This site concentrates on hard-to-find answers instead of on the most-asked questions.
Last updated 5/2/99

• How do I use masks?
• How do I secure my channel?
• How do I make a random quit message in mIRC?
• How do I put the java IRC client on my webpage?
• What hidden commands does DALnet Services have?

How do I use masks?

Masks are strings that use special wildcard characters to match groups of strings.
Quick example: "D*net" matches "DALnet" and "Dnet" but not "Undernet"

The two wildcard characters are * and ?.
    * can match any or no characters. So "*" matches "", "moo~", and "dalnet rules!".
    ? matches any single character. "d??net" matches "DALnet" but not "Dragnet".

On IRC, one common mask type is the User mask. The general form is Nick!user@host. For example, my user mask might be JesseR!jesse@bay2-445.la.ziplink.net. All of the following masks would match me:
    JesseR!*@*
    *!*jesse@*.ziplink.net (3)
    *!*@bay2-445.la.ziplink.net (2)
    JesseR!jesse@bay2-445.la.ziplink.net (5)

If you want to ban me from a channel that you're opped in, you can either type /mode #chan +b mask or /ban #chan JesseR number, where number is a mask type (several are listed above). Note that most users can change their username (in the example, mine was "jesse") easily, and most users also have dynamic ip addresses so the first part of their hostname ("bay2-445") will change when they re-dial their internet provider.

How do I secure my channel?

• Only aop/sop people you trust. NEVER give your channel password to anyone.
• /chanserv set #chan ident on - your ops must identify to NickServ before getting opped (otherwise anyone matching an op's access mask would be opped).
• /chanserv set #chan mlock +ntr-ilkR - keep your channel +nt (no external messages, only ops change topic), but don't allow anyone to accidentally or maliciously set a channel mode that would prevent anyone from joining.
• /chanserv set #chan topiclock sop - only your sops will be able to change the topic (if you don't do this, it may be possible for other people to change the topic). Alternatively you can use founder instead of sop if you don't want your sops to change the topic either.

• /chanserv invite #chan - this will let you join through +i, +l, or a ban.
• /chanserv mdeop #chan - deops everyone in the channel.
• /chanserv why #chan nick - use this if someone has chanserv access, but you don't know why.
• /chanserv mkick #chan - kicks everyone out of the channel and resets the modes (last resort).

How do I make a random quit message in mIRC?

First, create a file named quits.txt in your mIRC directory: /run notepad quits.txt.
Put each of your quit messages on a different line in the file, and save it.
Then, go to mirc Options (alt-O) --> IRC --> Messages --> Quit, and type in $read quits.txt.

How do I put the java IRC client on my webpage?

Please see javairc.html.

What hidden commands does DALnet Services have?

• You can identify for a nick you're not using: /nickserv identify nick pass
• Services tracks users internally by assigning ID numbers: /nickserv id nick
• If you have aops anywhere, you can see what user@host services thinks someone has: /cchanserv access #chan nick
• Easter egg: /nickserv sadgirl

Please do not copy anything from this page without permission from JesseR.

JesseR's homepage
JesseR's script page
E-mail: jesseruderman@hotmail.com