How to block an object in chat?

[KongWubba]

For some reason in a sim I was just in, several people (I think sim owners) were objects, not people, and I couldn't block them (when I right-click their name, there's no block option). ? I looked through Preferences but didn't see any "block object" option. Anyone? 

[Eddy Vortex]

If they are "speaking" to you, go to a live chat window, right-click on the object name and pick Block.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Eddy Vortex

[Lindal Kidd]

Some objects can play a "ventriloquist" joke on you. They substitute the name of a nearby avatar, so that person appears to be saying something, when it's really the object. Although I don't think this is what's happening here.

If you can actually find the object (World/Show More/Beacons may help), you can right click the object and select Annoyance/Block. Or, if you inspect the object and find its owner, you can then look up their Profile in Search and block them, which should also block all of their spammy objects.

[KongWubba]

Thanks...as you correctly assumed, this isn't "using" another user's name (that I can tell at least). It's the name of the object. And if you look at chat colors, it's using the "Object IM" color, not the "Object" color. 

I turned on beacons and I see what look like thin tall red laser beams, but I can't click on them. 

Something else just happened...someone I muted, I still see their chat in local chat, but it's in the "muted" chat color (if you look at chat colors). ?? What is the point of having a color for chat of something muted, and why would it even show up? I'm hoping there's some other setting I can tweak? 

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by KongWubba

[Rowan Amore]

15 minutes ago, KongWubba said:

Thanks...as you correctly assumed, this isn't "using" another user's name (that I can tell at least). It's the name of the object. And if you look at chat colors, it's using the "Object IM" color, not the "Object" color. 

I turned on beacons and I see what look like thin tall red laser beams, but I can't click on them. 

Something else just happened...someone I muted, I still see their chat in local chat, but it's in the "muted" chat color (if you look at chat colors). ?? What is the point of having a color for chat of something muted, and why would it even show up? I'm hoping there's some other setting I can tweak? 

 

You can turn that off in the chat window.  One of the top.icons is "show muted text"

[KongWubba]

ah see that, thank you...I clicked that earlier thinking it might mute the object. Just made it worse lol

[Lindal Kidd]

An aside: Those long thin up and down laser beams are beacons...pointers that help you locate objects that have some specified characteristic, such as sound emitters, particle emitters, or media broadcasters, or scripted objects. You cannot click on the beacons, but can follow them to the objects, which are located at the junction of the little crosshairs.

[KongWubba]

Is the junction those little red boxes? That's what I tried to click on but couldn't. They didn't otherwise seem to end at an object.

[Rowan Amore]

If you're on Firestorm, you can also do an area search for the object, zoom in, right click and block or block from the list.  I had to do this at a club that used the local chat extenders.  I muted a dozen gesture spammers but the extenders had to be muted also.  

When area searching, use words that might best describe what you are looking for unless you have the actual object name.  I had to search CHAT which showed me the extenders.  

Edited April 12, 2022 by Rowan Amore
Added more info

[Maitimo]

6 hours ago, KongWubba said:

Is the junction those little red boxes? That's what I tried to click on but couldn't. They didn't otherwise seem to end at an object.

The object will be in the junction marked by the little red box, it's not the box itself. The object is probably invisible and may be hidden underground. You can use Ctrl-Alt-T to highlight invisible objects and you'll probably then see it as a semi-transparent red or blue object which you can click on.

[KongWubba]

I think I figured this out, finally! The object the person was using is called (no name): and then their name. I was clicking on their name and blocking that, but the "no name" part is like a separate part that when I right-clicked, was not marked blocked, so I blocked it.

What major PITA! Why the hell do people do that?

Really appreciate the help!
 

[Lewis Luminos]

Also worth noting that if the object is spamming chat, or spamming you in IM, you can AR it.

[KongWubba]

Hey just want to say thanks to everyone that replied!