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Community Port Chat Help
Click here if you want some tips on how to handle a user you don't want to chat with.
Click here to see common chat abbreviations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the information in my profile? Can others see it?
When you register for a username, the questions you fill out create a profile. Only you can see the information in your profile unless you select certain information to be viewable by others. You can make information visible by clicking the box on the left side of whatever information you choose to reveal.
If you want to edit your profile, simply double click on your own username or click on your username and click "Show Profile". You are now able to edit your profile any way you choose.
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How do I send an image in my messages?
The Images option gives you access to the system's images so that you can express yourself graphically! You can view the list of images by selecting either the Images tab or the Images option, depending on which interface you're in. Note the exact name of the image. Type that name with // in front of it in your Chat Send box at the bottom of the window. You can type a message on either side of that code to send that image to either a private user or a public chat room by hitting Send.
For example, if you want to send the "Heart" graphic, type something like
//Heart New York
Use these graphics in Chat rooms or in direct messages to add a new dimension of interactivity to your conversations.
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How do I see which images are available to send?
You can see all of the images that you can send in your conversations by:
- Java: Select the Images tab
- Java Light: Choose "Show Images" under the Options tab.
- HTML: Choose "Images" from the Options tab.
- ActiveX: Choose the Images tab.
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How do I send a direct message?
It's easy!
- In the User list, highlight the user's name you want to send a direct message to.
- Click on the Direct Message button. (In the HTML interface, just click on the user's name to get the message panel!) (Hey! Instead of steps 1 and 2, just double-click on the user's name in the Users tab!)
- In the dialog box that pops up, type in your message in the "Message Text" field. You can also redirect the direct message to another person by typing in a different user's name in the "Send Message To" field.
- Click on Send to send the message. Click Cancel to cancel this message.
Some tips:
- If the user has indicated that they do not want to accept any direct messages, your message will be refused.
- If the user has indicated that they want to ignore you, your message will be refused.
- You can select multiple users and send a message to each simultaneously. Just shift-click to select more than one user, and then click Send Message. Notice that the users are all listed in the "Send Message To" field, with a comma and a space in-between.
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How do I change rooms?
You can highlight an individual room name and click on the Change Room button to switch to that room.
From time to time, the Administrator may set up password-protected rooms for special purposes. In that case, you'll be asked to enter a password before actually entering the room.
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How do I create a private room?
You can create a Private Room to carry on private conversations with other users that you invite to the room. The name of the room you create is known only to you, and the private room name does not appear in the list of rooms available on this Chat system. Therefore, you need to tell other users of your private room name if you want them to join you there. To create a private room:
- Make sure you have clicked on the Rooms tab on the right side of your window.
- Click on the "Enter/Create Private Room" button that appears on the bottom of the window.
- Type in the name of the private room you want to create, and choose the room type of "Private."
- Click on OK. You will instantly be sent to the new private room you have created.
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When I click on a banner ad, how do I return to the chat room?
The banner area above the text window displays banners that may be of interest to you as a member of the community. You can click on a banner and instantly be transported to a Web site that will tell you more about the product or service featured in the banner.
In most cases, clicking on a banner opens up a new browser window; you can still chat or explore the discussion forums while searching out new sites in the new browser window. To return to you chat, just locate the chat window and click on it to activate it!
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What does it mean if a red message appears?
If you're in the Java Light interface and a message appears in your Chat window that's in a different color, it's a private, direct message! Note that Java, HTML, and ActiveX interfaces have a separate area or window for incoming messages.
In Java Light, you can double-click on that incoming message to bring up a reply window! Or you can simply highlight their user name and choose "Direct Message."
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How do I change my user name?
You can't change a user name, but you can create a new account if you want a different user name. Just select "Create New User Account" on the mail login page, fill in at least the required fields on the left side of the window, then log in under that new account!
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How do I follow someone into a private room?
You can only enter someone else's private room if they've given you the name of the room. To enter a private room, choose "Enter Private Room" from the Rooms tab (or just "Private Room" in the HTML client).
In the window that comes up, type in the name of the private room. If someone else created that room first, you'll enter it. If no one created the room, you'll be in the new private room alone! Invite others through a private, direct message!
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How do I clear my chat window?
From time to time, you may want to clear out all of the messages in your chat window. Just choose the following:
- Java client: Choose "Chat" > Clear History from the menu at
the top of your window.
- Java Light: Choose "Clear" from the Options tab.
- HTML: Sorry, can't clear your chat window!
- ActiveX: Choose "Clear" from the Options tab.
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How do I silence private messages?
Normally, you'll get an audible alert when someone sends you a private message. To turn the alert off, just choose the following:
- Java Light: Choose "Silence PM" under the Options tab.
- ActiveX: Choose "Silence PM" under the Options tab.
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How do I refuse private messages?
Normally, you'll get a any private messages from users. To turn off all private messages from coming:
- Java: Choose "Accept Messages" under the Messages menu on the
top of your screen.
- Java Light: Choose "Refuse PM" under the Options tab.
- ActiveX: Choose "Refuse PM" under the Options tab.
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How do I follow another user?
This is a useful feature if you want to travel through individual Chat rooms with a buddy - sort of "room hopping." If you indicate that you want to follow another user in and out of Chat rooms, you will be automatically transported with them if they enter another room. If the new room is password-protected, you will be asked for that password before letting you in; if the new room is a Private Room, you will be asked to enter the room name. To follow another user:
- Highlight their user name in the User list.
- Choose the Follow button.
To stop following the user, follow the procedure to highlight the followed user, and click on Stop Following. You will be traveling solo again.
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How do I ignore a user?
You can indicated that you do not want to hear from a particular user logged onto the system. If that user tries to send you a direct message, they will receive a system message in their Messages window telling them that their message was ignored. You will not receive their message. You will not see any messages sent by that user in any of the Chat rooms you both may be in.
To indicate that you want to ignore messages from another user:
- Highlight their user name in the User list.
- Choose the Ignore button.
The "Ignore" feature needs to be re-applied if either you or the ignored user logs off and then back on again.
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How do I change the font size?
If you'd like to use a smaller or larger font size in your Chat window, do this:
Java: Choose "Font Larger" or "Font Smaller" under
the Chat menu at the top of your screen.
Java Light: Choose "Font Bigger" or "Font Smaller" under the Options tab.
- HTML: Choose a font size of 1 through 7 under the Options tab. The
smaller the number, the smaller the font.
- ActiveX: Go to the Options tab and choose "Select Font." Change the font size in the window that comes up.
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How do I stop scrolling?
Normally, incoming messages scroll the rest of the messages in the Chat window upward. If you'd like to pause for a moment and turn automatic scrolling off:
- Java: De-select "Enable Auto Scroll" under the Chat menu at
the top of your screen.
- Java Light: Choose "Stop Scroll" under the Options tab.
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How do I find a user?
To find a user, search for their name under the User tab. Normally, this is the list of users in the room in which you currently reside. To see all of the users on this server, choose "All Users." You'll receive a separate window listing all of the users.
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How do I create a buddy?
You can add any logged-on users to your list of buddies. Just highlight their name in the user listing, and choose "Make Buddy." You can then go to the Buddy tab and see that logon status of all of your buddies. You can even choose to hear an audible alert when your buddies log on and off - see the buttons under the Buddy tab.
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