OK, I decided to make public a feature I've had for myself for quite some time... custom chat highlighting. What is it, you ask? Well, when I chat, I often just scan the many messages, and sometimes I just want to pick out the ones directed at me... usually people use my name somewhere inside their text, so... I made a feature in the chat that would highlight any lines with "ben" in it. (Actually, whatever handle I was using at the time, although I really only ever use 'ben'.)

This is great, but some of you have really long handles, or have different nicknames, etc., that people know... so you have to come up with the things to look for, for the highlighting to match. You can do this. Check out the usual chat preferences screen (go chat, then click 'Colors and preferences'), and you'll see a new option, "Highlight lines containing:". You can enter several things here:

* Any single word of interest
* The special word "{ME}" (without quotes) -- this translates to "exactly the handle I'm currently using in the chat"
* Several words, separated by vertical bars (|)

For example, let's say my real name is "John", and some people in the chat know this, but I usually go by the handles "DiamondLife" and "JDL". I might choose to put: "jdl|john|diamond|dlife" (without quotes of course) in the highlight box. That way if anyone writes a line with "jdl", "john", "diamond" (including "diamondlife", since that has "diamond" within), or "dlife", that line will be highlighted.

Also, it doesn't matter how the words are capitalized.

Hope you find this a useful feature... I have!

Ben

Good idea Ben
mspop

I wonder if this "highlightning thingie" will make me miss out on all the juicy bits out there, not directed to me?
I might bcome so busy staring after posts to me, that I will miss out on all the sleaze'n'greaze.
I know that @ least TSFKAT will miss my wit and "hawkeye"

I also wonder if this new feature was requested or if it's Ben's own lack of keeping up in the chat that brought it on J/K man ur work, now just give us (bull)shit-, pig-, hug-, foot-emoticon and I'll b set 4 life