VNC^® Enterprise Edition User Guide

Communicating securely using VNC Chat

You can chat with other VNC Viewer users connected to a host computer at the same time as you, and also with a host computer user if one is present.

Note: You cannot chat with connected web browser users.

To participate in a conversation, or start a new one, click the Start Chat Session VNC Viewer toolbar button. A message box appears at the bottom of the VNC Viewer window:

(Windows XP)

Enter a message and click the Send button. The message is broadcast to a conversation window on the host computer visible to you and to all other connected users (including a host computer user, if present):

(Ubuntu 9.04 Linux)

Note: You are identified by the user name with which you authenticated to VNC Server, or as VNC Viewer if you did not enter a user name to connect.

Using VNC Chat as a host computer user

A host computer user can participate in a conversation, or start a new one. To start a new conversation as a host computer user:

1. Open the VNC Server shortcut menu. For more on this menu, see Using the VNC Server shortcut menu.

(Ubuntu 9.04 Linux)

2. Select Chat. The conversation window opens. Type text in the field at the bottom:

3. Press the ENTER key to send the message:

(Ubuntu 9.04 Linux)

Note: A host computer user is identified by the text (Local) appended to the user name.

Working with VNC Chat

In VNC Viewer, the message box is minimized when VNC Chat is not being used. To see it again, hover the mouse over the hot area at the bottom of the VNC Viewer window:

(Windows XP)

By default, messages are stored on the host computer for 90 days. To stop recording messages, select Tools > Options in the conversation window and turn off Log chat history. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of days, or switch to storing a particular number of messages.

If you stop recording and also want to clear the conversation window, you must delete the vncchat.xml file. Under UNIX or Linux and Mac OS X, this file is located in the host computer user’s .vnc directory (you can configure the location under Windows). Under UNIX or Linux and Mac OS X, you must then stop and restart VNC Server.

Note that when a VNC Viewer user disconnects, messages sent by that user turn gray in the conversation window.

Disabling and enabling VNC Chat

You can disable VNC Chat while the current connection is in progress.

To do this, open the VNC Viewer Properties dialog and, on the Inputs tab, turn off Enable chat. For more information on this dialog, see Using the VNC Viewer Properties dialog. The Start Chat Session VNC Viewer toolbar button is disabled.

Note: VNC Chat is only disabled for you, and not for any other connected VNC Viewer user. You can still view messages in the host computer conversation window.

You can enable VNC Chat again at any time.

Troubleshooting VNC Chat

If you cannot use VNC Chat, check the following:

1. Is there anyone to chat with? The VNC Server Status dialog lists connected VNC Viewer users:

For more information on this dialog, see Using the VNC Server Status dialog.

2. VNC Viewer may have been configured to disable VNC Chat. To see how to enable it again, read Disabling and enabling VNC Chat.

3. VNC Server may have been configured to prevent chat. If this is the case and you do not have access to the host computer, you will need to consult your system administrator or a host computer user. If you do have access to the host computer, and sufficient privileges to configure VNC Server, you may be able to allow it again. For more information, see Preventing chat.

4. VNC Server may have been configured to prevent you chatting. If this is the case and you do not have access to the host computer, you will need to consult your system administrator or a host computer user. If you do have access to the host computer, and sufficient privileges to configure VNC Server, you may be able to allow it again. Alternatively, you may be able to connect as a different host computer user and access this functionality. For more information, see Restricting functionality for particular connected users.