xtell - sends a message to another computer running xtelld

xtell [-v] [user[:tty][@host[:port]]] [message]

write

user [tty]

How to use it: suppose you want to send a message to user gubas on computer trener.fsport.uniba.sk Just type:

prompt:~% xtell gubas@trener.fsport.uniba.sk Hi

To send multiple lines long message to user 7tokarova at computer pascal.fmph.uniba.sk, type

prompt:~% xtell 7tokarova@pascal.fmph.uniba.sk Hi How are you today Please answer ^D

in this case, finish sending messages with EOF (CTRL D)

If you want to send message to user holik on local computer, you can do it either by typing:

prompt:~% xtell holik@localhost Hi

or simply:

prompt:~% xtell holik Hi

To send message to certain tty, append the tty to username, separated by colon:

prompt:~% xtell stanys:ttyp2@reaktor.ip.fmph.uniba.sk 'Sveikas Tomai'

will send message 'Sveikas Tomai' to user stanys on ttyp2 at computer reaktor.ip.fmph.uniba.sk

To specify other port than the default 4224, append the port to computer name, separated by colon:

prompt:~% xtell bosa@radon.dnp.fmph.uniba.sk:4000 'Ahoj'

assumes the xtell daemon runs at computer radon on port 4000, and sends the message 'Ahoj' to user bosa.

Option -v turns verbose mode on. Xtell will then display some messgaes about connecting, which is usefull especially when the connection is slow.

Example:

prompt:~% xtell -v rybar@dmpc.dbp.fmph.uniba.sk

xtell invoked without parameters will ask user for username and host to send the message to.

If the user has created in his/her/its home directory the file .xtell-log, and the file is writable by nobody, all messages will be written to this file as well as to the screen (handy when the screen is overwritten and you could not see the message).

xtell checks the environmental variable XTELLPROMPT. If it exists, it is used as prompt for messages.

Last notice: if you do not think zsh is the best shell, (besides doing a mistake) replace prompt:~% in above text with prompt:~$ or whatever :-)

Radovan Garabk (garabik@melkor.dnp.fmph.uniba.sk)

xtelld"(8), write"(1), talk"(1), talkd"(8), tty"(1)

What happens to .xtell-log when two messages arrive simultaneously? There is no locking implemented.