Hello,
in those examples, the timer would display the same message each time the timer is called upon, if the timer is triggered in an alias. That is cuz that $read identifier is evaluated the first time, and then it will put out that value each time the timer is called. So if this timer would be called from an alias, it would print the same thing each time. If the person types that timer code manually, then it will do what he wants it to do (assuming he only uses one /). If he triggers it from an alias, (or uses //) then he has to make the timer re-evaluate the $read each time the timer is called upon.
That can be done as following:
alias time.stuff { .timer 0 3600 msg #chat $!read(c:\mIRC\stuff.txt) }
Usage: /time.stuff
Note that you do not need to specify $rand, because as stated in the help file:
//echo $read(funny.txt)
--> Reads a random line from the file funny.txt.
Greetz
