How to Use Chat in Microsoft NetMeeting

NetMeeting includes a Chat tool that allows online meeting participants to communicate with each other using standard text messages. Chat is particularly useful when one or more meeting participants is unable to use the audio features of NetMeeting. Chat includes the following features:

=> When one person in a meeting runs Chat, it appears on all screens. Everyone in the meeting can then type messages simultaneously and see what other people are typing.

=> Unlike other shared programs that you run from NetMeeting, separate instances of Chat run on all computers participating in the meeting. Because meeting participants are not using the same instance of Chat, they can resize, minimize, or maximize the Chat window on their computer independent of the Chat windows on other computers.

=> You can specify the font and font size, style, and effects that are used for the messages and information display in the Chat window on your computer.

=> You can specify the items included in the information display associated with each message in the Chat window and the format used for the messages.

=> You can save the current contents of the Chat window so they can be opened in NetMeeting, Microsoft Excel, or another spreadsheet or word processing program in the future.

 

Starting Chat

=> To start Chat, click Chat on the Tools menu in NetMeeting,

=> click the Chat button on the toolbar, or click the Chat icon on the menu from the NetMeeting icon on the taskbar.

 

Using Chat

Specifying the Chat Window Font:

=> To specify a different font or font size, style, or effect to be used for the messages and information display in the Chat window on your computer only, click Font on the Options menu, and then select the settings you want.

Specifying the Information Display Items and Message Format:

=> To specify the items included in the information display associated with each message in the Chat window, or the format used for the messages, follow these steps:

1. On the Options menu, click Chat Format.
2. To specify the items included in the information display, click the appropriate check boxes in the Information Display area to select or clear them, and then click OK. To specify the format used for the messages, click the format in the Message Format area, and then click OK.

Saving the Chat Window Contents:

=> To save the current contents of the Chat window so they can be opened in a spreadsheet or word processing program, follow these steps:

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. Type a file name in the File Name box, and then click Save. NetMeeting saves the file as a comma-delimited text file with the extension you specify.

Opening Previously Saved Chat Window Contents:

=> If you double-click a previously saved chat file to open it, the file is automatically opened in the appropriate program associated with the file's extension.

=> NetMeeting saves files with a .txt extension unless a different extension is specified.

Using "Whisper" or Sending a Message to Only One Person:

=> When several people are in a meeting, you can send a message (called a whisper) to only one of them by clicking that person's name in the Send To list before pressing ENTER.