Difference between revisions of "Communication"

Revision as of 12:25, 16 September 2009

This Page is part of the User's Manual, discussing the communication features of the Second Life Viewer.

Second Life has multiple methods of communicating between users. These include public and private text chat, notecards, voice chat, your profile, and streaming audio and video. Many of these are activated by the bottom toolbar.

Chat Bar

The chat toolbar is activated with the button in the bottom left corner of the screen. It appears just above the row of function buttons at the very bottom. Chat settings can be found at the top menu Preferences_Window_Guide#Text_Chat_tab Edit > Preferences > Text Chat tab.

Local Chat - This button opens the chat history window. Local chat is displayed for 20-60 seconds on the screen before fading away. The history will show all chat since you logged in. If you use [Edit > Preferences > Communication > Logging Options] you can save chat to a text file on your computer.

Besides human users, other items can generate chat messages. These are displayed in selectable colors, controlled from the top menu Edit > Preferences > Text Chat tab.

Bottom Toolbar Chat and Communicate Buttons

Chat Text Entry Box - Entering text here and hitting enter will display the chat text on your screen above the box if chat history is closed, or in the history box if it is open. Chat is also visible to anyone within range in the 3D view area. Normal chat range is 20 meters. If you use the Whisper or Shout buttons, the range is changed to 10 or 100 meters respectively.

The name of the Avatar sending the chat starts each line. if you type /me at the start of the line, it leaves off the ":", and is used to indicate an action or emotion, rather than spoken words.

Mute List

Muted Residents and Objects Window

You may find some users or objects to be annoying. The mute list prevents you from receiving communications from them, and in the case of avatars, from seeing them. The list can be opened from the top menu View > Mute List item, or the bottom toolbar Communicate |^| popup menu. You can add items to the list using the following methods:

The Mute Resident... and Mute Object... buttons in this window
If an account profile is open, using the Mute button
When a popup message appears from a user or object, using the Mute button.

Mute List Box - The main portion of this window lists Resident accounts and objects you have muted.

Mute Resident... - Opens Choose Resident window to select a name.

Mute object by name... - Opens a list of objects which have recently generated chat.

Communicate Window

The Communicate window merges several features into one collective window with multiple tabs. It is opened by the bottom toolbar Communicate button, or the top menu View > Communicate item.

Several of the tabs can be "torn off" into separate windows using Tear Off Tab Button. They can be redocked using the bottom toolbar Communicate |^| > Redock Windows popup menu item. When a new Instant Message arrives or is started by you, it will create a new bottom tab.

Contacts Tab: Friends

Friends Tab

Friends are users whom you have chosen to stay in closer contact with. This tab allows you to see your friend's status and take various actions with respect to them. Clicking on any name will highlight it. Double-clicking will open an Instant Message to that user. The main Friends list box can be sorted by clicking on the column headings. The six columns are as follows:

Body Icon - Appears when a friend is online

Name - User account name. Is in bold when they are online. By default online names are listed first in alphabetical order, followed by offline names in alphabetical order.

Eye Symbol - If checked, friends can receive notifications when you log in off.

Map Symbol - If checked, allows friends to find you on the Map.

Edit My Items - If checked, allows your friend to edit your objects in the 3D view. It does not allow them to edit items in your inventory

Edit their Items - If checked, allows you to edit their objects in the 3D view.

The right hand buttons are as follows:

IM/Call - Opens an instant message tab with the selected user.

Profile - Opens the Profile window for that user.

Teleport... - Opens an Offer Teleport window.

Pay... - Opens the Pay Resident window.

Remove Friend Window

Remove... - Opens the Remove Friend window to delete a name from your Friends list.

Contacts Tab: Groups

Groups Tab

Local Chat Tab

Local Tab

Instant Message

Instant Message Tab

Friends Conference

Friends Conference Tab

Media Console

Media Console

Streaming Audio FAQ

Voice Chat

Voice Console

Voice COnsole

Active Speakers Window

Active Speakers Window

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 [[File:V1.23 Communicate Mute.jpg|thumb|right|482px|'''Muted Residents and Objects Window''']]
-You may find some users or objects to be annoying.  The mute list prevents you from receiving communications from them, and in the case of avatars, from seeing them.  You can add items to the list using the following methods:
+You may find some users or objects to be annoying.  The mute list prevents you from receiving communications from them, and in the case of avatars, from seeing them.  The list can be opened from the top menu '''View > Mute List''' item, or the bottom toolbar '''Communicate |^|''' popup menu. You can add items to the list using the following methods:
 * The '''Mute Resident...''' and '''Mute Object...''' buttons in this window
@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 ===Communicate Window===
+The '''Communicate''' window merges several features into one collective window with multiple tabs.  It is opened by the bottom toolbar '''Communicate''' button, or the top menu '''View > Communicate''' item.
+Several of the tabs can be "torn off" into separate windows using [https://wiki.secondlife.com/w/images/f/f2/Floating_Window_Features.jpg Tear Off Tab Button].  They can be redocked using the bottom toolbar '''Communicate |^| > Redock Windows''' popup menu item.  When a new Instant Message arrives or is started by you, it will create a new bottom tab.
 ====Contacts Tab: Friends====
 [[File:V1.23 Communicate Friends.jpg|thumb|right|483px|'''Friends Tab''']]
+Friends are users whom you have chosen to stay in closer contact with.  This tab allows you to see your friend's status and take various actions with respect to them.  Clicking on any name will highlight it.  Double-clicking will open an Instant Message to that user.  The main Friends list box can be sorted by clicking on the column headings.  The six columns are as follows:
+'''Body Icon''' - Appears when a friend is online
+'''Name''' - User account name.  Is in bold when they are online.  By default online names are listed first in alphabetical order, followed by offline names in alphabetical order.
+'''Eye Symbol''' - If checked, friends can receive notifications when you log in off.
+'''Map Symbol''' - If checked, allows friends to find you on the [[Map]].
+'''Edit My Items''' - If checked, allows your friend to edit your objects in the 3D view.  It does not allow them to edit items in your inventory
+'''Edit their Items''' - If checked, allows you to edit their objects in the 3D view.
+The right hand buttons are as follows:
+'''IM/Call''' - Opens an instant message tab with the selected user.
+'''[[Profile]]''' - Opens the Profile window for that user.
+'''Teleport...''' - Opens an [[Floating_Windows#O_to_R_.288.29|Offer Teleport]] window.
+'''Pay...''' - Opens the [[Floating_Windows#O_to_R_.288.29|Pay Resident]] window.
+[[File:V1.23 Remove Friend.jpg|thumb|right|346px|'''Remove Friend Window''']]
+'''Remove...''' - Opens the Remove Friend window to delete a name from your Friends list.
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