WinMX World :: RoboServer WPN Chat Server

MxControl's RoboServer - WPN Chat Server - How To and Help Guide

This tutorial is a basic guide to the RoboServer Chat Server and aims to help you through what it a rather feature packed program,
so I'll start with the simpler items and we shall endeavour to move forward from there.

First of all you'll need to get the latest version from MxControl Here
We are now ready to proceed with setting up your chatroom server.

Installation

Click on the icon and install the program ,also as RoboServer is a work in progress it has a disclaimer notice you need to agree to.

Once it is installed it will check for updates, so remember to allow it through your firewall and should now see the main screen.

Starting from the top of the picture you will see boxes that you will need to input the Channel/Room Name , your IP (or loopback IP) and the Port number you wish to use, to start the room you will need to click on the green check mark in the purple box as shown in the picture here.

This information will be saved in an 'ini' file for the next time you use the server.

On the left hand side we have 4 menus that allow for more settings and we will take a look through now.

Most of the functions here are the basic ones and I hope will be explained by the picture notes.
An important one is ringed by green and is the "Room Visible" box without this being ticked your room is available but wont appear on any WPN/WinMX listings.
The MOTD is of course the "Message Of The Day" and is the notice that appears when you first enter a chatroom.

This menu is for allowing 'Sub Channels' to be listed on the WPN listing if you wish.

Sub-Channel Commands

/createchannel channelname - This allows the creation of a Sub-Channel.
/closechannel channelname - This command closes the Sub-channel named
/listchannels - This command is used to show a list of Sub channels
/join channelname - This command allows the user to enter the named Sub-Channel
/join main - This command allows you to return to the "main" listed channel from a Sub-Channel

Sub-Channels are just normal WinMX channels, you can use sub-channelnames for the /exile command as well but it is necessary to add the numbers along with the Sub-Channel name.

Lets look at the 'Admin System' in the next menu window.

In this menu you need to enter a password and assign some functions/levels of authority to it and then click the "Save" button, its a pretty easy system.
You can allow each password user a selection of or all of the following, a "voice","admin" power", "agent" power and to be "hidden"
and pressing the "Save" button stores your passwords and user settings for future use.
Please remember to add a default user level and "Save" that also to allow regular users to speak, this is at the bottom of the menu under "Defaultlevel"

This is the menu where all the not-so-common settings are to be found.
From this menu you can set the channel as a moderated one where all users will need at least "Voice" level to speak or an unmoderated one where anyone can speak regardless of level,
also whether to have the "[roSe]" tag in your room listing or not.
Fake users can also be set in the box but it is considered best not to make use of this feature if at all possible.
I think its clear enough on the menu how to add symbols to different levels of chatroom user and its optional regarding the option of who you wish to see the various level symbols.
Its a sensible idea to allow more than one connection from the same IP as a bot is considered vital in most chat rooms these days
and if this option is not ticked you will find it nearly impossible to use one in a roSe room.
The final option of blocking older 3.31 clients and Nushichat (which uses the older 3.31 protocol) is at the bottom of the menu.
I don't think its necessary to block either, but its your room and your choice.
Remember to save any settings and adjustments.

Roboserve Command list

Items inside these <> brackets are mandatory , Items inside these brackets [] are optional.

/commands - (This displays a list of available commands)
/channelname - (This displays the channel/room name)
/private <user> <msg> - (This sends a message to <user> (Full or part of username))
/admin <user> - (This makes the <user> specified an admin)
/remadmin <user> - (This removes admin status from the <user> specified)

/login <password> - (This allows login as admin or voiced user, a password can only be set by the host in the user interface)
/kick <user> [reason] - (This command ejects the selected <user> from the channel/room)
/kickban <user> [reason] - (This command ejects the selected <user> from the channel/room and stops them re-entering by banning them)
/ban <user> - (This command is for banning <user> specified from the channel/room to prevent re-entry)
/uban <user> - (This command is for unbanning <user> specified from the channel/room)

/enableexile <targetroom> - (This command allows you to enable the /exile and /exileto commands, and makes the exile destination the room specified (<targetroom>). Agents only may use this command)
/disableexile - (This command allows you to disable the /exile and /exileto commands. Agents only may use this command)
/exile <user> [reason] - (This command can be used to redirect (exile) a specific user, to the room already set as the <targetroom>)
/exileto <user> <targetroom> [reason] - (This command will redirect a <user> to the <targetroom> specified)

/listbans - (Using this command will show a list of banned users)
/topic <topic> - (This command is for setting the room topic Eg: /topic hello welcome to the channel)
/setmotd <motd> - (This allows you to set a Message Of The Day (usually displaying rules etc) for when visitors enter the channel/room)
/limit <limit> - (This command allows for you to set how many can enter the channel/roomset Eg: /limit 40)
/stat [user] - (This command displays channelstatistics ( or userstatistics if [user] is specified))

/createchannel <name> - (This command creates a subchannel with the name specified <name>
/join <subchannel> - (This command allows you to join the subchannel specified <subchannel>)
/closechannel <subchannel> - (This command closes the subchannel specified <subchannel>)
/part
/join main - (This command redirects you back to the mainchannel if you are in a subchannel)
/listchannels - (This command lists all subchannels)

/opmsg <msg> - (This command sends a message only visible to admin/operators )
/me <msg>
/action <msg>
/emote <msg>
/say

/hideid - (This command removes the numbers from after a users name)
/showid - (This command show the numbers after a users name )

/setmoderated - (This sets the channel/room to a moderated chat, only voiced users and admins can talk (+ or @ badged users))
/remmoderated - (This command removes moderation from the channel/room, allowing unvoiced users to talk)

/voice <user> - (This command allows the <user>, a voice in a moderated channel)
/muzzle <user> - (This command muzzles the <user> specified. Muzzled users cannot talk in a moderated channel)
/setpassword <password> - (This command sets a password for the channel)
/rempassword - (This command disables the channel/room password)
/channelmodes - (This command displays the channelsettings)

/usermodes <user>
/usermode <user> - (This command displays usermodes)

/listhidden - (This command lists all hidden users)
/hide <user> - (This command hides the <user> specified. Hidden users will not appear on the channel/room userlist )
/show - (This command makes a hidden user visible again)

/agent <user> - (This command allow you to create or /impose "agent" status upon the specified <user>)
/remagent <user> - (This command removes "agent" status from the user specified)
/impose <fakeuser> [/me] <msg> - (This command allows a message with a fake user name to be sent into the chatroom, only agents may use this)

/disablecolors - (This command disables colors for yourself, and does not apply to the entire channel , use this with a Bot or Shareguard)
/enablecolors - (This command enables colors for yourself, and does not apply to the entire channel)

#\r\n# or \n - (These commands make the text start on a newline in the channel/room, only agents may use this)

Note
Agents may use false names by using the /impose command, although this feature is really added to help with bots and is sort of like #nickname #message in RCMS, but it can also use existing names in the room and should for that reason be restricted to admins etc.

These commands can only be entered in the settings by the host

host <IP> <Port> <roomname> - (This command allows for setting up a room (host) on <IP>, <Port> with <roomname> Eg: host 1.1.1.1 6698 The roboserve room
stop - (This command kills the currently hosted room)
redirect <targetroom> - (This command redirects all users to <targetroom>, (useful for changing hosts ) and kills the currently hosted room)
channelname <newname> - (This command allows you to change the channel/room name)

Supported Variables

This is a list of variables you may use in the topic, motd and welcome message.

%ROOMNAME% - This displays the name of your room
%NAME% - This displays the name of the user that entered last/is currently entering
%IP% - This displays the IP of the user
%HOSTNAME% - This displays the Hostname of the user
%CLIENT% - This displays which client type is being used
%CLIENTVER% - This displays which version of client is being used
%USERS% - This displays the number of users in your channel
%TIME% - This displays the hosts localtime in 24h format
%DATE% - This displays the date
%WA-SONG - This displays any song currently playing in your winamp (2.x or 5.x)
%WA-ARTIST% - This displays the artist of the song currently playing in your winamp (2.x or 5.x)

Color support information

Roboserv supports colored text in the chatroom for WinMX 3.53 compatible clients.
There are 40 colors (depending on the client) usually numbered between #c1# to #c40# , you can use them in the username, message and actions

The host can deactivate colors for the entire room via the quick-config bar.
If you dont want to see colors for yourself or are running a Bot that cannot process them, type /disablecolors
/enablecolors will enable them again.

Note for WinMX 3.3x users:
In order to use commands replace the / with # , example: #login <password>)

Well I hope that helps many of you out, a program of this size means its often possible to miss some thing important out, so please let me know if I have done so.
I think you,ll agree that its a little rough around the edges but offers a wide range of functions, being one of the few open source projects of this type, it can only get better with time.

Many thanks to Bender and Zhen Xlogic for this great open source server.