3.1 Sending Commands to Other People

CTCP or Client To Client Protocol

CTCP is a standard for sending commands to other clients on IRC. Basically, CTCP messages are simply private messages that include a code to alert the receiving client (not user) to respond to the command.

CTCP commands are typicaly used to get informaton from the receiving client, such as /CTCP time, or /CTCP version. Even /DCC sends a request via CTCP to the receiving client, asking to initiate a direct connection.

CTCP Commands

• ME (CTCP Action) - Template: /ME <action>

  This will mark the message as an action and replace the /ME with your nick, for example, '/me hates ice cream' would appear as:

  [Action] |Fred hates ice cream

• Version - Template: /CTCP <user> Version

  Version will ask the client to return information about itself, which will be in the form of a private message.

• Time - Template: /CTCP <user> Time

  Time will return the time of day as it is set on the user's machine.

• Ping - Template: /ping <user>

  Ping will send a packet request to the receiving client, which will in turn send back the packet with a timestamp, where the inititating client will compare the time difference and show the result in the listview.

• Sound  - Template: /CTCP <user> Sound <soundfile>

  Sound will attempt to locate and play a soundfile in the directory the receiving user has configured as the "sound" directory in AmIRC. Some IRC clients for other platforms support this function as well. Note that the soundfile must exist in the receiving user's directory or nothing will happen. Generally, a set of sounds are agreed upon in advance for a particular group of users.

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