The abbreviation CTCP stands for Client ton Client Protocol, a special form of communication between IRC Clients.

CTCP extends thereby normal IRC text messages by special instructions, by which certain messages can be queried be dispatched and information of the receiver. Among other things the local time (TIME), the version information of the used IRC Clients (VERSION) and the material user name (FINGER). The usual IRC Clients understands these inquiries and answers it according to the user attitudes. According to standard the version inquiry is answered frequently at least.

In addition CTCP is used by the CTCP ACTION instruction for the implementation of the pseudo-code /me, by which a message is interpreted with the receiver as "“action"” and represented accordingly (e.g. "“pitch name left the computer"”).

The moreover with CTCP DCC a direct DCC connection between two IRC Clients is developed.

The CTCP specification is so far in no official RFC fixed to IRC minutes and only in fact a standard.

CTCP inquiries

CTCP inquiries can be sent away into the usual IRC Clients usually by the input of the following instruction:

/CTCP <nickname> INSTRUCTION 

INSTRUCTION stands here for the actual instruction, which is to be implemented over CTCP.

A selection of frequently used CTCP instructions:

• PING returns the latency of the IRC connection between the own computer and that of the receiver. Example:

Instruction: /CTCP anonym PING

Answer: 2secs

• VERSION returns the version information of the used Clients. Example:

Instruction: /CTCP anonym VERSION

Answer: mIRC v6.16 Khaled Mardam Bey

• TIME returns the system time, usually the local time, the receiver. Example:

Instruction: /CTCP anonym TIME

Answer: Oct sows 02 03:05: 54 2004

• FINGER returns the Idle time, the name as well as the registered E-Mail address of the Chatters. Example:

Instruction: /CTCP anonym FINGER

Answer: anonymous (ano@nym.de) Idle 82 seconds (-)

See also

• DCC (Direct Client ton Client)

Related links

• The CTCP specification

Articles in category "CTCP"

We found here 3 articles.

Related Websites

We found here 4 related websites.

• A Short IRC Primer
  These commands make use of CTCP, a client-to-client protocol crafted to ... There is a mechanism for you to find out what you can use: CTCP CLIENTINFO. ...


• Client-To-Client Protocol (CTCP) Documentation
  Specifications for CTCP as well as DCC protocols which are now standard supplements of IRC.


• CTCP/2 Information
  This page contains information and links about CTCP/2, a protocol being crafted for IRC ... The best way to find out about CTCP/2 is to read our draft. ...


• Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
  The CTCP protocol involves different levels of encapsulation and quoting, ... Suggestions include sending only 1 CTCP reply per second, counting requests ...