HexChat

HexChat is a multi-platform IRC client for GTK+.

Installation

Install hexchat. The development version hexchat-git^AUR is available in the AUR. For another fork of the legacy version, install xchat-se^AUR.

Configuration

HexChat stores configuration files in ~/.config/hexchat, XChat does so in ~/.xchat2.

Freenode SSL and SASL

In HexChat, enable SSL and SASL in Network List (Ctrl+S) > Freenode > Edit.

In XChat, enable SSL and change the server address from chat.freenode.net to chat.freenode.net/+6697. To enable SASL, follow Configuring SASL for XChat.

Tips and tricks

GNOME integration

To use the new Notifications and messaging tray, activate the following options in Settings > Preferences > Chatting > Alerts:

• Show tray balloons
• Blink tray icon (optional)
• Enable system tray icon: unchecked (the icon appears automatically if you have pending notifications)

Troubleshooting

Spell check does not work

To fully enable spell-check, you need to install the correct dictionary besides enchant. Find your correct dictionary by searching for hunspell.

For English this is hunspell-en. Restart HexChat after installation.

Missing tray icon

If HexChat was loaded before the panel containing its icon, for example when the panel is forcibly reloaded, the icon may be invisible. [1] To restore the icon, run:

$ hexchat --existing --command="set gui_tray 0"
$ hexchat --existing --command="gui apply"
$ hexchat --existing --command="set gui_tray 1"
$ hexchat --existing --command="gui apply"

Or restore the main window with:

$ hexchat --existing --command="gui show"

See also

• HexChat documentation
• Toxin XChat Themes
• XChat command line options