Updated Jul 28, 2009 by eminence

FAQ

General

How do I send an IM? • How do I add someone to my buddy list?

To simply send a message to someone who is not in your buddy list, just type /msg buddyname hello there. However, if you would like to engage in a conversation with someone, you should first add them to your buddy list and create a window for them. Just type /addbuddy buddyname or /addbuddy "buddy name" to add them to your list. If they are online, a window will be created automatically for them. If they are not online, you can type /open buddyname to open a window for them manually.

Once a window has been opened for a buddy, you can use the Tab, Home, and End keys to cycle through your list of windows to find them, or type /jump buddyname to go directly to their window. Once you are in their window, anything you type that doesn't start with a "/" will be sent to them as a message. If the buddy is not online when you type your message, the message will be saved and sent the next time your buddy signs on.

Navigation

How do I get the buddy list or status window to come back?

The window list window and the status window both default to autohide mode: Whenever either one of them changes, they will appear on the screen for $autohide seconds, then disappear again. However, if you would like to make the window list window stay visible permanently, you can use F4 or Ctrl-F to cycle between autohide, always hidden, and always visible modes. There is also a /winlist command which will allow you to specify a setting to use in your .naimrc file.

Are there any short cuts to help make talking to multiple people easier?

naim separates each conversation into a different window, which you can cycle through using Tab, Home, End, and the /jump command. Your windows will be listed in the window list window in the upper-right corner of your screen, which is usually hidden when you're talking to someone. However, if you are in buddyA's window, and buddyC sends you a message, the window list window will unhide itself, buddyC's name will appear in yellow, and the 's around his name will turn into ()'s. This means buddyC's window has changed since the last time you have seen it. In order to make chatting with multiple buddies easier, the /jump command will take you to the next "yellow" buddy if no name is provided. Therefore, if you send a message to buddyA and are waiting for a response, and buddyC sends you an IM in the meantime, you can just type /jump to take you directly to buddyC's window. If buddyA sends you a message while you are then talking to buddyC, typing /jump again will take you back to buddyA's window.

The keys F8 and Ctrl-N do the same thing as typing /jump with no arguments, to make chatting even easier.

How can I jump to the beginning of the line when running naim in screen?

Under normal convention, Ctrl-A jumps to the beginning of the input line and Ctrl-E jumps to the end. GNU Screen uses the Ctrl-A key for detaching, switching windows, etc. To jump to the beginning of the line when running naim under screen, simply press Ctrl-A a (that is, hold Ctrl, press 'a', let go of Ctrl, and press 'a' a second time).

How can I prevent naim from automatically running in screen?

You can either re-compile, and don't use the --enable-detach option, or you can use the --noscreen option when starting naim.

When using /bind, what keys are A1, A3, B2, C1, and C3?

According to the ncurses header file, these keys correspond to the Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn keys on the numeric keypad, as such:

/* The keypad is arranged like this: */
/* a1    up    a3   */
/* left   b2  right  */
/* c1   down   c3   */

I have never used a computer keyboard which used these bindings instead of KEY_PGUP, etc., but I included them in naim's /bind "just in case."

Is there a way to go backwards in my buddy list?

Home, Alt-Tab, and Shift-Tab will cycle backwards through your window list.

However, on my system at least, Shift-Tab generates the same control sequence as Tab by itself. Typing:

loadkeys -d
keycode 15 = Tab Tab
alt keycode 15 = Meta_Tab
shift keycode 15 = F26
string F26 ="\033[Z"

into the command prompt on my machine before running naim allows Shift-Tab to work like Home. This affects other curses programs (including Lynx) as well, so you may consider adding that to your system boot scripts.

Configuration

How can I configure naim?

Many aspects of naim's operation are configurable through the use of variables, such as $autohide (which controls how long the status window and window list window will appear on the screen when one changes). To change these variables, use the /set command. For example, to make both windows wait around for 10 seconds, instead of the default 3, just type /set autohide 10.

For most other configurable pieces, there are specific /-commands to use, which will be described in /help commands. For example, to add me to to your buddy list, just type /addbuddy nmlorg or /addbuddy "n ml org".

Is there a way to have naim save my configuration settings for the next time I start naim? • Where can I get an example .naimrc (naim configuration file)?

naim will read start-up commands from a file called .naimrc in your home directory, so all of your configuration commands can be placed there.

naim includes a /save command, which will attempt to create a suitable .naimrc file based on your current settings. So, once you have configured naim to your liking, just type /save and naim will use the same settings the next time it starts up (including your buddy list, channels you have joined on IRC, etc.). The generated .naimrc is also auto-documented, so feel free to use /save to create a "default" .naimrc, and customize it by hand using a text editor.

You can /set autosave 1 to have naim automatically write .naimrc whenever you /quit

How do I configure naim to be nice with GNU Screen?

Solution under Console Display Issues applies.

Is it possible to disable the timestamps every 30 minutes?

Type /set tprint 0.

Is there a way to disable sounds in naim?

The only sounds naim should make are for $beeponim or $beeponsignon, so you can just /set beeponim 0, etc. to shut them off.

How do I change the colors?

The /setcol command will let you manipulate the colors. Type /setcol by itself to see what the current values are, then /setcol buddy blue, etc. to change them.

Does naim support inverse/blinking text, or changing the background for specific buddy types separately from the whole buddy list?

At present, no. If enough people request that ability, I will add it to the next release.

Why do some people I talk to have colored text?

naim's default behavior is to honor tags sent by other users, which can unfortunately lead to situations in which the other user has chosen a font color that clashes with your background. You can either use the /setcol command to change your own background, ask them to pick a less offensive foreground, or /set color 0 in naim to disable tag processing.

Profiles

How can I get someone's profile?

naim includes a /whois (/wi, /info) command to retrieve all information AIM keeps on AIM users, including the profile. Unfortunately, AOL users' profiles are not visible to AIM users through any mechanism.

How can I set my own profile?

If you have a file called .naimprofile in your home directory when naim starts, naim will use its contents instead of the built-in default. You can send SIGHUP (killall -HUP naim) from the command line or type /readprofile .naimprofile while naim is running to reload your .naimprofile.

Is there a way to view a user's away message other than sending them a message?

Unfortunately, the TOC protocol does not appear to have such a capability. naim uses a workaround (it puts your away message in your profile when you go /away), so naim can view other naim users' away messages, but I am unfamiliar with any mechanism to retrieve a WinAIM, etc. user's message (other than sending them an IM and hoping they send back an autoresponse).

This has been fixed in the latest naim versions

How does Gaim get the away message when you do the GetInfo? Why does naim use TOC instead of Oscar? Isn't Oscar newer?

Many other AIM clients use an alternative protocol, Oscar, which does have this capability. The original AIM protocol was Oscar, and AOL later created TOC to serve the needs of their Java client. In 1998 AOL released a public document specifying details of the TOC protocol, for use by third-party clients such as naim. Since then, they have made many significant changes to the Oscar protocol to discourage third-party client maintainers from using Oscar. It is possible for third-party clients to use the Oscar protocol, but I would prefer to spend my time working on new features to spending it in keeping up with AOL's latest protocol revisions, rush-testing new releases, and publicizing the problem and availability of corrected versions.

Buddy List

How do I remove someone from my buddy list? /delbuddy isn't working.

The /addbuddy and /delbuddy commands are used to manipulate your buddy list, not your window list. naim includes a feature called autoquery which makes naim open windows for buddies who are online when you sign on, and for buddies that sign on after you; this is why /addbuddying someone causes a window to open for them. To disable this feature, type /set autoquery 0.

If you /close a window for a buddy, naim will keep them on your buddy list; if they sign on again, naim will open a window for them. However, immediately after you /close a window, you can type /delbuddy to remove that individual from your buddy list.

Every time I start up naim, your name (naim help) is always added to my buddy list! How can I stop that?

naim will read start-up commands from a file called .naimrc in your home directory. If this file doesn't exist, a built-in default is used instead, and one of the things it does is add my screen name to your buddy list. If you don't like this behavior, you can /delbuddy naimhelp, then /save to write-out a .naimrc which will not contain me in your buddy list. If you have used /save in the past without first removing me, your .naimrc will include an addbuddy naimhelp, which you will need to remove manually (or /delbuddy me and type /save again).

One of my contacts always shows up offline, even when he is talking to me. What is wrong?

There are several possibilities. If you have not received any messages from the buddy:

Your buddy has you blocked. This will prevent your buddy from seeing you online, and will prevent you from seeing your buddy online. Neither of you will be able to send messages to each other or retrieve each other's profile. You can check for this by using the /info buddyname command from two accounts at the same time. If one /info buddyname fails while the other succeeds, it is likely your contact has blocked the account where /info fails.
You have your buddy blocked. Blocking has the same effects regardless of which user is doing the blocking. You can check to see if you have blocked the buddy by checking ignore (which provides a list).
Your buddy has privacy mode enabled and has not added you to the allow list. Privacy mode makes it so only people on a special allow list can communicate with the user, and all other users are treated as if they are blocked (as with 1. or 2.). Many clients use their buddy list as the allow list. You can tell this is happening if you are able to /info buddyname from one account but not from any others.

If you have or have not received messages from the buddy in question, it may be one of the following:

You have exceeded the maximum number of buddies for your account. At the time of writing, AOL's Instant Messenger servers limit each account to 200 simultaneous buddies. The protocol does not declare this limit and the server does not emit an error message if you go over it; your buddy tracking simply starts behaving erratically. You can check for this by using the /names command and manually counting entries.
Your buddy is using the invisible feature of AOL Instant Messenger. This feature is similar to the privacy feature mentioned in 3., but only blocks tracking information. Userinfo requests and private messages can still be sent between clients. Unfortunately, this clashes with naim's automatic message queueing feature, and causes the unfortunate side effect of not being able to send messages to invisible users. You can tell this is happening if you have less than 200 buddies, a user is showing up as offline, but the user is also able to send you messages (and you are unable to reply).
The AIM service is experiencing technical difficulties and your session has become unstable. This happens from time to time, and breaks naim's session tracking ability in the same way as the invisible feature. You can not usually confirm or rule out this possibility.

Connections

I read somewhere naim is an IRC client as well, is this true? Will it allow me to be on IRC and AIM simultaneously?

Is there a way to juggle two open connections? I noticed that if I have an AIM/TOC connection open, and then open an IRC connection, then I can't switch to any of the windows of the old connection with the normal keys (Tab, Home, and End).

naim supports the TOC1 (AIM and ICQ), IRC (EFnet and Undernet), and SLCP (The lily CMC) protocols. naim also supports multiple simultaneous connections, allowing you to have as many open connections as your system supports.

For example, type /newconn Undernet IRC to create a separate connection window for IRC called "Undernet", then /connect nickname us.undernet.org to connect.

Use the Ins and Del keys to switch between connections. Your current connection will appear on the right side of the status bar next to the amount of time you have been connected. Active windows will show up regardless of which connection window you are in, and Ctrl-N will cross connections to jump to the next active window.

Does naim support connecting to AIM through a proxy server?

naim does not have specific proxy support, but all is not lost! The ProxyChains utility "allows you to use SSH, TELNET, VNC, FTP and any other Internet application from behind HTTP(HTTPS) and SOCKS(4/5) proxy servers. This 'proxifier' provides proxy server support to any app." As of this writing, ProxyChains is available from http://proxychains.sf.net/.

Do you happen to know of any Yahoo!, MSN Messenger, etc. clients similar to naim?

naim already supports IRC (http://www.irchelp.org/), and work is underway at adding Yahoo! and MSN Messenger support. Please contact me if you are anxiously waiting for these, or any other protocols, so our available energies can be directed where they are most desired.