Using Sametime Awareness and Chat

If the QuickPlace server administrator of your place has enabled the Sametime Awareness and Chat capability, you can chat with other QuickPlace members. In a chat session, two or more members exchange messages by typing them in a chat window. As soon as the sender finishes typing a message, it appears on the receiver's screen. When the receiver replies to the message, the reply appears below the original message on both screens, so all parties have a temporary transcript of the chat session. When a member of your place invites you to join a Sametime chat session, you can choose to join or close the chat box.

The Chat feature provides a Members Online capability that lists all members of the place who are currently online in the place. In the Members Online window, users can sign into their team's place and open the window to see if another coworker is available. If a coworker is available, they are listed as Active in the People Online list within the Members Online window, and the other team member may click on the coworker's name to start a chat. If a user has their Sametime Connect client open, and is online, they can chat with another team member via Connect.

The Sametime Awareness feature supports a context-specific functionality called Sametime Links. Using Sametime Links, members can spontaneously encounter other members within the context of the content they have authored. For example, if you are reading a page in the Project Schedule room, and the author of that page is currently online, you will notice that a green square icon appears next to their name, indicating that they are presently online. You can click on the member's name to start a chat session.

Starting a Sametime instant chat session

If the QuickPlace server administrator has enabled Sametime on the QuickPlace server, you can chat with any other QuickPlace member who currently appears in the Members Online window. You can chat with one person or multiple QuickPlace members.

To start a chat session with a QuickPlace member:

1. Click Chat in the table of contents.
2. In the Members Online window that appears on the screen, double-click the name of the person with whom you want to chat.
3. In the chat dialog box that appears on the screen, type your message and then press Enter or click Send.
4. To end the chat session, click Close.

Note To participate in simultaneous, individual chat sessions with multiple QuickPlace members, double-click on each name of the person with whom you want to chat. You will launch individual chat dialog boxes for each person whose name you clicked, which allows you to participate in individual chat sessions with each of these members.

Starting a Sametime instant multi-way chat session If you would like to involve multiple QuickPlace members in a single chat session, you can start a multi-way chat. In a multi-way chat session, everyone who participates in the chat can view and respond to the ongoing chat within a single view.

To start a multi-way chat session with multiple QuickPlace members:

1. Click Chat in the table of contents.
2. In the Members Online window that appears on the screen, you will see a list of all users who are presently online. You can either invite all users into the multi-way chat, or invite only certain users from this list.
   
   To invite all users into the multi-way chat, right-click on a user's name, then click Invite All.
   
   To invite only certain users, select invitees from the list by clicking a name and holding down the Shift or Ctrl key. Right-click on the selected names, then choose the Message menu option.
3. Enter your message in the Message field, then click Send.
4. A three-pane dialog box appears on the screen, from which you can carry on the multi-way chat session.

Note In the three-pane dialog box, the list of chat participants appears in the right pane, and the chat dialog windows will appear in the upper and lower left panes.

1. Click Invite Others to invite more members into the chat, or click Leave to exit the chat.

Starting a Sametime instant chat session using Sametime Links

If you are reading a page in a room within your place and want to chat with the author of that page, you can use the Sametime Links capability to chat with them if they are currently online.

To start a chat session using Sametime Links:

1. Check to see if the member with whom you want to chat is online.
2. If they are online, a green square icon will appear next to their name.

If the member is online, click their name to begin a Sametime instant chat session.

Ending a Sametime instant chat session

If your QuickPlace browser window is closed, then click Close from the message menu to end a chat session. To remain available for future chat sessions with QuickPlace members, leave the Members Online window open or minimize it, and make sure your online status is set to "I am Active."

Changing your online status in the Members Online window

You have the option of changing your online status within the Members Online window, in order to indicate whether you are available for a chat session or meeting.

To change your online status in the Members Online window:

1. Click I am Active at the bottom of the Members Online window, or click the drop down arrow next to your name in the top right corner of the screen.
2. You will have the option to change your status from "I am Active" to: "I am Away," "Do not Disturb Me," or "Log Off from Sametime."

Note If you choose "I am Away," the icon next to your name in the Members Online window will change from a green square to a yellow diamond. If you choose "Do not Disturb Me," a "do not disturb" icon will appear next to your name in the Members Online window. If you choose "Log Off from Sametime," the "I am Active" message will then say "Disconnected," and the members in the Members Online window will no longer be highlighted.

Reconnecting to Sametime after logging off

You can reconnect to Sametime after logging off, in order to reactivate the Members Online window.

To reconnect to Sametime after logging off:

1. In the Members Online window, click on Disconnected.
2. Choose Reconnect to Sametime. The list of names in the Members Online window will be highlighted again.