Creating personalized greeting and salutation buttons

Add a button to greet opponents by handle

First we need to make an alias.

In the FICS console, enter:

alias greet say Hello $o!

($o is a FICS variable that is replaced by your latest opponent's handle)

Next, open Decaf/properties/PlayingGameToolbar.properties in a text editor or word processor.

You will see pairs of numbered text lines. The lines making-up a pair share the same number.

The pairs themselves are numbered sequentially and each pair creates a button on the chessboard toolbar.

The last pair in the file (in Version 1.3, at least) are:

6.text=Draw
6.command=draw

which renders the Draw button on the chessboard toolbar.

Now add this pair of lines to create a Greet button:

7.text=Greet
7.command=greet

Save the file. If Decaf is open, restart it so the changes will take effect.

When the chessboard opens for a new game, just click on the Greet button to send a personalized greeting to your opponent.

A button to thank opponents by handle at games' end is just as easy:

Make an alias, such as:

alias salute say Thank you for the game, $o!

Important: the button configuration must to added to a different file, namely:

Decaf/properties/AfterPlayingGameToolbar.properties

Open it in your editor and add the following:

4.text=Salute
4.command=salute

At games end the chessboard toolbar buttons are replaced by end-of-game buttons. Note: sometimes you must refresh the window for this to happen.

Just click Salute to send a personalized message to your opponent.