Nextalk: Text Call Instructions

Introduction:

Unlike an Instant Messaging Chat session, a Text Call session is a text conversation sent between users in real-time.  When initiated, a Conversation Window displays in split screen mode enabling two or more call participants to type messages simultaneously without interruption. The Conversation Window has many settings that can be customized to the user’s preferences, and most of them are global, meaning they apply to all future conversations.  For example, if you change the conversation font size, the same font size will be used in all future conversations.  Or if you resize the conversation window, it will be the same size the next time you open it.

Launching Nextalk:

1.          Upon inserting your SmartDrive, wait for the SmartDrive to be recognized by your computer.

2.          Press enter or click “OK” to launch CLC Start Menu.

3.          Choose Nextalk off of the dropdown menu.

4.          Click on the “Run Selected Application” button.

5.          A Nextalk login screen will appear.

6.          Enter your username (first name last initial: ie. johns)

7.          Enter your password (last name then the number 10:  smith10)

8.          Enter the domain name (Columbus). 

9.          Enter the IP address if prompted to do so (nx64.nextalk.net).

10.     Enter the port number (2591)

11.     Click “login”

12.     If a message “Failed to create skin control” appears, close it.

13.     Your Nextalk toolbar will now appear. 

14.     Click on the “Text Call” icon to begin a Text Call.

Placing a Text Call:

To initiate a Text Call you can do one of two things.

1.      You can click on the Text Call icon located in the main tool bar of Nextalk.  You can type the address of the person who you wish to call or select the address from the drop down menu.  Then click “call.”  If you don’t know the address of the person you are trying to call or the address is not included in the drop down menu, you can try the second method of calling.

2.      You can click on your phonebook icon that is located on the main Nextalk toolbar. 

3.      From there, click on the “everybody” list and select the person who you would like to call.  Once the name is highlighted, click “Text Call” located at the bottom of the phonebook prompt box.

Active Conversation:

If you choose to answer an incoming call, an active conversation window will automatically open.  The conversation is started with your answer greeting.  Participants type simultaneously.  In Split screen mode, because the text of call participants is separated into different windows, simultaneous typing is not a problem.  However, in Full Screen mode, because the text of call participants is displayed in the same window, simultaneous typing disrupts the continuity of the sent text.  For this reason, Split Screen mode is suggested for conversations between NexTalk Client users and Full Screen mode for conversations between TTY users and NexTalk Clients. 

*If you double click in the text area of an active conversation the view mode will switch between Full Screen and Vertical Screen.

Inviting another caller:

You can invite another call participant using the Invite button (option is available under the File menu). To set up a conference call, use the Invite option.  A new dial window will pop up; enter the dial information of the person you would like to invite.  U Network Telephony Servicespon answering, the new user will be brought into the active conversation.

Transferring a call:

Choose this button to send your current call to another NTS user to handle.  You will receive a box asking you to select the NTS user to whom the call will be transferred.  Once the transfer is complete, your end of the call will automatically hang up and you will be asked to save or discard the conversation.

Shortcut key:

Text Call= F3

Conversation window settings (fonts and colors):

The Conversation Window has many settings (fonts and colors) that can be customized to the user’s preferences.  Once set, they apply to all future conversations.  For example, if you change the conversation font size, the same font size will be used in all future conversations.  Or if you resize the conversation window, it will be the same size the next time you open it.  To access these options, click on the preferences icon in the Text Call tool bar.

From the Preferences menu the Fonts and Colors used in the active conversation window can be configured.

Fonts Tab:

Choose the Change Conversation Font button to bring up a list of available fonts.  Select the font settings you want and then choose OK.

You will see an example of the font style and size you have chosen in the box below the Change Conversation Font button.  Choose the Change Printer Font button to change the font used for printing conversations. Changes made to the printer font will not apply to the conversation window.

Colors Tab:

Change the background color of your main conversation window the text header line.

Changing your answer greeting:

To change your automatic answer greeting, access the preferences icon and select “settings” in your primary Nextalk toolbar.  From there you can change your greeting by clicking on the greetings tab.

Saving your conversation:

If you would like to save text from the active conversation window for use outside of NexTalk, you can highlight the text you want to save and use the copy/paste options from the Edit menu.  Use the Select All option to select all conversation text.  When you select conversation text in the vertical view mode, text from all columns is included.  When you paste the text in a different program like Notepad or Word, it will be pasted one column at a time, keeping each participant’s text together.

Printing your conversation:

Use this option found as an icon at the top of the Text Call toolbar.  Use this to print the entire conversation of text as it appears.

To exit the call:

To exit an active conversation, choose the Hang-up button from the toolbar or select Hang-up from the File menu.  You will be prompted to save or discard the conversation.   

By default, if you choose to save your conversation, it will be saved in the Inbox folder of your mailbox.  You can change the save location by selecting the folder from the mailbox browser window.  If you choose to discard your conversation, it will be permanently deleted.  If you are participating in a call with more than two participants and one or more participants hang up, in the vertical screen mod e you can remove their text by clicking the small x in the upper right corner of their column.