How to chat

1. Open the dropdown list as shown in the picture above and select the person you want to address.
2. Enter the message into the text box - use the Reset button if you change your mind - it will clear everything except for your nickname in the From box.
3. Click the Talk/Listen button.

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Override the room's color scheme

Sometimes a room's color scheme prevents you from reading the text properly. If so - then you're able to change it. This will only work for you personally and only for that particular room.

1. Click the [Local Controls] - and it will open a form.
2. Select  a color scheme from the dropdown list.
3. Click the Set Room Scheme button - and the form shows you the color scheme that you've chosen right after.
4. Return to the room.

Note 1
Select "Room Scheme Override Off" if you want to use the room's default color settings again.

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How to use an avatar

SOI has recently implemented the use of avatars - also known as chat icons. It's up to the room owner though to enable the use of avatars in his/her room. So even if you have enabled an avatar at your end - it's not sure that you can use it in every SOI chat room.

The following are valid for an avatar:

• the default size for an avatar is 120 pixels for width and 90 pixels for height, but the maximum size can be up to 120 pixels for width and 150 pixels for height.
• maximum file size is 30 kb
• the avatar must be stored in the "user nickname" directory to which you want to attach the avatar to.

This is how you set up an avatar to use with one of your nicknames:

1. Upload your avatar to the "user nickname" directory of your choice
2. Then go to your control room, click [Nickname Controls] and thereafter the appropriate nickname.
3. Enter the file size in the next form

4. Enter the filename - and nothing else but the filename - in the next form
5. Click the "Set Avatar Info" button

Note 1
My recommendation is that you always should enter the true width and height values of the avatar. If you try to crop the avatar by using other values, the avatar might look unproportional. Resize the image if it's to large instead.

Note 2
If you don't want to see any avatars then you can disable the display of them from "Miscellaneous Operating Characteristics" in your [Account Controls] form.

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How to ignore someone's posts

To ignore someone means that you're able to censor all the posts from a certain person in the room. This will only work for you personally though - the others in the room will still be able to read them.

1. Click the * (asterisk) or the ~ (tilde)  in any of the persons posts and it will open a form.
2. Click the Ignore button in the form.

And this is how to un-ignore:

1. Click the [Local Controls] right above the text box.
2. Click the Un-Ignore button and disable your ignore in the following form.

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How to message a SOI citizen

A visitor can send a message to a SOI citizen through SOI's local  mail service - but he/she can't get a reply the same way. It is a one way communication only.

1. Click the [Mail] right above the text box and you'll enter a public mail room - very similar to a chat room.
2. Enter the nickname of the citizen into the To box.
3. Enter the message into the text box
4. Click the Talk/Listen button - and check if your message has been sent successfully.
5. Return to the chat room.

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How to grant a visitor a 28 hour visa

A visitor can't normally visit public chat rooms since they are - as opposed to to free rooms - open for citizens only. A citizen can however grant a visitor a 28 hour visa - with which he/she freely can visit public rooms during a 28 hour period.

What you have to do:

1. Ask the visitor to message you a password (not longer than 8 numbers and/or letters) - through the internal SOI mail service. 
2. Go to your mail room and read the password
3. Then go to your control room and click the [28 Hour Visa Control] and it will open a form.
4. Enter the password in the text box and click the GrantVisa button.
5. Go back to the room and tell the visitor that it is done.

What the visitor has to do:

After you've granted the visa, the visitor has to validate the visa.

1. Tell her/him to click the [Control] in the room and it will open a form from which she/he can validate the visa.
2. She/he has to enter the password and click the accompanying button.
3. After she/he has done so she/he will be able to visit all the public rooms at SOI during a 28 hour period.

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How to whisper

Citizens are able to whisper - i.e. send private messages - with each other. No one else but you and the receiver of the messages will be able to read them. A whisper you've sent or received is always displayed in a table cell with broad borders.

1. Click the ~ (tilde) in any post of the person you want to whisper to and it will open a form.
2. Enter your message in the textbox of the form and click the Whisper button.

Note
Both you and the receiver of your whisper must have enabled the whisper option - which is done from your nickname set up form.

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How to invite someone to your private chat room

There are 2 basic ways to invite someone to your private room.

First way

1. Click the * (asterisk) or the ~(tilde) in any of the person's posts and it will open a form.
2. Enter the name of your room into the invite box.
3. Click the Invite button and return to the room.
4. Post a room link or the room name to the person. In the last case - the person has to use the Find in order to enter your private room.

Note 1:
Anyone else who attempts to use the link will be required to enter a password, while the invited person will be sent straight to the room itself.

Second way

1. Ask the person to message you a password - not longer than 8 letters and/or numbers - through SOI's local mail service.
2. Click the [Controls] and go to your control room as soon as you've received the password
3. There you click the [Room Controls] and it will open a form.
4. Click the room link in the form - and it will open an additional form
5. Add the password in the appropriate box at the bottom of the form and click the Change Room Stuff button.
6. Return to the room
7. Either post a room link or the room name to the person. In the last case - the person has to use the Find in order to enter your private room.

Note 1
The person won't be able to enter your room immediately. He/she will get to your room's "front door" from which he/she can enter your room with that specific password.

Note 2
Don't forget to delete the password after your chat session! - You probably don't want this person to enter your private room unexpectedly - *smile*

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