2.7.19 Using the chat feature
While engaged in a remote control session over a standard connection, you can use the chat feature to communicate with users who you cannot contact by telephone. Because the chat feature uses text data, it is also a useful way to provide IP addresses, URLs, and other text-based information in real time.
You can also chat with several users at once.
One use for the chat feature is as a training tool. Because all trainees can be given the same instructions, you can save time by reducing the need to give the same explanation over and over. When trainees raise questions, you can send answers to specific users, or to all users if appropriate.
- Important note
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You cannot use chat over a RFB connection.
The following figure shows an overview of the chat feature:
The chat server must be running before you can initiate a chat session. After you start the chat server, a chat session begins when a computer connects to the chat server from the Chat window. A user can also connect to several chat servers from the Chat window.
During a chat session, you can send the messages entered in the Chat window to other computers. You can send messages to all computers taking part in the chat session, or to individual computers.
- Organization of this subsection
(1) Using the chat server icon
When the chat server starts, the chat server icon () appears in the taskbar.
You can perform the following operations from the chat server icon:
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View users connected to the chat server
You can view a list of users who are connected to the chat server. This operation (and the corresponding menu item) is unavailable if there are no users connected to the chat server.
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Disconnect chat users
You can disconnect users from the chat server. You can disconnect all users, or select specific users to disconnect.
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Set parameters
You can set the port number, password, and other parameters of the chat server.
- Tip
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The chat server icon does not appear in the taskbar in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. If you want to display the icon, from the Control Panel select Customizing the desktop and then Customizing the taskbar icon. Set Show icon and notifications for the chat server icon.