VNC User Guide

If you are connected to VNC Server (Enterprise) or VNC Server (Personal), 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: If you cannot use chat for any reason, see Troubleshooting chat.

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:

Enter a message and click the Send button. The message is broadcast to a VNC Server - Chat dialog that opens on the host computer, visible to you and to all other connected users (including a host computer user, if present):

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.

Chatting 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. More on this menu.

2. Select Chat. The VNC Server - Chat dialog opens. Type text in the field at the bottom:

3. Press the ENTER key to send the message:

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

Working with chat

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

Note that the VNC Server - Chat dialog can also be minimized. If so, you are notified when new messages appear by the taskbar button flashing (Windows and UNIX/Linux) or a number overlaid on the dock icon (Mac OS X).

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

To clear the conversation window, delete the vncchat.xml file. Under UNIX/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/Linux and Mac OS X, you must first stop VNC Server, delete the file, and then restart.

Note that when a VNC Viewer user disconnects, messages sent by that user change color in the VNC Server - Chat dialog.

Disabling and enabling chat

You can disable chat while the current connection is in progress.

To do this, open the VNC Viewer - Options dialog and, on the Inputs tab, turn off Enable chat. More on this dialog. The Start Chat Session VNC Viewer toolbar button is disabled.

Note: Chat is only disabled for you, and not for any other connected VNC Viewer user. You can still view messages in the VNC Server - Chat dialog.

You can enable chat again at any time.

Troubleshooting chat

If you cannot use chat, check the following:

1. Are you connected to VNC Server (Enterprise) or VNC Server (Personal)? You cannot chat to VNC Server (Free) users. For more information, see Connecting to VNC.

2. If you are using a previous version of VNC Viewer or VNC Server, is it at least version 4.5? Chat is not supported by earlier versions.

3. Is there anyone to chat with? The VNC Server dialog reveals if any VNC Viewer users are connected. More on this dialog.

4. Has VNC Viewer been configured to disable chat? To see how to enable it again, read Disabling and enabling chat.

5. Has VNC Server 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.

6. Has VNC Server 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 use this feature. For more information, see Restricting features for particular connected users.