EPIC

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# $EPIC: server.txt,v 1.9 2006/10/06 00:38:30 jnelson Exp $
======Synopsis:======
__server__ \\
__server__ [<server description>|<server refnum>] \\
__server__ [+|-][<server name>] \\
__server__ [-add] <server description>       [see below] \\
__server__ [-delete <server refnum>]
__server__ [-update <server description>]

======About irc servers:======
The nexus of irc is the server, also known as "ircd", which comes in 
different classes, such as "irc2.8", "irc2.9", "EFNext", "ircu2.8"
"ircu2.9", "hybrid5", "hybrid6", "hybrid7", "dreamforge", "bahamut",
and a huge list of others.  The above list classifies the most likely
types of servers you will encounter.  There are some irc-like 
implementations, most of which have been devised for microsoft windows
operating systems.  EPIC does not promise to work on any server that
diverges significantly from traditional irc (which these servers usually
do) and so we will not consider these servers at all in this discussion.

At the most basic level, all unix irc servers in widespread use have a
direct lineage to one common ancestor, ircd2.8.  Therefore, the features
provided by ircd2.8 are portable to all irc servers.  This includes the
ability to join channels, to send messages to other users, to set topics,
channel and user modes, to kick users from channels, and the like.  How-
ever, through the course of time many extensions have been added to the 
ircd software, and a particular set of extensions to ircd are distributed
as a software package and typically are used by an entire network.  Each
server "class" defines a loose set of extended functionality that is
available to the user whenever you use that class of server.  That server's
extensions may not be available on other servers, or it may be available
in a different way.

======How EPIC gets your server list:======
How does EPIC know what servers you want to use?  EPIC always tries
to keep a server list, even if it contains only one server.

The contents of the server list will always contain:
     * All servers, if any, you list on the command line.
     * The value, if any, of the **IRCSERVER** environment variable.

If the server list is still empty *or* if you use the -a command line 
option, then EPIC will read the "servers file", which is:
     * The value of the **IRC_SERVERS_FILE** environment variable, if any.
     * Otherwise the value of #define SERVERS_FILE (usually ircII.servers)

The "servers file" can be an absolute path or start with a tilde (for
home directory expansion), but if it is neither, then the file will be
looked for in the IRCLIB directory, which is:
     * The value of the **IRCLIB** environment variable, if any
     * The value of #define IRCLIB in config.h

If all of the above fails, EPIC will use the value of 
#define DEFAULT_SERVER_LIST which is there only as a failsafe and not 
as a useful default server list.

======About server descriptions:======
See [[server description]] for more information about server descriptions
and server refnums.

======Referring to servers:======
See [[referring to servers]] for more information about how to refer to your
servers once you've added them to the server list.

======About servers and windows:======
Windows and servers have a many-to-one relationship.  Each window is 
always connected to exactly one server at a time; no more and no less.
You can have as many windows connected to a server as you want.  

You can have as many servers open as you want.  A server is automatically
opened when the first window is connected to it.  There is always one 
window connected to every open server; a server is automatically closed
when the last window is disconnected from it.

======Description:======
The __SERVER__ command manages EPIC's server list, letting you add,
remove, connect, or disconnect servers as you need to.

======Options:======
| /SERVER                         | Show the server list. |
| /SERVER -DELETE <refnum or desc>   | Remove server <refnum> (or <desc>) from server list. \\ Fails if you do not give it a refnum or desc. \\ Fails if server does not exist. \\ Fails if server is open. |
| /SERVER -ADD <desc>             | Add server <desc> to server list. \\ Fails if you do not give it a <desc> |
| /SERVER -UPDATE <refnum> <desc> | Change server <refnum> changing any fields to new values specified in <desc>.  \\ You cannot update a server that is open.|
| /SERVER +<refnum or desc>          | If the server's state is "CLOSED", change it to "RECONNECT". \\ This allows the server to reconnect if windows are pointed to it. \\ Note: server reconnection is asynchronous |
| /SERVER -<refnum or desc>          | Unconditionally close a server connection \\ Note: server disconnection is synchronous! |
| /SERVER +                       | Switch windows from current server to next server in same group |
| /SERVER -                       | Switch windows from current server to previous server in same group |
| /SERVER <refnum or desc>           | Switch windows from current server to another server. |

======Note:======
As the colon is already used by EPIC as an argument seperator, IPv6
adresses need to be surrounded in square brackets [] to prevent the
colons from being interpeted.

======Examples:======
To change to a new server, irc.foobar.com, on port 6668:
      /server irc.foobar.com 6668
      /server irc.foobar.com:6668

To change to a new server and register with the nickname "JoeBob":
      /server irc.foobar.com:::JoeBob

To switch to the next, or previous, server in the same group
      /server +
      /server -

To associate a new server, irc.booya.net, to your current window:
      /server +irc.booya.net

To delete server 5 from your list:
      /server -delete 5

To add server "irc.foo.com" on port 6667 with nick "blah" to your list:
      /server -add irc.foo.com:6667::blah

To connect to an SSL server:
     /server irc.foobar.com:::::IRC-SSL