Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I get a LIBIRC_ERR_SOCKET error under Win32?

Because on Win32 you have to initialize the Winsock API before using it:

WORD wVersionRequested = MAKEWORD (1, 1);
WSADATA wsaData;

if ( WSAStartup (wVersionRequested, &wsaData) != 0 )
    // report an error

// Now you can use libircclient

You have to do it ONCE in your application, and since libircclient does not know whether you already initialized it or not, it does not contain any Winsock initialization code.

What are the event_numeric events?

The IRC protocol itself is asynchronous and server-driven. For you, this means the following:

• For any IRC command, it is not possible to obtain an immediate response whether the command succeed or not. Instead the server will send the reply in a short (or long) period of time.
• For some IRC command there is no ‘success’ response at all. For example, when you send a text message, IRC server will not send anything to confirm that the message is already sent.
• You can send several commands to the IRC server, and then receive several replies regarding every command. The order of the replies you receive is generally undefined.
• A lot of IRC events sent to you is generated by other users, or the IRC server itself, and are sent to you just when they are generated.
• Long lists (for example, channel lists) are also sent as events. Moreover, these events could be separated by other events (message or notices). And it is your responsibility to separate the data (using event codes), and use some sort of data structure that will hold it until the data is complete. It is not possible to simply query the list of channels, and expect that its content will immediately arrive.
• IRC protocol is event-based, not request-based. This means that if you send JOIN request asking to join a channel, you cannot assume that you have joined it until the server tells you so with JOIN event. Also it is possible for server to “JOIN” you to a specific channel implicitly, without even sending a join request.
• You should be prepared to expect the unexpected from the IRC server. For example, the server can change your nick (seen on most servers, which use nickserv authentication. You can be “forced” to join the channel, to say something, to leave a channel, to change your usermode and so on. Listen what IRC server tells you, and do so.

Why the irc_cmd_ function does not return an error?

A typical example is the irc_cmd_join() call always returns success even when you attempt to join a password-protected channel. Then some time later the IRC server returns an error. This is because the irc_cmd_… functions return success when the command is sent to the IRC server. The asynchronous nature of IRC makes it impossible to obtain the command result immediately. Please read the question above.

How to register/auth with NICKSERV?

There is no ‘standard’ way. NICKSERV, CHANSERV and so on are not specified by the RFC. They are IRC extensions which behave exactly like the other IRC users but with more power. Typically their messages are sent via Notice events, so you can use following algorithm to handle Nickserv registration:

static void event_notice (irc_session_t * session, const char * event,
             const char * origin, const char ** params, unsigned int count)
{
    char buf[256];

    if ( !origin )
        return;

    if ( strcasecmp (origin, "nickserv") )
        return;

    if ( strstr (params[1], "This nick is not registered") == params[1] )
    {
        sprintf (buf, "REGISTER %s NOMAIL", gCfg.irc_nickserv_password);
        irc_cmd_msg(session, "nickserv", buf);
    }
    else if ( strstr (params[1], "This nickname is registered and protected") == params[1] )
    {
        sprintf (buf, "IDENTIFY %s", gCfg.irc_nickserv_password);
        irc_cmd_msg(session, "nickserv", buf);
    }
    else if ( strstr (params[1], "Password accepted - you are now recognized") == params[1] )
        printf ("Nickserv authentication succeed.");
}

The idea is to parse the messages sent from NICKSERV, and if they’re matched the specific patterns, react on them appropriately.

What is CTCP?

CTCP abbreviature is deciphered as “Client-to-Client Protocol”. It is used between the IRC clients to query the remote client for some data, or to send some information – for example, /me messages are sent via CTCP. There is no standard list of possible CTCP requests, and different IRC clients often add their own CTCP codes. The built-in handler reacts on TIME, VERSION, PING and FINGER CTCP queries. If you need to react on other queries, you’ll have to write your own CTCP handler. See the source code of libirc_event_ctcp_internal function to get an idea how to write it.

No event_umode when I am made a chanop (+o)?

You will not receive the event_umode when you are made the channel operator because this is a channel mode, not a user mode.

If you receive the event_umode with +o this means your user is an IRC server operator, not just a channel operator.