Chat & Reactions

chatmessagesreactionsmentionsrepliesattachmentsdirect-messages

Opening the Chat

Click the chat button in the control bar to open the chat sidebar. A badge appears on the button when you have unread messages.

The chat sidebar has tabs:

  • Chat — Ripple message history and compose. If direct messaging is available, the Chat tab has sub-tabs for Ripple Chat and Direct Messages.
  • People — participant list with status indicators and hand-raise badges
  • Polls — view and respond to polls (visible to organisers; participants see polls inline)

Sending Messages

Type your message in the input field and press Enter to send. For a new line without sending, use Shift+Enter.

Chat supports:

  • Mentions — type @ followed by a participant's name to mention them. An autocomplete dropdown helps you find the right person.
  • Links — URLs are automatically linked
  • Emoji — use emoji characters directly in your messages

Replies

You can reply to a specific message to keep conversations threaded. Hover over a message and click the reply button. Your reply shows a preview of the original message above your text, making it easy to follow the conversation.

Reactions

Hover over a message to see the reaction options. Click an emoji to react. Multiple people can react with the same emoji — the count appears next to it. Click your own reaction again to remove it.

Attachments

When attachments are enabled, you can share files and images in chat:

  • Images — click the image button to upload a photo. Images display inline with a preview. Click an image to view it in a lightbox.
  • Files — click the attachment button to upload a file. Other participants can download it directly from the chat.

Pinned Messages

Moderators can pin important messages so they stay visible at the top of the chat. Look for pinned messages at the top of the chat panel.

Deleting Messages

You can delete your own messages. Hover over a message you sent and click the delete option. Deleted messages show a "message was deleted" placeholder.

Search

Use the search bar at the top of the chat to find messages by content.

Direct Messages

If direct messaging is available, the Chat tab shows sub-tabs for Ripple Chat and Direct Messages. Switch to the Direct Messages sub-tab to have private one-on-one conversations with other participants that are not visible to the rest of the Ripple.

Chat Export

Moderators can export the chat history for record-keeping. The export includes all messages from the session.

Message Retention

Chat messages are retained for 7 days. After that, they are automatically deleted.

Chat Availability

Chat can be toggled on or off by the moderator. When chat is disabled, you'll see a notice in the chat panel. Moderators can also control whether file attachments are allowed.

If you joined in the gallery (no seat), chat may or may not be available depending on the Ripple's gallery settings.