Bot

What is a bot

A bot is a standalone client or script for an existing client or any other form of software, which has the purpose to automate certain tasks or provide special functions in for instance an IRC Chatroom.

BotServ

What is BotServ

On the Chat4All network we run a service called BotServ, which is part of the Anope Services package.

BotServ provides us with customised ChanServ aliases which contain some extra shortcuts to the most commonly used ChanServ commands, such as voicing, opping, kicking, banning, managing the accesslist and xOP list and some more commands.

BotServ Features

The bot appears as another user in the room as soon as there are 2 or more persons in the room and most of its details (Nickname, Ident, Vhost and Real name) are customisable when the bot is requested.

Through the Symbiosis-feature, all actions normally done by ChanServ, such as banning or voicing, will be done by your bot. With the BotServ's SAY and ACT commands, AOP's and higher can also make the bot 'speak' or 'act' (similar to a /me action) in the room.

ZBot feature

We have also installed the ZBot module. If ZBot is enabled by the channel's Founder for the channel, then it allows the channel's AOP's and higher, to learn the bot keywords and their meanings through the !learn command. Then everyone can use the ? keyword command to request the assigned meaning of the keyword. For more info about ZBot, please type the /helpop zbot irc-command while connected to our network. A wiki-page on ZBot will be created soon.

Request a Bot

There are two options to have a bot inside your registered chatroom:

Readymade Bot

You can choose a bot from the list that will be generated with the below command.
These bots are either created by us, or other users. The name of these bots cannot be changed. To see which readymade bots currently are available, you can type (include the /)

 /msg botserv BOTLIST

You will be presented with a list like:

 BotServ: Bot list:
 BotServ: SpongeBob (Nickelodeon@Krusty.Krab)
 BotServ: Aladdin (Wonderlamp@chat4all.org)
 BotServ: Shrek (Ogre@Far.Far.Away)

Custommade Bot

You can choose a customised bot with your own chosen (nick)name, ident and Vhost.
This name may not be a registered username (this will be checked by us before we create the bot).
You can check this first by changing your name to the name you want the bot to have. If you receive the message that it is a registered name, then you will have to find a new name.

To create a custom bot, we will need some information for you:

 *a. a nickname (The name for your bot)
 *b. an ident/username (which is seen when you do a /whois)
 *c. a hostname (like a vhost e.g.: i.am.a.bot)
 *d. a Realname/Gecos (also seen when you do a /whois. E.g.: I am a bot)
 *e. the name of the registered room the bot needs to be assigned to
 *f. your registered nickname

A typical bot can look like the following example:

 Shrek!Ogre@Far.Far.Away)
 - Nick: Shrek
 - Ident: Ogre
 - Vhost: Far.Far.Away
 - Real name:  I have layers!

All info above does not have to exist and may be fake (we even prefer fake info due to possible legal trademark issues). Please note that the Vhost may only be a registered domain if you own that domain. Also the ident may contain no special characters other than a dot.

The bot itself will only appear when there are at least 2 users in your chatroom. As soon as only one user is left, the bot will go away and will re-appear when another user enters the room.

When you pick a bot with a self chosen name, then you can have it made "PRIVATE" by us. If you do not have it set to private, then the bot will appear in the bot listing so that other users can have your bot in their room as well.

All bots are configurable to your own liking. For more info on how to do this, type the following command while connected to our server:

 /msg botserv help

or read our Online BotServ Manual

If, after having read the above, you decide you want a bot, then copy the below form to an e-mail and send it to vhost @ chat4all.org

a. Bot's Nickname:		The name under which the bot will appear in the nicklist
b. Bot's Ident & Vhost:	ident@this.is.my.vhost	the 'address' the bot appears to be connected from, as seen in a /whois
c. Bot's Realname/Gecos	E.g.: I am a bot	The 'name' of the bot as seen in a /whois
d. Channelname to assign to	#	Your registered channel where the bot should appear
e. Your registered nickname		This should be your nickname with which you registered the chatroom.
f. Private?	yes/no	Is the bot only allowed for your chatroom (yes) or to be chosen by everyone (no).

If you submit the above information to vhost @ chat4all.org, we will process the request as soon as possible. Once the request is processed and the bot created, you will receive an e-mail with the confirmation. In case some of the information is missing or invalid, a staff member will contact you about it by e-mail.

IMPORTANT! In the past we've had users sending us the channelpassword as well, thinking that we would need that. However, we do not need that and a staffmember will never request your nick or channelpassword for these matters. Please keep your password information to yourself and report anyone asking for it, claiming to be staff.