You can see what actually comes from the IRC server by typing /debug @debug and looking what appears in the @debug window when an event you're interested in triggers.

A $null character does not exist and certainly cannot be used to indent text - it is nothing. They use ASCII 32 to indent the text.

A better way of realising when the text is a command would be to set a variable whenever you send the message to chan/nickserve that lists the commands.

For example:

Code:
alias listcommands { 
  if ($status != connected) { return }
  set -u10 %chanservecommands $true
  msg chanserv help
}
on *:notice:*:?:{
  if ($nick == chanserv) && (%chanservecommands) && ($1 isupper) { echo -a command = $1, purpose = $2- }
}


That said, yes, $rawmsg is the best way to retrieve text with spaces intact smile