path: root/FAQ

WeeChat FAQ, 2009-04-19
=======================

1 - General
2 - Compilation / install
3 - Using WeeChat
4 - Development


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.1: Why choosing WeeChat? X-Chat and Irssi are so good...

Because WeeChat is very light and has new features.
Some features (version >= 0.2.7):
   * multi-protocols support via plugins (IRC, Jabber)
   * many deported GUI in addition to Curses (coming soon)
   * 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
   * nicklist available in all GUI
   * 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://weechat.flashtux.org/features.php


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.1: I heard about many GUI for WeeChat. How can I compile/use them?

Today only Curses GUI is available. Other GUI will be available as remote
client (currently udner development).


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2: I can't compile WeeChat after cloning git repository, why?

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 (WeeChat is developed with autoconf 2.61 and
automake 1.10.1).
Other way is to install "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.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.1: 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 quickstart guide (see doc page on
website).


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.2: I heard about "buffers" and "windows", what's the difference?

A window is used when you split screen vertically or horizontally.
A buffer is a "view" for a window. Each window displays a buffer, and many
windows may display same buffer.
Examples of buffers: server messages, channel, xfer control, ..


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.3: I don't see some chars with accents, what can I do?

For versions < 0.2.3, please upgrade to last stable version.
For versions >= 0.2.3:
- check that weechat-curses is linked to libncursesw (warning: needed on most
  distributions but not all):
     ldd /path/to/weechat-curses
- check that "Charset" plugin is loaded with /plugin command (if it is not,
  then you probably need "weechat-plugins" package)
- check 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, probably
  your locale is wrong.
- setup global decode value, for example:
  with WeeChat <= 0.2.6:
     /setp charset.global.decode = ISO-8859-15
  with WeeChat >= 0.2.7:
     /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")


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.4: Bars like title and status are not filled, background color stops after
text, why?

This may be caused by bad value of TERM variable (look at echo $TERM).
Depending on where you launch WeeChat, you should have:
- if WeeChat runs locally or on a remote machine without screen, it depends on
  terminal used: "xterm", "rxvt", ..
- if WeeChat runs under screen, you should have "screen".
If needed, fix your TERM variable (export TERM="xxx").


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.5: When I'm using weechat under screen, I have weird chars, when I switch
window for example, how to fix that?

This may be caused by bad value of TERM variable (look at echo $TERM).
For example, "xterm-color" displays such weird chars, use "xterm" which is ok
(like many other values).
If needed, fix your TERM variable (export TERM="xxx").


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.6: How can I customize key bindings?

Key bindings are customizable with /key command.
Default key Meta-k (usually Alt-k) lets you grab key code and insert it in
command line.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.7: I'm using OpenBSD and WeeChat does not load any plugin, what's wrong?

Under OpenBSD, plugin filename ends with ".so.0.0" (".so" for Linux).
You must setup that:
- with WeeChat <= 0.2.6:
     /set plugins_extension = ".so.0.0"
     /plugin autoload
- with WeeChat >= 0.2.7:
     /set weechat.plugin.extension ".so.0.0"
     /plugin autoload


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.8: How can I load Perl/Python/Ruby/Lua/Tcl scripts? Are scripts compatible
with other IRC clients?

You can use commands /perl, /python, /ruby, /lua and /tcl to load scripts
(default path for scripts is ~/.weechat/<language>/).
Scripts are not compatible with other IRC clients.
Notes:
- scripts in ~/.weechat/<language>/autoload are automatically loaded when
  WeeChat is starting up.
- plugin "tcl" is available with version 0.2.7 or newer.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.9: I want to change language used by WeeChat for messages, but without
exiting WeeChat, is it possible?

Yes, you have to use 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


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.10: With Curses GUI, how can I copy/paste text without pasting nicklist?

You can use a terminal with rectangular selection (like rxvt-unicode,
konsole, ...). Key is usually ctrl + alt + mouse selection.
Other solution is to move nicklist to top or bottom, for example:
- with WeeChat <= 0.2.6:
     /set look_nicklist_position = top
- with WeeChat >= 0.2.7:
     /bar set nicklist position top


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.11: How to be warned when someone highlights me on a channel?

You can use sound.pl script (available on scripts page), and then setup a
system command (to play sound, display message, ..) with this command:
- with WeeChat <= 0.2.6:
     /setp perl.sound.cmd_highlight = "/path/command arguments"
- with WeeChat >= 0.2.7:
     /set plugins.var.perl.sound.cmd_highlight "/path/command arguments"


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.12: How can I filter join/part/quit messages on IRC channels?

According to WeeChat version:
- with WeeChat <= 0.2.6:
     /ignore * join #weechat freenode
     /ignore * part #weechat freenode
     /ignore * quit #weechat freenode
     (channel and/or server may be "*")
     (/help ignore for help)
- with WeeChat >= 0.2.7:
     - smart filter (keep join/part/quit from users who spoke recently):
          /set irc.look.smart_filter on
          /filter add irc_smart * irc_smart_filter *
          (/help irc.look.smart_filter and /help filter for help)
     - global filter (hide ALL join/part/quit):
          /filter add jpk * irc_join,irc_part,irc_quit *
          (/help filter for help)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.13: What is the difference between /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 hostname 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 on 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, key alt + "=" toggle filters).


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1: How should I report bugs?

There is 3 ways to report bugs:
  1. you can join us on IRC: irc.freenode.net, channel #weechat
  2. you can submit your bug at this URL:
        http://savannah.nongnu.org/bugs/?func=addbug&group=weechat
  3. you can mail your problem, look at support page for developer's mails:
        http://weechat.flashtux.org/support.php
     (you can subscribe and send to "support" mailing list)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2: How should I submit patches?

There is 3 ways to submit patches:
  1. you can join us on IRC: irc.freenode.net, channel #weechat
  2. you can submit your patch at this URL:
        http://savannah.nongnu.org/patch/?func=addpatch&group=weechat
  3. you can mail your patch, look at support page for developer's mails:
        http://weechat.flashtux.org/support.php
     (you can subscribe and send to mailing list called "support")


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.3: How should I submit new feature request?

There is 2 ways to submit your feature request:
  1. you can join us on IRC: irc.freenode.net, channel #weechat
  2. you can mail your feature request, look at support page for developer's
     mails:
        http://weechat.flashtux.org/support.php
     (you can subscribe and send to mailing list called "support")


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4: What is the list of supported platforms for WeeChat? Will it be ported to
other operating systems?

Full list is on this page:
   http://weechat.flashtux.org/download.php?view=supported_os
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.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5: I want to help WeeChat developers. What can I do?

There's many tasks to do (testing, code, documentation, ...)
Please contact us with IRC or mail, look at support page:
   http://weechat.flashtux.org/support.php


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.6: Can I give money or other things to WeeChat developers?

You can give us money to help development.
Details on http://weechat.flashtux.org/donate.php