The Chat WindowThe Chat View usually takes up most of the Chat window and is where the conversation between you and your contacts takes place. Messages appear in the order they are received, with the earliest messages at the top of the view.
You can control the appearance of the Chat View, making it look like other IM clients or create a completely individual look.
Since some IM systems allow you to chat as a group, it is useful to see who is chatting at the moment. The Chat Members List appears to the left or the right of the Chat View. You can change this using → . The contact context menu is available in the Chat Members List.
The Input Area is below the Chat View. This is where you type messages before sending them. You can change the font and color of the message using the usual tools on the toolbar. If the IM system supports this, your messages will appear in color when your contacts read them.
By default, the keyboard shortcut to send messages is Enter.
The Status Bar contains temporary messages, such as notification that someone else is typing, as well as the button.
Kopete lets you carry on multiple conversations in one window, by putting each one in its own tab within the window. The tab titles change color to show when a new message has been received:
- Red
Someone typed a message.
- Green
Someone is typing a message.
- Blue
Someone typed a message containing your nickname.
There are several different ways to control grouping. To configure this behavior, go to the Chat tab of the Behavior page of the Configure Kopete dialog. You can also move chats between windows using the menu, and control the placement of the tabs in the window.
You can use Kopete to chat one to one, or in a group, where the IM system supports this.
To invite others into a chat, drag them from the Contact List into the chat window, or use → → .
Some IM systems allow you to send and receive files. You can access this function from the contact's context menu. If you're already chatting, and want to send a file, simply drag the file from any other part of KDE into the Chat Window, or select the → menu.
The following keyboard shortcuts are supported in the Chat window:
| Keyboard Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter | Send the message in the Input Area. |
| Ctrl+P | Print the contents of the Chat View. |
| Ctrl+S | Save the contents of the Chat View. |
| Ctrl+W | Close the current Chat View. The Chat window will close unless there is more than one tab in the window. |
| Ctrl+, | Change to the previous tab. |
| Ctrl+. | Change to the next tab. |
| Ctrl+Shift+B | Detach a tabbed chat into a separate window. |
| Tab | Complete a partially typed nickname belonging to someone you're chatting with. |