docs/helpserv.txt

   1 Installing
   2 ----------
   3 * Add helpserv to the --enable-modules list in ./configure
   4 * /msg opserv bind opserv helpserv *helpserv.helpserv
   5 See the FAQ for more info re helpserv and memoserv.
   6
   7 How HelpServ Works
   8 ------------------
   9
  10 HelpServ is a bot designed to help with queues of questions (or
  11 support requests).  It's designed to work well in multiple channels
  12 at once.
  13
  14 There is a one-to-one mapping between help bots and channels they act
  15 in; this is to allow privmsgs to work without having users specify a
  16 channel (which is much easier to use).  For example, HelpServ might be
  17 in #support, and Interview could be in #counterstrike; both would be
  18 bots of this kind, but they would have totally separate user lists and
  19 data sets.
  20
  21 Each channel/help bot has a set of "helper" users, defined by the
  22 channel admin(s).  In the rest of this document, I will use "helper"
  23 to indicate someone on the helper list for the channel, and "user" to
  24 indicate all other users.  There are also "manager" users and one
  25 "owner" for the bot.
  26
  27 There are two primary modes: "command mode" and "help mode."  Helpers
  28 default to command mode, and other users default to help mode.
  29 Command mode uses a command parser similar to the standard services.
  30 Help mode queues each user's messages into a virtual folder for later
  31 perusal by a helper.  A helper who is actively using "help mode" may
  32 issue "command mode" lines by prefixing them with a "command word" for
  33 the channel.
  34
  35 In Help Mode
  36 ------------
  37
  38 When a normal user joins the channel, a customizable greeting is sent.
  39 This usually tells the user to privmsg the bot for help (or to queue a
  40 question).  It is recommended that this include a URL to a FAQ.  The
  41 bot then shuts up until the user msgs them again.
  42
  43 When a user msgs the bot for the first time after they join, it opens
  44 a virtual folder for them.  The time of this request is filed, and
  45 they are added to a queue.  It also sends another customizable
  46 message.  The virtual folder is kept active until a helper closes it
  47 or the user is "lost"; when the virtual folder is closed, it is
  48 written out to a file (with statistics on when it was opened, closed,
  49 if (and when) it was picked up by a helper, etc).
  50
  51 A user is "lost" when:
  52  - For QUIT-based requests (or queues), the user disconnects from IRC.
  53  - For PART-based requests, the user parts the channel.
  54  - For handle-based requests, the handle is unregistered.
  55 The "default" mode for queues is close-based -- which behaves as
  56 handle-based if the user is authed and quit-based otherwise.
  57
  58 Helpers may also annotate an existing request, using the NOTE command.
  59
  60 In Command Mode
  61 ---------------
  62
  63 The following commands are defined:
  64
  65 LIST - show the currently open requests (unassigned first, then
  66   assigned)
  67
  68 NEXT - acts as PICKUP for the next unassigned request
  69
  70 PICKUP <reqno> - assign request number to self
  71
  72 REASSIGN <reqno> <helpernick|*handle> - reassign request to another
  73   (online) helper
  74
  75 CLOSE <reqno> <comment> - close request, with comment
  76 CLOSELAST <comment>     - close last PICKUP'ed or HANDOFF'ed request
  77
  78 NOTE [<reqno>] <comment> - add a note to a request (if not a number, use last assigned)
  79
  80 TOGMODE - switch between command mode and help mode
  81
  82 IGNORE <handle>         - Ignore the specified handle (or hostmask)
  83 IGNORE <nick!user@host> - in the future.  Does not close current requests.
  84
  85 ADDMANAGER <nick|*handle> - add or remove a manager or helper
  86 DELMANAGER <nick|*handle>   (managers may add and remove users
  87 ADDHELPER <nick|*handle>    and see statistics for anyone)
  88 DELHELPER <nick|*handle>
  89
  90 PAGE [<explanation>] - send a page, if enabled
  91
  92 SET [<option> <value>] - set an option:
  93   - GREETING - message sent when user joins channel
  94   - OPENREQ - message sent when user opens a request
  95   - CLOSEREQ - message sent to requester when a request is closed
  96   - CMDWORD - "command mode" escape word (for helpers in help mode)
  97   - PAGEDEST - target for pages
  98   - PAGEMSG - default page text (if no explanation when PAGE invoked)
  99   - IDLETIME - how long (with users, not helpers in the channel) before
 100                bot complains to PAGEDEST
 101   - WHINETIME - how long before an unhandled request will make the bot
 102                 complain to PAGEDEST
 103   - WHINEINTERVAL - how frequently the bot will complain about unhandled
 104                     requests, or users in channel without heleprs there
 105   - REASSIGN - privileges to use REASSIGN (helper, manager, owner)
 106
 107 STATS [<nick|*handle>] - show statistics for nick/handle (must be self,
 108                          or self must be a manager; defaults to self)
 109
 110 STATSREPORT - show overall statistics (such as?)
 111
 112 Statistics
 113 ----------
 114
 115 For any helper (includes managers), the following statistics are kept:
 116
 117 - Time in channel (total, this week, this month)
 118 - Requests "picked up"
 119 - Requests closed
 120 - Requests handed off
 121 - Handoffs received