{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "ircII",
    "section": "1",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ircII/1/json",
    "generated": "2026-05-30T05:14:18Z",
    "synopsis": "irc [-abdFfqrSsTtv] [-c chan] [-D level] [-e protocol level] [-H host[:port]] [-h host[:port]]\n[-I ircrcquick] [-icb] [-irc] [-l ircrc] [-o file] [-P portno] [-p portno] [-R host[:port]]\n[nickname [server list]] [--]",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "ircII — interface to the Internet Relay Chat system\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "irc [-abdFfqrSsTtv] [-c chan] [-D level] [-e protocol level] [-H host[:port]] [-h host[:port]]\n[-I ircrcquick] [-icb] [-irc] [-l ircrc] [-o file] [-P portno] [-p portno] [-R host[:port]]\n[nickname [server list]] [--]\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "The ircII program is a full screen, termcap based interface to Internet Relay Chat.  It gives\nfull access to all of the normal IRC functions, plus a variety of additional options.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "OPTIONS": {
            "content": "The following options are supported:\n",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "-a",
                    "content": "servers.\n",
                    "flag": "-a"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-b",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-b"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-c",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-c"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-d",
                    "content": "all output goes to stdout without using any of the termcap(5) screen con‐\ntrol codes.\n",
                    "flag": "-d"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-D",
                    "content": "with -DDEBUG.\n",
                    "flag": "-D"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-e",
                    "content": "Currently, only \"IRC\" is supported for the protocol and the values that\nlevel can take are \"check\", \"nocheck\", and \"off\".  Please also see the de‐\nscription of the \"server list\" below.\n",
                    "flag": "-e"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-F",
                    "content": "is ignored if the -d switch is used.\n",
                    "flag": "-F"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-f",
                    "content": "both bound to other functions within ircII.  This switch is ignored if the\n-d switch is used.\n",
                    "flag": "-f"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-H",
                    "content": "DCC, and works otherwise identically to the -h option.\n",
                    "flag": "-H"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-h",
                    "content": "Useful only on multi-homed hosts.  If the optional port segment is in‐\ncluded, ircII will attempt to bind to this local port as well as local host\naddress.  If host is an IPv6 \"number\", it must be provided in the common\nfile ... [12:34:ab:cd] format.  This means for an IPv6 \"number\" and port,\nit would be written [12:34:ab:cd]:6669.\n",
                    "flag": "-h"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-icb",
                    "content": ""
                },
                {
                    "name": "-irc",
                    "content": ""
                },
                {
                    "name": "-l",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-l"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-o",
                    "content": "is built with -DDEBUG.\n",
                    "flag": "-o"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-P",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-P"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-p",
                    "content": "Only supply this if you connect to a server which uses a port other than\n6667.\n",
                    "flag": "-p"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-q",
                    "content": "file set by the\n",
                    "flag": "-q"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-I",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-I"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-R",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-R"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-r",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-r"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-S",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-S"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-s",
                    "content": "",
                    "flag": "-s"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-T",
                    "content": "exist.\n",
                    "flag": "-T"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-t",
                    "content": "fault).\n",
                    "flag": "-t"
                },
                {
                    "name": "-v",
                    "content": "--                  End all option processing.\n\nThe remaining command line arguments are:\n\n••   nickname Set the nickname (overrides the environment variable IRCNICK; default: the user‐\nname).\n\n••   server list Set the list of servers with which ircII will try to connect upon startup.\nThis list is also used by the program's /server command.\n\nFor IRC connections, the format is: host[:portno[:password[:nick]]]\n\nFor ICB connections, the format is: ICB/host [:portno[:nick[:group[:mode]]]] with group being\nthe initial group and mode being the initial group mode.  See /HELP ICB for more information\nabout ICB.\n\nIf the host is in the format :servergroup:host.com then servergroup is taken to be the Server\nGroup for this server entry.\n\nIf the host is prefixed with SSLIRC/ or SSLIRCNOCHECK/ then an attempt will be made to initiate\nan SSL/TLS connection for this host.  The SSLIRCNOCHECK/ form does not verify the remote\nserver's certificate, which may have security implications.  Please see SSL/TLS documentation\nfor more information.\n\nIf the host is prefixed with PROXY/host:port/ then this server will be connected via specified\nHTTP proxy server.  The NOPROXY/ prefix will disable any global proxy setting for this server.\n",
                    "flag": "-v"
                }
            ]
        },
        "DETAILED DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "The Screen",
                    "content": "The screen is split into two parts, separated by an inverse-video status line (if supported).\nThe upper (larger) part of the screen displays responses from the IRC server.  The lower part\nof the screen (a single line) accepts keyboard input.\n\nSome terminals do not support certain features required by ircII, in which case you receive a\nmessage stating this.  If this occurs, try changing the terminal type or run ircII with the -d\noption.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "IRC Commands",
                    "content": "Any line beginning with the slash character (‘/’) is regarded as an ircII command (the command\ncharacter may be changed; type /help set cmdchar).  Any line not beginning with this character\nis treated as a message to be sent to the current channel.  To produce a listing of commands,\ntype /help ?.  To receive information about the commands type /help <command>.\n"
                },
                {
                    "name": "The .ircrc File",
                    "content": "When ircII is executed, it checks the user's home directory for a .ircrc file, executing the\ncommands in the file.  Commands in this file do not need to have a leading slash character\n(‘/’).  This allows predefinition of aliases and other features.\n"
                }
            ]
        },
        "ENVIRONMENT": {
            "content": "It can be helpful to predefine certain variables in in the .cshrc, .profile, or .login file:\n\nIRCNICK       The user's ircII nickname.\n\nIRCNAME       The user's IRC realname (otherwise retrieved from /etc/passwd)\n\nIRCSERVER     The default IRC server(s) (see server option for details)\n\nIRCSERVERSFILE\nThe file containing the default list of server(s), usually\nPREFIX/share/irc/ircII.servers.  This file should contain one server entry per\nline.\n\nHOME          Overrides the default home path in /etc/passwd.\n\nTERM          The type of terminal in use.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "FILES": {
            "content": "~/.ircrc              default initialization file\n\n~/.irc/               directory into which you can put your own ircII scripts, that can then be\nloaded with /load\n\n.../share/irc/        directory containing message-of-the-day, master initialization, help\nfiles, and ircII scripts\n\n.../share/irc/script/global\nfile loaded at the start of every ircII session.\n\nPREFIX/share/irc/ircII.servers\nThe initial list of servers if none are provided on the command line.\n\nPREFIX/share/irc/ircII.motd\nMessage of the day.  This file is displayed only once each time it is\nchanged.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "EXAMPLES": {
            "content": "irc -c #users -p 5555\nConnect IRC to port number 5555 of the default host and enter on channel #users.\nirc Mermaid\nUse the nickname “Mermaid”.\nirc Mermaid server1:5000 server2::passwd server3\nUse the nickname “Mermaid” and the modified server list.\nirc piglet3 :ln:irc1.lamenet.org :ln:irc.us.lamenet.org\nUse the nickname “piglet3”, initially connecting to irc.au.lamenet.org, with also\nirc.us.lamenet.org added to the server list, both having a server group name “ln”.\nirc oink ICB/www.icb.net\nUse the nick “oink” making an ICB connection to www.icb.net.\nirc -d\nUse dumb mode.\nirc -f\nAllow use of ^S/^Q to stop/start screen display.\nirc -e elisa\nInterface IRC with a program called “elisa”.\n\nsetenv IRCNICK Mermaid\nsetenv IRCNAME\nirc\nSet the username (if not specified elsewhere) to “Mermaid”.  The user's name (when provided in‐\nside parentheses in response to a WHOIS command) is set to “The one and only :)”.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "THE HELP FILES": {
            "content": "All of the ircII commands are fully described in the help files package.  The best way to start\nhere is with the /HELP ? command as this prints a listing of all available help files.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SIGNALS": {
            "content": "ircII handles the following signals\n\nSIGUSR1          Closes all DCC connections and EXEC'ed processes.\n\nSIGUSR2          Drops ircII back to the command line.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "irc(1), ircd(8)\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "AUTHORS": {
            "content": "Program written by Michael Sandrof <ms5n+@andrew.cmu.edu>.  Now being maintained by Matthew\nGreen <mrg@eterna.com.au> Names of contributors and contact address can be retrieved with the\n/info command.  This manual page written by Darren Reed <avalon@coombs.anu.EDU.AU>, revised by\nR. P. C. Rodgers <rodgers@maxwell.mmwb.ucsf.edu>, by the lynX, and by Matthew Green\n<mrg@eterna.com.au>.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "BUGS": {
            "content": "Please notify the current developer of the software of any bugs in current versions.\n\nBSD                              June 6, 2017                              BSD",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "ircII — interface to the Internet Relay Chat system",
    "flags": [
        {
            "flag": "-a",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "servers."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-b",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-c",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-d",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "all output goes to stdout without using any of the termcap(5) screen con‐ trol codes."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-D",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "with -DDEBUG."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-e",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Currently, only \"IRC\" is supported for the protocol and the values that level can take are \"check\", \"nocheck\", and \"off\". Please also see the de‐ scription of the \"server list\" below."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-F",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "is ignored if the -d switch is used."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-f",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "both bound to other functions within ircII. This switch is ignored if the -d switch is used."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-H",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "DCC, and works otherwise identically to the -h option."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-h",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Useful only on multi-homed hosts. If the optional port segment is in‐ cluded, ircII will attempt to bind to this local port as well as local host address. If host is an IPv6 \"number\", it must be provided in the common file ... [12:34:ab:cd] format. This means for an IPv6 \"number\" and port, it would be written [12:34:ab:cd]:6669."
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-l",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-o",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "is built with -DDEBUG."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-P",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-p",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "Only supply this if you connect to a server which uses a port other than 6667."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-q",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "file set by the"
        },
        {
            "flag": "-I",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-R",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-r",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-S",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-s",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": ""
        },
        {
            "flag": "-T",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "exist."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-t",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "fault)."
        },
        {
            "flag": "-v",
            "long": null,
            "arg": null,
            "description": "-- End all option processing. The remaining command line arguments are: •• nickname Set the nickname (overrides the environment variable IRCNICK; default: the user‐ name). •• server list Set the list of servers with which ircII will try to connect upon startup. This list is also used by the program's /server command. For IRC connections, the format is: host[:portno[:password[:nick]]] For ICB connections, the format is: ICB/host [:portno[:nick[:group[:mode]]]] with group being the initial group and mode being the initial group mode. See /HELP ICB for more information about ICB. If the host is in the format :servergroup:host.com then servergroup is taken to be the Server Group for this server entry. If the host is prefixed with SSLIRC/ or SSLIRCNOCHECK/ then an attempt will be made to initiate an SSL/TLS connection for this host. The SSLIRCNOCHECK/ form does not verify the remote server's certificate, which may have security implications. Please see SSL/TLS documentation for more information. If the host is prefixed with PROXY/host:port/ then this server will be connected via specified HTTP proxy server. The NOPROXY/ prefix will disable any global proxy setting for this server."
        }
    ],
    "examples": [
        "irc -c #users -p 5555",
        "Connect IRC to port number 5555 of the default host and enter on channel #users.",
        "irc Mermaid",
        "Use the nickname “Mermaid”.",
        "irc Mermaid server1:5000 server2::passwd server3",
        "Use the nickname “Mermaid” and the modified server list.",
        "irc piglet3 :ln:irc1.lamenet.org :ln:irc.us.lamenet.org",
        "Use the nickname “piglet3”, initially connecting to irc.au.lamenet.org, with also",
        "irc.us.lamenet.org added to the server list, both having a server group name “ln”.",
        "irc oink ICB/www.icb.net",
        "Use the nick “oink” making an ICB connection to www.icb.net.",
        "irc -d",
        "Use dumb mode.",
        "irc -f",
        "Allow use of ^S/^Q to stop/start screen display.",
        "irc -e elisa",
        "Interface IRC with a program called “elisa”.",
        "setenv IRCNICK Mermaid",
        "setenv IRCNAME",
        "irc",
        "Set the username (if not specified elsewhere) to “Mermaid”.  The user's name (when provided in‐",
        "side parentheses in response to a WHOIS command) is set to “The one and only :)”."
    ],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "irc",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/irc/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "ircd",
            "section": "8",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ircd/8/json"
        }
    ]
}