The MIRC Workshop
Tutorials, Scripts and Help Files for mIRC

MIRC Commands  

MIRC uses a lot of command lines to perform its functions. MIRC Commands may be entered directly, using the '/' prefix, or may be written into alias and popup scripts. The mIRC commands however remain the same, regardless of the method used to 'feed' those commands into mIRC.

When you want to enter a command, the very first character in the editbox must be a slash '/' followed by the command word. There may not be a space between the '/' prefix and the command word.

All computer codes and languages have to be entered exactly and precisely as the computer was designed to get them. Any spelling mistakes, or having too many or too few spaces will prevent the computer from understanding you.

Naturally, before you can use the mIRC commands, you need to know what they are. Well, the bad news is that there are a lot of mIRC commands, but the good news is that you only really need to know a very few of them until you are beginning to write scripts.

For this reason this tutorial will cover only the commands you may be likely to use at the command line. The commands used in scripting in later tutorials will be detailed there and then. In this way you'll not have to keep flicking back and forth between seperate pages. The mIRC Help file topics that cover all commands are 'Basic IRC commands' and 'mIRC commands'.

Command Parameters  

Most mIRC commands also require 'parameters'. Parameters are additional info such as nicknames, filenames or other details pertaining to performance of the mIRC command.

For example the /msg command sends a message. The parameters for the /msg command therefore are 'where to send the message' and 'what message to send'. To send a message to Robert saying 'Hello Robert, how are you?' means you would enter the command
/msg Robert Hello Robert, how are you?.

When detailing the mIRC Commands therefore, the text in < > brackets is a parameter. <Nick> means that the Nickname of the person the mIRC command pertains to should be entered. When entering a mIRC Command parameter, do not enclose the parameter in the < or > characters.

Some parameters are optional. These add to or create a slightly different effect to the command. Optional Parameters are also called switches. There is a slight difference between an 'optional parameter' and a 'switch' but those subtleties are for programmers and geeks to worry over.

For the purposes of these tutorials we shall regard them as being inter-changeable terms. To show an optional parameter with mIRC commands the [ ] brackets will be used. i.e. <must be set> [can be set or not].

To change your Nick whilst on an IRC server the command is /nick. The parameters for the /nick command are <new nick>, which is the new nick you wish to have, and [alternate nick], which is the second choice if the first choice new nick is unavailable.
/nick <new nick> [alternate]
e.g. /nick Black-Knight TBK

Essential Commands  

/JOIN <channel name>
The /JOIN command makes you join the channel specified in the <channel name> parameter. Typing /join #mirc will make you join the mirc channel.

/PART [channel name]
In the /Part mIRC command the channel name is optional if it is typed into the editbox of a channel window. In all other cases the channel name is a necessary parameter.

One thing to remember for later is that commands from popup menus follow the rules as if entered in the editbox of the window. Thus a channel popup or nicklist popup is like a command entered into the channel editbox. A status window popup causes its commands to run as if typed in the status window editbox. See Popups section for details.

/QUIT [message]
The /quit command disconnects you from the server (with an optional message). This, or hitting the disconnect button on the toolbar, are the proper ways to end a chat session.
e.g. /quit BK has left the building!

If you simply close mIRC, no information is sent to the server to tell it you have left, so your nick will still be there for some time. This could lead to people passing on important messages to you when you are not really there. Always use the /quit command or click the disconnect icon on the toolbar when you wish to end your chat session.

/ME <action description>
The /ME command makes the following text appear as an 'ACTION' message. Actions are used to describe actions you wish to relate to the people you chat with. e.g. /ME smiles at PrincessL

/MSG <Nick OR Channel> <message text>
The /msg command can do one of two things: Firstly if a nickname is given as the parameter it will send a private message to the person named which no others in the channel can see. The advantage of the command line over merely double-clicking the nick is that the command line can have a nick that is not on the same channel as you.

Secondly, if a channel is specified instead of a nick, it can be used to target scripted chat text into a specified chat window. Since this is identical to just typing the message text into that channel's editbox, this is only really used in scripting.

/QUERY <nick>
The /query command opens a query (private chat) window to the person named in the nick parameter. The advantage of the command line over a popup menu or double-clicking the nick is that the nick does not have to be on the same channel as you.

/DCC CHAT <nick>
The /dcc chat command initiates a dcc chat. Your client sends a CTCP request for a Direct Chat, and if the target accepts a direct chat connection will be established with the person <nick> you specified.

/DCC SEND <nick> [filename]
The /dcc send command initiates a file transfer to send the file specified in [filename] if given (or in a selection dialog if not specified) to the person <nick> .

/PDCC <size> This undocumented mIRC command sends DCC files faster by adjusting the size of the data blocks that mIRC sends before waiting for confirmation of receipt. Setting a size of 20000 is suggested by mIRC's Author while some others suggest a more modest 9999. My suggestion is that you try setting 20000 and reduce it if needed.

/WHOIS <nick>
The /whois command gives you information about person <nick> . The reply from the server will tell you the hostname (user address) of <nick> , what channels they are on and what server they are connected to.

/WHOWAS <nick>
The /whowas command gives you information about person <nick> after they have left or changed names. It is otherwise similar to the /whois command.`

/NOTIFY [-shr] <nick OR on OR off> [note]
The /notify command has several slightly different uses depending on the switches and parameters given. All functions apply to mIRC's Notify List however. The Notify List keeps track of people for you, letting you know when they connect or disconnect from the IRC network.

The first optional parameters are true switches. The s switch shows the notify list. The h switch hides the notify list. The r switch causes the <nick> given to be removed from the list. These switches may be combined (e.g. -sr = shows the list and removes the <nick>). The dash '-' prefixes the switches.

The first essential parameter is also a choice. If a <nick> is given then that nick will be added to the Notify List (unless the -r switch was used in which case the nick would be removed from the list instead). Alternately The parameter could be <on> or <off>

Examples:
/NOTIFY -s on Turns notifies on and shows the list.
/NOTIFY -h off Turns notifies off and hides the list.
/NOTIFY -sr Robert Shows the notify list and removes the nick 'Robert' from the list.

/CTCP <nick> <ctcp type>
The /ctcp command sends a ctcp of type <ctcp type> to person <nick>. The most common ctcp used is the PING. This is used to determine lag times. Other /ctcp types include VERSION which asks the person's client what it is, and TIME which asks what time is set on their system clock.

Example:
/CTCP Robert VERSION sends a CTCP request to Robert that asks his client to tell us what it is (e.g mIRC version 5.6 32bit).

The 12 commands given above, plus the /nick command, are all you really need to be competent at using mIRC commands to control your chat sessions. Later on you will have use for other mIRC commands, but these can often be written into alias and popup scripts.

Naturally only commands you need to enter 'on the fly' need to be remembered, commands to put in scripts can be looked up at leisure when you want them. Also, any commands you have trouble with can be put into scripts so that you can use a couple of clicks on the mouse to use them.

More Commands  

There are many more commands that you may need at some time or other. Should you open your own room/channel or become a channel operator you'd need to learn the /mode commands for instance. Use mIRC's own help files to learn more IRC and mIRC commands.

More mIRC commands will be given in the scripting tutorials for mIRC Alias Scripts, mIRC Popup Scripts, and mIRC Remote Events Scripts. Alias Scripts are closely tied to the subject of mIRC commands, since an Alias is a way of defining your own additional commands.