FAQ

Frequently asked questions

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Table of Contents

• How can I change the format of my timestamps or add AM/PM?
• How do I suppress join / part / quit messages?
• How do I turn on split view?
• Why when I'm trying to execute a /me /msg /say command but message gets truncated and I get a KVS error?
• How can I send messages starting with slash, without it being interpreted as a command?
• How can I connect to psyBNC without KVIrc hanging at password request?
• How can I configure KVIrc so I get sound notifications someone calls me in the channel Im on?
• How do I completely disable avatars?
• Clicking URL's doesnt work anymore after upgrading, What's up?
• Why is it when I open my logs with a text editor, they have funny characters in and look weird?
• Why doesn't KVIrc's portable mode work under Windows?
• How can I backup my KVIrc settings?
• How can I move the location of my KVIrc settings folder?
• Why does the numbpad Enter key behave like spacebar under Linux?
• Why is it after compiling from source I get an error loading the shared libkvilib when I run KVIrc?
• Upgrading to latest nightly has broken my settings, whats going on?

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How can I change the format of my timestamps or add AM/PM?

The format used for the timestamps inside KVIrc is described in the ​Qt documentation. Have a look there, especially if you're looking for the AM/PM format.

How do I suppress join, part and quit messages?

Note: Since KVIrc 4.9.2 commit 361b5a9 You have an Option Controllers menu to control CTCP and Supress Joins/Parts/Quits.

Here are a couple of ways to trigger this Option Controller menu.

👞 1) Via toolbar above Nicklist (1st icon in)

👞 2) Via right clicking over a channel, query or console context menu (e.g. over channel context menu)

If you are using an older version of KVIrc you can still use the previous method outlined below.

Create the 3 files with the following contents and with respective names with extension .kvs Or press Ctrl+Shift+S to bring up script tester and type:

👞 To suppress join:

event(OnJoin,supressJoinMsgs)
{
	halt;
}

👞 To suppress parts:

event(OnPart,supressPartMsgs)
{
	halt;
}

👞 To suppress quits:

event(OnQuit,supressQuitMsgs)
{
	halt;
}

👞 To suppress moderator change messages

event(OnOp,suppressOnOpMsg)
{
    halt
}

event(OnDeOp,suppressOnDeOpMsg)
{
    halt
}

How do I turn on split view?

Hides the join/part/quit messages

👞 1. Above the nicklist you can find an arrow facing right click it (see illustrations below.)

👞 2) When toolbar has expanded select the icon circled in red from the toolbar.

I'm trying to execute a command (/me, /msg, /say, ...) but the text message gets truncated/I get a KVS error, why?

The KVIrc command line can accept text in two formats: the scripting format (KVS language), and user-friendly format. When the command line is in KVS mode (default), some characters have a special meaning (e.g.: /me test ;D will get truncated at the semicolon, since it means "end of command line" in KVS). To avoid such problems, you can:

• Switch the command line to user-friendly mode: at the right of the command line you can find a little green arrow, click on it and a menu will appear there. The third icon from the left is the "command line mode" — click on it to switch between kvs and userfriendly mode.
• Learn how to escape the special characters: In KVS the escape character is "" (backslash). Prefix any KVS special character with a backslash and they will be parsed as simple text (for example: /me test \;D).

How can I send a message starting with a "/" (slash) without it being interpreted as a command?

You have two options:

• When sending the message, hold the Ctrl key while pressing Return (Ctrl+Enter).
• Prefix the message with \. For example: \/hello

How can I connect to psyBNC? The connection hangs at the password request.

Stop using psyBNC, and start using ZNC.

How do I configure the client so it makes a sound if someone calls me in a channel I'm on?

First of all, type /snd.autodetect to make KVIrc detect your sound system.

Then, go to Settings -> Configure KVIrc -> General options -> Sound -> Highlighted message in inactive window, click Browse..., and then find the sound file you want KVIrc to use. Depending on your platform (Windows, GNU/Linux...) several formats are supported, if you're unsure, use a .wav file.

Remember that, for obvious reasons, no sound will be emitted if KVIrc is the active window when someone mentions you.

How do I completely disable avatars?

Hey, why? Are you sure? They are rather funny! :(

Alright, if you are certain about it, copy and then paste each one of these lines in any channel:

/option boolRequestMissingAvatars 0
/option boolShowAvatarsInUserlist 0
/option boolAutoAcceptIncomingAvatars 0
/option boolIgnoreCtcpAvatar 1

Avatars are disabled now. If you want to delete the avatars you already downloaded, type /echo $file.localdir(avatars) and then delete the contents of that folder.

Clicking URLs doesn't work anymore after upgrading, what's up?

Type this in any channel: /event(OnURLLinkClick,default) { openurl $0; }

I opened my logs with a text editor and they look like... I don't even know what they look like. What's up?

Well, KVIrc saves some information apart from the text in your logs, like colour codes. That's why we encourage you to use the log viewer: you'll be able to see the logs exactly as the messages were being produced in real time.

If you want to save logs with no control codes (this is, that can be opened with a regular text editor), type this in any channel:

/option boolStripMsgTypeInLogs 1
/option boolStripControlCodesInLogs 1

You're done! Logs saved from now on won't have any control codes.

KVIrc's portable mode doesn't work under Windows Vista/7/8. Why?

If you have UAC enabled (default setting) and KVIrc is installed in the "Program Files" or another UAC-protected folder and you have opted to use the portable setting, then KVIrc's data files will be found in the "VirtualStore" folder, typically: C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\KVIrc\. If you plan on using the portable setting, it is recommended that you install KVIrc in a non UAC protected folder.

How can I backup my settings?

All your settings are stored in one folder. To find out what it is, type this in any window: /echo $file.localdir

How can I move the location of my settings folder?

To change the location KVIrc looks for your settings folder, you just have to edit one file. The location of it depends on your OS:

• Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(your name)\kvirc4.ini
• Windows Vista and later: C:\Users\(your name)\kvirc4.ini (take into account the Users part can change depending on the language of your system).
• Linux: .kvirc4.rc inside your home folder.

Why does Numpad Enter behave like spacebar in Linux?

The issue was reported in #1655, this however, is a OS issue and not a KVIrc issue. To fix read below.

Type xev command on a terminal and press normal enter followed by numbpad enter key.
You should get some output similar to:

Numbpad Enter

KeyRelease event, serial 37, synthetic NO, window 0x3800001,
    root 0x17b, subw 0x3800002, time 12012706, (38,47), root:(640,487),
    state 0x10, keycode 104 (keysym 0xff8d, KP_Enter), same_screen YES,
"   XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (0d) "
    XFilterEvent returns: False

Normal Enter

KeyRelease event, serial 37, synthetic NO, window 0x3800001,
    root 0x17b, subw 0x3800002, time 12008930, (38,47), root:(640,487),
    state 0x10, keycode 36 (keysym 0xff0d, Return), same_screen YES,
"   XLookupString gives 1 bytes: (0d) "
    XFilterEvent returns: False

To fix this type in a terminal xmodmap -e "keycode 104 = Return"

The fix will last for the session only, you can use your preferred method to make this workaround survive reboots. Enjoy 👍

After compiling from source, I get an error loading the libkvilib shared library when I try to run KVIrc.

That's because when you compile from source, the KVIrc shared libraries are installed to /usr/local/lib, which by default is not checked by the system when a library is requested by a program. You have two options:

1. Configure CMake so KVIrc is not installed to /usr/local but to /usr. This is not recommended because you'll mix software installed from the repositories of your distro with software you've compiled and installed by hand (KVIrc in this case). But if you still want to do it, you just have to edit the CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX variable, for example:

    $ cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr ..
   

2. Configure your system so libraries are loaded from /usr/local/lib as well. To do so, add the path to the /etc/ld.so.conf file and then regenerate the cache:

    $ sudo -i
    # echo "/usr/local/lib" >> /etc/ld.so.conf
    # ldconfig
   

Upgrading to latest nightly has broken my settings, whats going on?

Its always a good thing to make and use backups, especially between major versions of any software. Upgrading to a development version always carries some risk.

KVIrc's source is constantly evolving and some of these changes made some things incompatible with 4.2.0 and much earlier development nightlies, that may interfere with your current settings.

While some are less obvious and intrusive, other changes may affect your settings and are probably most noticeable. In local tests in Windows/Ubuntu derivatives, have shown that rechecking the setting and or fixing the theme colors is enough to correct the glitches. New users shouldnt be affected by these issues.

Known Issues with settings prior to this is https://github.com/kvirc/KVIrc/issues/1744 and others reported on issue tracker.

Things that you may notice:

• Theme colors in some areas being suddenly reset after an upgrade.
• Some settings (general, themes) being flipped on/off

Note: settings not doing what they are meant or not being saved (most of these) have been reported prior to the changes that have caused these issues..

Quick things to try are:

• If re-applying theme doesnt cure it, reconfigure the theme colors and re-save/re-apply theme.

• recheck or uncheck any settings you may notice are now off or on.

(In conjunction with the above, restart KVIrc as it only writes settings to file at shutdown)

• Make external themes compatible with current development versions.

Existing themes in general have been incompatible for some months now (mostly icons changes and settings being renamed), the internal themes however have been kept up-to-date and compatible with current changes and should work out-of-the-box. The best thing to do where custom themes are concerned in make them compatible with current development versions when nothing else should change till next release.

Scripts Internal or user made

User made scripts/aliases/popups should not be affected by these glitches, with exclusion of any pre-existing bugs or something new and unreported..

Internal popups and aliases have received updates, these dont cause glitches, however due to way KVIrc works currently, unless you reset/restore your current scripts you will not enjoy the new additions and changes made here.