Help

Document number: HClite.70
Copyright (c) 2001-2012 1stWorks Corporation. All rights reserved.

Help provides quick information for hotComm Lite.

For more information see the online User Guide.
Click here to print this document.
For questions and trouble-shooting, see the hotComm Support page.

To see the Help in a browser instead of in the hotGuide window, click the hotGuide titlebar and then press CTRL-N (the Control and N keys at the same time).

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Register, Export-Import, Licenses

When you install hotComm Lite, you create an identity account or you import a copy of your existing license. See Register a new account.

The first installation by a new user includes an automatic free trial, then you purchase a license to continue using hotComm Lite. When you purchase, you are sent a 24-character License Unlock Code that you apply in the software to activate your license time. When that license expires (or before), you renew by purchasing a new license and applying a new License Unlock Code. See Licenses.

Optionally, you can export a copy of your license and import it into other computers. You can then run hotComm Lite from any of those computers, but you can only log in from one at a time. See Export-Import.

If you want to run hotComm Lite on more than one computer at the same time, you must use a unique email address and license for each copy.

Register a new account

To register a new identity account:

In the "Your hotComm Lite Identity" window, enter:

Identity - the name or nickname you want to be known as in the rooms or sessions.

Target server and room - the address of the room you visit most often. You can change this later. The format is: relayserver:roomname

Email address - the email address for this hotComm Lite registration. You must have a unique email address for each hotComm registration.

and click Next

This sends a request to the 1stWorks Registration Server to create an identity account for you. The account is based on your email address. An acknowledgement and activation is sent automatically from the registration server to your computer, and this completes the registration.
Then, hotComm Lite starts automatically.

Export-Import

Once you've unlocked a license, you can import copies of it to multiple computers, and log in from any of them, but only from one at a time. You can either export the license from the first computer and import it into the others, or you may be able to use the automatic backup that we make whenever you enter a new unlock code, if it is still available.

The temporary password for the automatic backup is the last 4 characters of the most recent unlock code you entered.

To export a copy of the license from your computer:

Right-click the hotComm icon in the lower right corner of your Windows taskbar and select Export License. (Note: trials and expired licenses cannot be exported, only current, valid licenses.)
Create a temporary password to use for the export, and click OK.
Write down the email address and the temporary password shown. You need them for the import.

To import a previously exported license:

In the "Your hotComm Lite Identity" window, enter:

Identity (required) - the name or nickname you want to be known as in the rooms or sessions.

Target site (optional) - the address of the room you visit most often (Server:Roomname). You can change this later.

and click Import License

In the "Import License" window, enter the email address of your existing registration and the temporary password.

Note: the email address MUST be the same as that for the license you exported.

If you are importing the automatic backup, the temporary password is the last 4 characters of the most recent unlock code you entered. Note that this backup is usually, but not always, available.
Click OK. Close hotComm Lite and restart it. The license will be imported when hotComm starts. (Note: you may need to restart hotComm Lite several more times until the data is completely imported.)

Licenses

Purchasing a new license

You purchase a license online at www.hotcomm.com/order.asp. See the License FAQ on that page.
After your purchase, you are sent two emails:
- [email protected] sends an email confirming payment. Or you can use Standard Credit Card.
- License Manager ([email protected] sends an email containing a 24-character License Unlock Code. The email includes instructions for how to apply the unlock code.
Note: Both emails are sent to the email address you gave PayPal. Check your email spam filter. If you have not received the unlock code within 2 hours, send an email to [email protected], requesting a copy. Be sure to include the email address you gave for the registration.

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Basics

To use hotComm Lite:

Start hotComm Lite

Double-click the hotComm Lite startup icon on your desktop.
- or -
Select hotComm Lite from the 1stWorks hotComm Lite entries in your Windows Start menu.

Get online

Wait while hotComm connects to the 1stWorks Network. When the earphones on the hotComm headset icon in your Windows taskbar (lower right corner of your desktop) change from white to red and blue, then your hotComm is online.

What you see

This opens an empty hotComm Lite window.

Connect

After a moment or so, you are prompted for a Target site. This would be the name of a Server:hotCommRoom (such as: Relay:Support).

Note: To open the Target Site prompt yourself, click the Green Person button in the hotComm Lite toolbar. After you've successfully connected to your room, this should be one of your available choices in the drop down list of formerly visited rooms on hotComm.

Then
what?

When a connection is made, you see:

Transcript - the top white panel shows connection and other information.
Typing area - the lower white panel is where you type to post messages.
Invited List - a list of moderators and attendees.

To change from word-by-word typing to line-by-line, select Options, and uncheck Word-by-Word

If someone is presenting in the room, you may hear them speak and see a second window containing chart, slides, graphics or other materials.

Invited
List

This panel lists the identities of the people who are in the session. The little icons next to their nicknames tell you several things:

Icon	Meaning
Microphone	Person has their microphone turned on.
Green dot	This is you. Each person sees themself with a green dot.
Red headphones	The Room server robot or remote SysOp.
Blue headphones	hotComm Standard/Pro moderator
Green headphones	hotComm Standard/Pro user
Pink headphones	hotComm Standard/Pro with OUT/DND status
Yellow L	hotComm Lite user with "In" status
Pink L	hotComm Lite user with "Out" status
Blue Lc	hotComm CL moderator
Blue L with Yellow c	hotComm CL presenter
Yellow Lc	hotComm CL user
J	A Java client guest
J or L with red hook	Firewalled user

Private Message. To send a private text message to someone in the session, double-click their name in the Invited List, type the message and click Send now. Only you and they can see the message.

Moderators and Presenters right-click menu. Moderators and Presenters can right-click on a name and see a menu of options for managing the individual guests.

Close session

To close a session, click the Close button (Red X) in the hotComm Lite toolbar.

Close hotComm Lite

To close hotComm Lite, click the Windows Close button (X) in the upper right corner of the hotComm Lite window.

More Information: See hotComm Lite in the online User Guide.

Change Nickname

To Change Nickname, select Options, then Change Nickname. Change your nickname. Close hotComm Lite, then restart it.

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Features

hotComm Lite has many features. The features below use the lower white panel, under the Middle Toolbar. Also see: Middle Toolbar, View Selector, and Top Toolbar.

Text chat

Type in the panel underneath the Middle Toolbar. A transcript of messages and responses appears in the panel above the Middle Toolbar.

Text messages are sent word-by-word (one word at a time), as you type, but press the Enter key when you're done with the paragraph.

Drag & drop
file transfers

During a session, you can instantly send a file to the other hotComm and Java users in the session.

Using My Computer (or other file system manager), find the file, highlight its name, and drag it into the panel under the Middle Toolbar. The file opens automatically in a hotWeb window if the user has an application associated with the file type. (If there is no associated application, then the user can save the file without opening it.)

You can markup the file using Transparent Collaborator or edit it with Collaborate.

hotComm automatically saves the file in the user's hotComm/UPLOADS folder.

Important Reminders: All hotComm Messages are totally PRIVATE between you and your session users. Please respect Copyright Law when making file transfers.

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Middle Toolbar Features

These are the Middle Toolbar features. Also see: Features, View Selector, and Top Toolbar.

Note: The Close button appears, and the hotCam button disappears, when Simple Control is enabled. To enable or disable Simple Control, right-click on any visible toolbar, and select Simple Control from the menu.

Middle Toolbar

Voice (VoIP)

You can chat by voice, using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. The Voice button shows the type of Voice Chat available for the current session:

Stays on
Click the Voice button to turn the microphone on. The microphone stays on until you click the button again.

To change volume settings, right-click the Voice button to change volume settings.

More information: See Audio in the online User Guide.

Sounds

hotComm provides a set of sounds that you can send during a session. hotComm and IM-Live Java users can hear the sounds through their computer speakers, and see text such as <Applause!> in the panel above the Middle Toolbar.

To send a sound, click the Send Sounds button (Ear) and select a sound from the menu.

More information: See Sounds in the online User Guide.

hotCam
screenshots

During a session, you can send screenshots of your desktop or charts.

To send a screenshot, click the hotCam button (camera), bring the open window to the front by clicking on its titlebar, and click anywhere in the window area. hotCam shoots the picture and sends it. On each user's computer, the screenshot displays in a hotCam window, and is saved automatically in the user's hotComm/UPLOADS folder.

hotCam can send images in several methods:

Still (one-time screenshots)
Still Collaborative (screenshots that you can mark up)
Timed (updating screenshots of the same window - most users are not allowed to use the Timed Camera feature in a room - your moderator will have an updated screen showing)

To set a method, right-click the hotCam icon (camera) and select an option from the hotCam menu.

More information: See hotCam in the online User Guide.

Record
Audio Only

To record session audio, click the A-in-a-circle icon. This records the audio as a *.WAV file, stored in your hotComm Lite Transcripts folder.

To play the recording:

Right-click the A-in-a-circle icon
Click Maintain Library
Right-click on the filename, and select Open with ....
Select the program you want to use to play the recording with.

To close the session, click this Close button.

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View Selector Toolbar

These are the View Selector Toolbar features. Also see: Features, Middle Toolbar, and Top Toolbar.

Note: The View Selector toolbar disappears when Simple Control is enabled. To enable or disable Simple Control, right-click on any visible toolbar, and select Simple Control from the menu.

View Selector

Invited Users Panel	To show or hide the Invited Users Panel, click the Invited Users button (yellow window). This panel shows the nicknames of everyone who is connected in this session.
hotWeb	To show or hide the hotWeb toolbar, click the hotWeb button (Globe). During a session, you can show Internet pages to the others in the session. To send a web page, enter its address in the hotWeb toolbar, in the Address field. The pages display in a hotWeb window. You can: Navigate jointly. Select Navigate or Full Control from the hotWeb Collaborate menu, and then click the links. Mark-up the page using Transparent Collaborator. More information: See hotWeb in the online User Guide.
WhiteBoard	Use the WhiteBoard to draw and type onto a plain white background. A Selections toolbox gives you a choice of colors, line widths and other characteristics. The WhiteBoard and the hotWeb Transparent Collaborator are similar, except for the background. To open the WhiteBoard, click the WhiteBoard button on the Top Toolbar. The Whiteboard opens in a hotWeb window. To send or email a screenshot of the Whiteboard (with mark-ups) to all session users, select Send Screenshot or Email Screenshot from the hotWeb Collaborate menu. More information: See WhiteBoard and Selections Toolbox in the online User Guide.
Transparent Collaborator	You can mark-up and draw over the contents of a hotWeb or Whiteboard window. From the hotWeb Collaborate menu, select Transparent Collaborator. This brings up the Selections Toolbox, which has options for color, line width, text, area, and more. To send or email a screenshot of your current hotWeb window (with mark-ups) to all session users, select Send Screenshot or Email Screenshot from the hotWeb Collaborate menu. More information: See Transparent Collaborator, Selections Toolbox and hotWeb in the online User Guide.
Collaborate	You can edit the contents of a hotWeb window. From the hotWeb Collaborate menu, select Full Control. Any user who has selected Full Control may edit the file at the same time. To prevent other users from editing while you edit, select Exclusive Control instead. More information: See Collaborate in the online User Guide.

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Top Toolbar Features

These are the Top Toolbar features. Also see: Features, Middle Toolbar, and View Selector.

Note: The Top Toolbar disappears when Simple Control is enabled. To enable or disable Simple Control, right-click on any visible toolbar, and select Simple Control from the menu.

Top Toolbar

Close	To close the session, click the Close button.
Transcript buttons	You can save, print, and email transcripts of the text displayed in the panel above the Middle Toolbar. To save a transcript, click the Save Session Transcript button (diskette) in the Top Toolbars, and enter a filename and location. The transcript is saved in rich text format (RTF), with a .HCS extension. To print a transcript of an open session, click the Print button (printer) in the Top Toolbars. You can email a transcript of an open session directly from hotComm, in rich text format (RTF) or plain text. To email the transcript, click the Email Session Transcript button (mailbox) in the Top Toolbars. An email message opens for you to complete and send. More information: See Transcripts in the online User Guide.
Edit buttons	The Cut, Copy and Paste buttons have standard Windows Edit behavior.
Print buttons	The Print, Print Preview and Page Setup buttons have standard Windows Print behavior.
About hotComm	Click the About button to display copyright and revision information.

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For more extensive and specialized information, see the hotComm Support web site.

Please send comments about this document to [email protected].