffers.size_max 15 ---------------------------------------- To move bar to bottom: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.bar.buffers.position bottom ---------------------------------------- [[customize_prefix]] How can I reduce length of nicks or remove nick alignment in chat area? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To reduce max length of nicks in chat area: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.look.prefix_align_max 15 ---------------------------------------- To remove nick alignment: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.look.prefix_align none ---------------------------------------- [[one_input_root_bar]] Is it possible to display only one input bar for all windows (after split)? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, you will have to create a bar with type "root" (with an item to know in which window you are), then delete current input bar. For example: ---------------------------------------- /bar add rootinput root bottom 1 0 [buffer_name]+[input_prompt]+(away),[input_search],[input_paste],input_text /bar del input ---------------------------------------- If ever you are not satisfied with that, just delete new bar, WeeChat will automatically create default bar "input" if item "input_text" is not used in any bar: ---------------------------------------- /bar del rootinput ---------------------------------------- [[terminal_copy_paste]] How can I copy/paste text without pasting nicklist? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can use a terminal with rectangular selection (like rxvt-unicode, konsole, gnome-terminal, ...). Key is usually @k(C-)@k(A-) mouse selection. Another solution is to move nicklist to top or bottom, for example: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.bar.nicklist.position top ---------------------------------------- [[urls]] How can I click on long URLs (more than one line)? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By default, WeeChat displays time and prefix for each line and optional bars around chat area. To make easier url click, you can move nicklist to top and remove alignment on nick: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.bar.nicklist.position top /set weechat.look.prefix_align none ---------------------------------------- With WeeChat > = 0.3.6, you can enable option "eat_newline_glitch", so that new line char is not added at the end of each line displayed (it will not break url selection): ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.look.eat_newline_glitch on ---------------------------------------- [IMPORTANT] This option may cause display bugs. If you experience such problem, you must turn off this option. Other solution is to use one of following scripts: urlbar.py:: display URLs in a bar urlgrab.py:: logs URLs and open them in browser url_shorten.rb:: tinyurl.py:: shortenurl.py:: shorten long URLs List of scripts about URLs: http://www.weechat.org/scripts/stable/tag/url [[change_locale_without_quit]] I want to change the language used by WeeChat for messages, but without exiting WeeChat, is it possible? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Yes, you have to use a python script, 'shell.py' (available on WeeChat website) and issue these commands when script is loaded: ---------------------------------------- /shell setenv LANG=en_US.UTF-8 /upgrade ---------------------------------------- To have english messages with UTF-8 encoding for terminal, for ISO users, you can issue: `/shell setenv LANG=en_US`. [[256_colors]] How can I use 256 colors in WeeChat? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 256 colors are supported with WeeChat 0.3.4 or newer. First check that your 'TERM' environment variable is correct, recommended values are: * under screen: 'screen-256color' * outside screen: 'xterm-256color', 'rxvt-256color', 'putty-256color',... [NOTE] You may have to install package "ncurses-term" to use these values in 'TERM' variable. If you are using screen, you can add this line to your '~/.screenrc': ---------------------------------------- term screen-256color ---------------------------------------- If your 'TERM' variable has wrong value and that WeeChat is already running, don't panic! You can change it without restarting, thanks to script 'shell.py': ---------------------------------------- /shell setenv TERM=screen-256color /upgrade ---------------------------------------- For version 0.3.4, you must use command `/color` to add new colors. For versions > = 0.3.5, you can use any color number in options (optional: you can add color aliases with command `/color`). Please read user's guide for more information about colors management. [[search_text]] How can I search text in buffer (like /lastlog in irssi)? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The default key is @k(C-)@k(r) (command is: `/input search_text`). See user's guide for more info about this feature (default key bindings). [[key_bindings]] Key bindings ------------ [[meta_keys]] Some meta keys (alt + key) are not working, why? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you're using some terminals like xterm or uxterm, some meta keys does not work by default. You can add a line in file '~/.Xresources': * for xterm: ---------------------------------------- XTerm*metaSendsEscape: true ---------------------------------------- * for uxterm: ---------------------------------------- UXTerm*metaSendsEscape: true ---------------------------------------- And then reload resources (`xrdb -override ~/.Xresources`) or restart X. [[customize_key_bindings]] How can I customize key bindings? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Key bindings are customizable with `/key` command. Default key @k(A-)@k(k) lets you grab key code and insert it in command line. [[jump_to_buffer_11_or_higher]] What is the key to jump to buffer 11 (or higher number)? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The key is @k(A-)@k(j) and then 2 digits, for example @k(A-)@k(j) then @k(1), @k(1) to jump to buffer 11. You can bind a key, for example: ---------------------------------------- /key bind meta-q /buffer *11 ---------------------------------------- List of default keys is in User's guide. [[global_history]] How to use global history (instead of buffer history) with up and down keys? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can bind the up and down keys on global history (default keys for global history are @k(C-)@k(↑) and @k(C-)@k(↓)). Example: ---------------------------------------- /key bind meta2-A /input history_global_previous /key bind meta2-B /input history_global_next ---------------------------------------- [NOTE] Keys "meta2-A" and "meta2-B" may be different in your terminal. To find key code press @k(A-)@k(k) then key (up or down). [[irc]] IRC --- [[ignore_vs_filter]] What is the difference between the /ignore and /filter commands? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The `/ignore` command is an IRC command, so it applies only for IRC buffers (servers and channels). It lets you ignore some nicks or hostnames of users for a server or channel (command will not apply on content of messages). Matching messages are deleted by IRC plugin before display (so you'll never see them). The `/filter` command is a core command, so it applies to any buffer. It lets you filter some lines in buffers with tags or regular expression for prefix and content of line. Filtered lines are only hidden, not deleted, and you can see them if you disable filters (by default, the key @k(A-)@k(=) toggles filters). [[filter_irc_join_part_quit]] How can I filter join/part/quit messages on IRC channels? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With smart filter (keep join/part/quit from users who spoke recently): ---------------------------------------- /set irc.look.smart_filter on /filter add irc_smart * irc_smart_filter * ---------------------------------------- With a global filter (hide *all* join/part/quit): ---------------------------------------- /filter add jpk * irc_join,irc_part,irc_quit * ---------------------------------------- [NOTE] For help: `/help filter` and `/help irc.look.smart_filter` [[filter_irc_join_channel_messages]] How can I filter some messages displayed when I join an IRC channel? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some tags you can use to filter messages: * 'irc_366': names on channel * 'irc_332,irc_333': channel topic/date * 'irc_329': channel creation date You can find tags for other messages by looking at IRC raw server (`/server raw`). Examples: * filter names: ---------------------------------------- /filter add irc_join_names * irc_366 * ---------------------------------------- * filter topic (and date): ---------------------------------------- /filter add irc_join_topic_date * irc_332,irc_333 * ---------------------------------------- [[filter_voice_messages]] How can I filter voice messages (eg on Bitlbee server)? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's not easy to filter voice messages, because voice mode can be set with other modes in same IRC message. If you want to do that, it's probably because Bitlbee is using voice to show away users, and you are flooded with voice messages. Therefore, you can change that and let WeeChat use a special color for away nicks in nicklist. On channel '&bitlbee', do: ---------------------------------------- set away_devoice false ---------------------------------------- For checking away nicks in WeeChat, see question about <>. If you really want to filter voice messages, you can use this command, but this is not perfect (will work only if first mode changed is voice): ---------------------------------------- /filter add hidevoices * irc_mode \(\+\|\-\)v ---------------------------------------- [[color_away_nicks]] How can I see away nicks in nicklist? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You have to set option 'irc.server_default.away_check' to a positive value (minutes between each check of away nicks). You can set option 'irc.server_default.away_check_max_nicks' to limit away check on small channels only. For example, check every 5 minutes for away nicks, for channels with max 25 nicks: ---------------------------------------- /set irc.server_default.away_check 5 /set irc.server_default.away_check_max_nicks 25 ---------------------------------------- [NOTE] For WeeChat < = 0.3.3, options are 'irc.network.away_check' and 'irc.network.away_check_max_nicks'. [[highlight_notification]] How can I be warned when someone highlights me on a channel? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can use a script like 'beep.pl' or 'launcher.pl'. For 'launcher.pl', you have to setup command: ---------------------------------------- /set plugins.var.perl.launcher.signal.weechat_highlight "/path/to/command arguments" ---------------------------------------- Other scripts on this subject: http://www.weechat.org/scripts/stable/tag/notify/ [[irc_ssl_connection]] I have some problems when connecting to a server using SSL, what can I do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you see errors about gnutls handshake, you can try to use a smaller Diffie-Hellman key (default is 2048): ---------------------------------------- /set irc.server.freenode.ssl_dhkey_size 1024 ---------------------------------------- If you see errors about certificate, you can disable "ssl_verify" (be careful, connection will be less secure by doing that): ---------------------------------------- /set irc.server.freenode.ssl_verify off ---------------------------------------- [[irc_ssl_freenode]] How can I connect to freenode server using SSL? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You must download certificate, convert it, then add it in WeeChat: ---------------------------------------- $ cd /tmp $ wget http://crt.gandi.net/GandiStandardSSLCA.crt $ openssl x509 -inform der -outform pem < GandiStandardSSLCA.crt > GandiStandardSSLCA.pem $ mkdir ~/.weechat/ssl $ cat GandiStandardSSLCA.pem >>~/.weechat/ssl/CAs.pem ---------------------------------------- Under WeeChat, setup server port, SSL, dhkey_size, then connect: ---------------------------------------- /set irc.server.freenode.addresses "chat.freenode.net/7000" /set irc.server.freenode.ssl on /set irc.server.freenode.ssl_dhkey_size 1024 /connect freenode ---------------------------------------- [[irc_target_buffer]] How can I change target buffer for commands on merged buffers (like buffer with servers)? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The default key is @k(C-)@k(x) (command is: `/input switch_active_buffer`). [[plugins_scripts]] Plugins / scripts ----------------- [[openbsd_plugins]] I'm using OpenBSD and WeeChat does not load any plugins, what's wrong? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Under OpenBSD, plugin filenames end with ".so.0.0" (".so" for Linux). You must set that up: ---------------------------------------- /set weechat.plugin.extension ".so.0.0" /plugin autoload ---------------------------------------- [[load_scripts]] How can I load Perl/Python/Ruby/Lua/Tcl scripts? Are scripts compatible with other IRC clients? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can use the commands `/perl`, `/python`, `/ruby`, `/lua` and `/tcl` to load scripts (default path for scripts is '~/.weechat//'). Scripts are not compatible with other IRC clients. Notes: * scripts in '~/.weechat//autoload/' are automatically loaded when WeeChat is starting up. * a 'tcl' plugin is available with version > = 0.3.0. [[settings]] Settings -------- [[memory_usage]] How can I tweak WeeChat to consume less memory? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can try following tips to consume less memory: * use the latest stable version (it is supposed to have less memory leaks than older versions) * do not load some plugins if you don't use them, for example: aspell, fifo, logger, perl, python, ruby, lua, tcl, xfer (used for DCC) * load only scripts that you really need * reduce value of option 'weechat.history.max_lines' (number of lines saved in memory for each buffer) * reduce value of option 'weechat.history.max_commands' (number of user commands saved in memory) [[development]] Development ----------- [[bug_task_patch]] How should I report bugs, ask for new features or send patches? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are 3 ways: . you can join us on IRC: 'irc.freenode.net', channel '#weechat' . you can use the savannah website: * report a bug: https://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?group=weechat * request a new feature: https://savannah.nongnu.org/task/?group=weechat * send a patch: https://savannah.nongnu.org/patch/?group=weechat . you can mail developers, look at support page for developer's mails: http://www.weechat.org/about (you can subscribe and send to "support" mailing list) [[gdb_error_threads]] When I run WeeChat under gdb, there is error about threads, what can I do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When you run WeeChat under gdb, you may have this error: ---------------------------------------- $ gdb /path/to/weechat-curses (gdb) run [Thread debugging using libthread_db enabled] Cannot find new threads: generic error ---------------------------------------- To fix that, you can run gdb with this command (replace path to libpthread and WeeChat with paths on your system): ---------------------------------------- $ LD_PRELOAD=/lib/libpthread.so.0 gdb /path/to/weechat-curses (gdb) run ---------------------------------------- [[supported_os]] What is the list of supported platforms for WeeChat? Will it be ported to other operating systems? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The full list is on this page: http://www.weechat.org/download We do our best to run on as many platforms as possible. Help is welcome for some OS' we don't have, to test WeeChat. [[help_developers]] I want to help WeeChat developers. What can I do? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There's many tasks to do (testing, code, documentation, ...) Please contact us via IRC or mail, look at support page: http://www.weechat.org/support [[donate]] Can I give money or other things to WeeChat developers? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can give us money to help development. Details on http://www.weechat.org/donate