# MIRC scripting language > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/MIRC_scripting_language > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/MIRC_scripting_language.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIRC_scripting_language > Source revision: 1355407373 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Scripting language embedded in mIRC This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (August 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article is in list format but may read better as prose. You can help by converting this article, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (August 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) mIRC Scripting Language Paradigm Event-driven programming, Procedural programming Designed by Khaled Mardam-Bey Developer Khaled Mardam-Bey First appeared 1995 (1995) Typing discipline Dynamic typing OS Microsoft Windows License Proprietary software Filename extensions .mrc, .ini Website www.mirc.com Major implementations mIRC AdiIRC[1][2][3] mIRC scripts editor (built-in) The **mIRC scripting language** (often unofficially abbreviated to "**mSL**"[3][4]) is the [scripting language](/source/Scripting_language) embedded in [mIRC](/source/MIRC) and [Adiirc](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adiirc&action=edit&redlink=1), [IRC](/source/IRC) clients for [Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows) but work with [WiNE for Linux](/source/Wine_(software)). ## Primary uses - Light channel and personal protection against many types of attacks (flooding, spamming, takeovers, etc.). - Dialog windows can be created in mIRC to better serve user-compatibility; rather than everything in popup menus. - Popular mIRC dialog extensions include MDX (**m**IRC **D**ialog **Ex**tension) and DCX (**D**ialog **C**ontrol **Ex**tension). There are also a few versions of mdx.dll and dcx.dll modded by IRC hackers. - [Bots](/source/IRC_bot) that provide automated IRC channel management, trivia or other games, and other desired functions for chatters. - Commands that save typing or otherwise simplify life on IRC (such as automatically [identifying](/source/IRC_services) as the owner of a nickname). - Proxy **CONNECT** servers (www.mslscript.com) and **Bounce** servers ([ZNC](/source/ZNC)) to replace **some** mSL scripting with faster code and convenient features. ## Script storage Scripts are stored as either plain text files, usually with a .mrc [file extension](/source/File_extension), or as [INI files](/source/INI_file). They, however, can be stored with any extension. Multiple script files can be loaded at one time, although in some cases, one script will conflict with another and cause one or both of them to no longer work properly. The order in which in the script files are loaded may make a difference if the script functions properly or not. A (un)loader-script MUST be used for semi-large scripts to function as intended. ## Language features This section may be too technical for most readers to understand. Please help improve it to make it understandable to non-experts, without removing the technical details. (August 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) mIRC scripting language uses its own nomenclature to refer to language constructs. (However, whilst this can be a little confusing to newcomers, they do not impact on the functionality of mSL.) - Built-in functions are termed **commands** or, if they return a value, **identifiers**. - Custom scripted [functions](/source/Function_(computer_science)) are called **aliases**. Aliases that return a value are known as **custom identifiers**. Both are called from the command line or other parts of a script in the same ways as built-in commands and identifiers (and can even supersede them). - **Popups** are scripted [context menu](/source/Context_menu) items. Popups are called when they are selected by the user. The term originally referred to the menus—which pop up upon a right click. It is still used this way in the manual. - Remotes are [event-handling](/source/Event_handler) scripts. Remotes are called when the event they handle occurs. - All variables are [dynamically typed](/source/Dynamic_typing). - [Hash tables](/source/Hash_table) are available for larger data storage; [arrays](/source/Array) are not. - mIRC scripts make use of [sigils](/source/Sigil_(computer_programming)). Identifiers (whether custom or built-in) are preceded by $, binary variables are preceded by &, and other variables (whether local or global) are preceded by %. Commands and aliases are not preceded by any particular character (although when entered from a window's command line they must be preceded by the command prefix, usually /). ### File handling - Scripts can read from and write to files [$read(file,[args]) | /write ] The above is intended for singular access to the file. Because each time you issue $read or /write you open and close the file for access. Multiple accesses, during a loop for instance, is best handled through /fopen, /fwrite and /fclose. Since this opens the file only once. In some cases /filter and /savebuf is an even more efficient (non scripted loop) method. - Scripts can also copy and delete files. [/copy | /remove] ### Binary variables - Contain unlimited (8192 bytes prior to mIRC 6.1) raw data - Globally accessible via commands and identifiers - Automatically unset when script returns control to mIRC (and not to another part of a script) - Prefixed with & (e.g. &Variable) - Cannot be accessed other than by /bread and /bwrite, so these variables cannot be passed onto other parts of the script ### Hash tables - May contain unlimited binary data or up to 4,150 (950 prior to mIRC 6.32) bytes of plain text. This limit is imposed by mIRC's scripting parser's own line length limitation (unless assigning a binary variable) - Globally accessible via commands and identifiers - Automatically unset when exiting mIRC as they are only stored in memory - Can be saved for later use - Not prefixed - Faster than accessing from a file, as hash tables are stored in memory rather than the hard disk - Size limited only by the computer's memory limits. - Allows any bucket size to be used ### Global variables - May contain up to 4,150 (950 prior to mIRC 6.32) bytes of data including its name (however due to line-length limitations in mIRC's scripting parser, a maximum of 4,146 bytes can be assigned explicitly using /set or /var — this number decreasing as the variable's name grows longer) - Cannot store NUL (ASCII 0) or trailing spaces - Globally accessible - Do not automatically unset unless a switch is used (stored automatically in a mIRC initialization file) - Prefixed with % (e.g. %Variable) - Created using the set command or var -g or %Variable = value notation ### Local variables - May contain up to 4,150 (950 prior to mIRC 6.32) bytes of data including the variable name (however due to line-length limitations in mIRC's scripting parser, a maximum of 4,146 bytes can be assigned explicitly using the /set or /var commands — this number decreasing as the variable's name grows longer) - Can store NUL (ASCII 0) or trailing spaces - Are destroyed when the triggered alias or event ends - Prefixed with % (e.g. %Variable) - Created using the var command. var is merely an internal alias for set -l but var poses the means to declare multiple local variables on a single line (e.g. var %a = 1, %b, %c = 2) ## Limitations - Scripting parser supports a maximum of 8,292 (950 prior to mIRC 6.32) characters per line (not including newlines or indentation). - Strings are not syntactically enclosed, creating ambiguities in code where characters meant as literal strings are treated as part of the language's [syntax](/source/Syntax). - Each line of code is broken down into a set of space-delimited tokens. As mIRC's parser does not support null tokens and the language doesn't provide a syntax to clearly differentiate literal strings from code; Prior to mIRC version 6.2 it was impossible to pass multiple consecutive spaces to any command or alias. However, this was fixed with the introduction of the returnex command which allows the preservation of spaces. ## Code examples The code below is in the remote scripts format. If placed into an alias file, the command names should not be preceded by the word "alias". Test Comments include the common /* comment */ and ;comment. Here is an example of a [Hello World](/source/%22Hello%2C_World!%22_program) alias: ;Defines the alias 'hello' in the remote script ;Note: if this is placed in an alias script, ;the 'alias' part must be removed (result: hello {) ;Usage: /hello alias hello { ;Displays(/echo) 'Hello World!' into the active window(-a) echo -a Hello World! } A remote script to automatically respond to certain text ;Placed in a remote script ;When a user types Hello! in a channel, ;you answer back: Hello, [nickname]! on *:TEXT:Hello!:#:{ msg $chan Hello, $nick $+ ! } ;When a user types Hello! in a private message, ;you answer back: Hello, [nickname]! on *:TEXT:Hello!:?: { msg $nick Hello, $nick $+ ! } ;Here is a script which automatically gives voice to a user ;who joins a particular channel (The Bot or user should have HOP) on *:JOIN:#?: { mode $chan +v $nick } ;A bad word script on *:Text:die*:#: { .mode $chan +b $nick | kick $chan $nick Dont say that again } ## See also - [Internet Relay Chat](/source/Internet_Relay_Chat) - [mIRC](/source/MIRC) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Features – AdiIRC – AdiIRC Support/Bugs/Feature Requests"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201202144248/https://dev.adiirc.com/projects/adiirc/wiki/Features#26-Scripting-Engine). Per Amundsen. Archived from [the original](https://dev.adiirc.com/projects/adiirc/wiki/Features#26-Scripting-Engine) on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Scripting – AdiIRC – AdiIRC Support/Bugs/Feature Requests"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201202145150/https://dev.adiirc.com/projects/adiirc/wiki/Scripting#mIRC-scripting-compatibility). Per Amundsen. Archived from [the original](https://dev.adiirc.com/projects/adiirc/wiki/Scripting#mIRC-scripting-compatibility) on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Slant_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Slant_3-1) ["mIRC vs AdiIRC detailed comparison as of 2020 – Slant"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201202151151/https://www.slant.co/versus/4185/4195/~mirc_vs_adiirc). Parli, Inc. Archived from [the original](https://www.slant.co/versus/4185/4195/~mirc_vs_adiirc) on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*mIRC Scripting Language – WikiChip*](https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031552/https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/MIRC#article-title), WikiChip LLC, archived from [the original](https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/mirc#article-title) on 12 November 2020 - Smith, Chris. (2004). ["Hack #20 Automate IRC with Scripting" in *IRC Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools*](https://books.google.com/books?id=MbHAnBh9AqQC&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PA71). Paul Mutton, ed. O'Reilly Media, Inc. pp. 71–74. *(In-depth example of script features and usage)* - Jose Nazario (2004)[*Defense and Detection Strategies Against Internet Worms*](https://books.google.com/books?id=swfZIwWZepYC&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PA53). Artech House, 2004. p. 53, 55. *(Discusses 1997 mIRC script attack.)* - Ken Dunham, Jim Melnick (2008) [*Malicious Bots: An Inside Look into the Cyber-Criminal Underground of the Internet*](https://books.google.com/books?id=nmgK7KcibSUC&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PA9). CRC Press. p. 7-31. *(In-depth analysis/reverse engineering of mIRC-script-based malware bot)* - [Peter Szor](/source/Peter_Szor) (2005). [*The Art of Computer Virus Research and Defense*](https://books.google.com/books?id=XE-ddYF6uhYC&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PT141). Pearson Education. Ch. 3.7.7. - David Harley, Robert S. Vibert (2007). [*AVIEN Malware Defense Guide for the Enterprise*](https://books.google.com/books?id=LBzXf0A-jQwC&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PA147). Elsevier. p. 147. (usage in script attacks) - Esharenana E. Adomi (2008). [*Security and Software for Cybercafés*](https://books.google.com/books?id=jZwaZhCqbEAC&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PT195). Idea Group Inc (IGI). p. 173. - Markus Jakobsson, Zulfikar Ramzan. (2008). [*Crimeware: Understanding New Attacks and Defenses*](https://books.google.com/books?id=U8bh6a9Jvz0C&dq=mIRC+scripting+language&pg=PA194). Addison-Wesley Professional. p. 194. ## External links Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: ***[mIRC Scripting](https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/mIRC_Scripting)*** - [Official mIRC website](https://www.mirc.com/) - [Online version of mIRC help file](https://www.mirc.com/help/html/index.html) - [WikiChip mIRC pages](https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/mirc) — A Wiki-based user-maintained help reference primarily for mIRC scripting v t e Internet Relay Chat (IRC) Comparison of clients Common terms BNC Bot DoS attack Flood Netsplit Operator Script IRCd Services Takeover Related protocols IRCX MSN Chat CTCP DCC XDCC Ident Networks DALnet EFnet Freenode GameSurge IRCnet Libera Chat OFTC QuakeNet Rizon RusNet SlashNET Snoonet Undernet Technology Eggdrop SASL Infobot BitlBee ZNC UnrealIRCd See also List of commands Subculture Jarkko Oikarinen Clients macOS Colloquy Fire Homer Ircle Linkinus Snak Microsoft Windows Bersirc mIRC Microsoft Comic Chat PIRCH Shareaza Visual IRC Unix-like ircII Ii Cross-platform Ayttm BitchX IRC Cloud Irssi Konversation KVIrc LeafChat naim Nettalk Smuxi WeeChat HexChat PJIRC Quassel IRC XChat Multi-IM Centericq Empathy Kopete Miranda NG Pidgin Trillian Web-based CGI:IRC PJIRC Mibbit Web browser components ChatZilla Mozilla Application Suite Mozilla Thunderbird Library and plug-ins ERC rcirc Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [MIRC scripting language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIRC_scripting_language) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIRC_scripting_language?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.