===Chat Channels===

Wintermute facilitates site communication via the use of chat channels; they are identified by name. A channel is spawned for every [[concepts:Zones|zone]] and [[concepts:Groups|group]] - but other channels can be created as the user requires.

Chat channels can be viewed and interacted with either via Wintermute or from a [[concepts:remotes:|remote node]].

Chat channels are also scanned for [[concepts:groups:tags|#tags]] - when found, they will be appended to the containing object's collection of tags.

==Chat Channels as Parameters==

When you want to refer to an existing channel programmatically, you can:

<box 50% right blue|FYI...> Previously, when you wanted to refer to a chat channel directly, you added @ to the name - this is still OK as it will just be removed
</box>

  * Refer to the name directly with text or via a [[concepts:variables:references|variable reference]]
  * Use the syntax #[Position] to refer to the audience group at a particular point in the show flow, e.g. #5
  * Use a show zone's [[concepts:variables:special | groupID]] variable in a reference to get the name of the (last) group in that zone.

==Relevant Commands==

  * [[commands:general_commands:new_chat]]
  * [[commands:general_commands:reset_chat]]
  * [[commands:general_commands:message_chat]]
  * [[commands:general_commands:write_chat]]