Corrupted Buddy List full of Strangers' Names

I am experiencing a problem on my MacBook Pro, which doesn't happen on my iMac. My buddy list has become corrupted and contains a list of weird names with icons (not photos) and only one correct buddy (with photo). All my other buddies have disappeared. Does anyone have any idea what could have happened? I've rebooted but that didn't help.
2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac (24" screen) Mac OS X (10.4.7) MacBook Pro 2.16GHz, AirPort

Chris,
Does your husband use his Buddy list anywhere else ?
It is held on the AIM server and can be accessed from any computer and any AIM based client application.
The possibility of an Intel with XP on it under Boot Camp or similar was just my first thought.
I currently have two Macs on line and logged in to two different Screen names and I am not getting this problem.
For others,
I know Chris is also in Britain, where is everyone else ?
2:46 PM Tuesday; June 12, 2007

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Open Buddy List instead of Chat Window

I remember at least with iChat, when you clicked on the icon in the dock, you could have it open the Buddy List to pick a name to start a conversation. Now with Messages, everytime I click on the icon, it just takes me to a new chat window. I've looked around in the options and can't find a way to default to opening the Buddy List instead of a window, even if I move a particular chat account above iMessage in the Accounts window.
Any workarounds? If not, I'd like to see this make it to the feature request list.
Thanks!

Hi,
The Window Menu (once Messages in Launched) and the keystrokes listed remains the only place that this can be done.
The option to Chose any Window that is Open from the DOCK icon has gone (Used mainly when the app was Not "front")
The other method of using the Menu bar icon drop down to get to individual buddy List also does not work as it does not list which Buddy list is "Front" (you can opt to show or not Show the Bonjour Buddies (making Bonjour the "Front" Buddy list but it does not tell which is when the Bonjour one is not)
Like you I am somewhat "iChat Centric" about this.
8:59 PM Thursday; March 15, 2012
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Migrating a buddy list

I have a .mac account that my daughter has been using for IM purposes for about 3 years. I now want to use the IM id for my use and get a new .mac account for her.
My questions are:
1. Do I need to get her .mac account for IM purposes or is a there a different/better alternative.
2. She has a LOT of people in her buddy list and I want to migrate the buddy list to her new name/.mac account. How do I go about doing this migration?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Re 1) AIM Screen Names or a Trial @Mac account are both free.
Re 2) This is where AIM for Mac (4.7) can come in useful as it has an Export and Import Feature
6:55 PM Saturday; March 1, 2008

Show Jabber "nickname" field as buddy's name in buddy list

Hi,
I am working on a product that integrates with ichat and adium to allow users to chat with visitors to their website. The Jabber protocol has a 'nickname' field, but ichat only shows the full JID in the buddy list. For example, the user might have a buddy [email protected] with the nickname 'bob' (specified in the Jabber XML returned from the server that defines the user's buddylist). In Adium, the buddy appears as 'bob', however, in iChat the buddy appears as "[email protected]".
Are there any preferences that need to be set in ichat to display the buddy's name in the buddylist as their 'nickname' provided by the server? (I know this can be done via the 'alias' option, but I need these value to be set server side on the jabber server -- as opposed to client side)
If you wish to recreate this issue, you can goto: http://www.hab.la , signup for an account, and try it out on both ichat and adium. You'll see that the nickname is being displayed in the adium buddylist, but not in the ichat buddylist.
Thanks again,
Ben Congleton
http://www.hab.la - chat with visitors to your website for free using adium or ichat

Actually, I wanted to follow up a little bit. It appears that the problem is that ichat does not support Vcards? We are setting the JID's nickname using a VCARD, and it doesn't look like iChat update's the nickname shown in the buddylist to match the VCARD nickname.
Is there any way to change the buddy name displayed in the buddylist on ichat on the server side once a user has connected to the jabber server?
i.e. imagine the name displayed in the buddy list is currently "bob", we would like to change the name to "george" on the server side. In adium and other libpurple based protocols you can do this by updating the user's VCARD on the jabber server.
Is there a field in jabber that ichat recognizes where the server can set the nickname for a particular buddy without forcing the client to reconnect. (i.e. right now the only place I can tell that a server can change the display name for a buddy in iChat is on the initial roster download .. so when the client first connects.. but never without the client having to disconnect and reconnect)
I hope all of this make sense.
Thanks,
Ben
http://www.hab.la

How do i edit a name in message AIM buddy list

my daughter shows one way to me in the AIM buddy list and another way to another one of my daughter's. this leads me to believe that i can change the representation on my machine, but i cannot figure out how to do it. how do i do it?

Select the name in Messages Buddy list -> Buddies -> Show Info -> Address Card

How do I put my buddy list on a different screen-name?

Hello,
I have a screen-name on iChat, and then decided to get another one. Is there an easy way to get my first buddy list onto my second buddy list?
Thank you.

Hi Dice333chill,
There are two main ways.
1) With the AIM applictaion there is a facility for saviing the Buddy list to your comuter and then chaing the Account and importing th e list.
2) The Second way is make sure your Buddies are identified in the Address Book as Buddies in some way and then dragging them back to the new ichat Buddy List.
There is one problem with the scond method and that is some Buddies with just accounts names in the Buddy list do not show up in the Address Book until more info is added to their Address Card in iChat. These Buddies will need you to do a Get Info on them (Click once on the Buddy and then use the Apple Key and i Together and select Address Card from the drop down in the window that appears). You will need to Add eitehr Real names or some other unique identifier to show up in the address Book.
The problem with the first method may be the need to download AIM
The actual iten you need is in the File menu as Export.
So the real answer is no.
Ralph

When i signed in it recognized my name and password but then it asks formy password again but the email address i cant edit and it says like randompeoples from my buddy list it doesnt say mine so i cant enter my password

when i signed in it recognized my name and password
but then it asks formy password again but the email address i cant edit and it says like randompeoples from my buddy list i must of shared music or something with its so weird and it doesnt say mine so i cant put my password

Go to Settings>icloud, scroll to bottom of screen and tap Delete Account. Then log in using a different ID.

How do i transfer or export buddy list names on iChat or Aim on mac

How do i transfer or export buddy list names on iChat or Aim on mac?

Hi,
If you have the AIM for Mac then you cand sign in as one Screen Name and use the Export feature to create a file of the Screen Names of that Buddy list.
(you can then sign in under a different name and import the names)
In iChat it helps if all the Buddies have Real Names or Nicknames so that they have entries in the Address Book.
You can then create Groups in the Address Book and move all the Cards into one Group.
All the names in that Group can then be selected and dragged to another AIM valid Buddy list.
I once transferred 292 names this way.
You can also login to multiple Accounts in some version of ichat and just Drag names form one list to another.
You may find with any of these methods that some Buddies appear only as Off line.
This will due to their Security Setting where they are only allowing your Original Screen Name.
10:14 PM Sunday; October 21, 2012
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

When my buddy list comes up, i try to double click my buddies name to start a chat and nothing happens. i could receive instant message but cant start my own or reply. someone please help!

I have a macbook pro and on accident deleted ichat but reinstalled it using the cd, when my buddy list comes up, i try to double click my buddies name to start a chat and nothing happens. i could receive instant message but cant start my own or reply. someone please help!

Hi,
DId you download and Install the COMBO version of the last Update that you did ?
iChat on the Install Disk is likely to be several versions behind where your OS has been Updated to.
It needs to Match the OS level.
iChat Updates come in the OS Updates.
You need to run the Updater manually as Software Updates keeps records of what it has done and thinks iChat is up to date.
If you are on Snow Leopard then the COMBO version of 10.6.7 is here
If you are on Leopard then the COMBO for 10.5.8 is here
Googling Mac OS X 10.x.x COMBO where x.x is the version you are up to will generally find the link to the right page if you are at a different OS version.
<
8:36 PM Thursday; June 16, 2011
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb( 10.6.7)
 Mac OS X (10.6.7),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

IMessage Full Screen Buddy List Consolidation

It would be nice if we can get our buddy list to show up in full-screen mode. Perhaps have it attached to the chat window on the left or right?

hi,
It would nice.
Although iChat dealt with most windows separately the Buddy lists could be joined in iChat 5 and 6.
This would suggest that the Messages window could be linked to other windows or at list a Combined Buddy list if being used.
9:47 PM Tuesday; March 27, 2012
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.3)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Idea for an alternative buddy list-

i think it would be cool if instead of names, ichat gave you an option where it would only display your buddie's icons (and the name would appear when your mouse hovered over the icon). you could have the ability to increase or decrease sizes, so your significant other's icon could be at the top of the window, a full two-square-inches; while eight or however many people you don't know as well could occupy a line beneath it.
if you could arrange and resize the icons, i think that would be really handy; as it would allow you to have the same information in a less cluttered way.
i find it frustrating both that i have to display everyone- even if they are off; and that i get multiple copies of the same person if they have two screen names.

Hi Jordon,
I currently have 179 Buddies in my list.
The largest group is one of 67 for new testers that I keep for a while when they test with me.
Even if I keep it showing On-Line Buddies (See Defcom's instructions) like I do I still can't get all-oline Buddies on the screen.
However your suggestions do seem to have some merit. I could also see theat a Pop-up Buddy icon might suit some people, such as top of the Buddy list near yuo own Buddy pic and linking arrows when Chatting with possibly a small icon to show type.
At present it is not possible to have the list apart in some form of order and short of redoing people's "Real" names their is no way of changing this (Although combos of doing one and then another will produce Alphbetical Availablity). I could see that people would also want the abiliy to order the list to their own spefications or just drag them into the order they want.
I could see that some would even want the Buddy List to Display Columns.
Feedback is certainly the place to go with this.
Ralph

In Messages, all of my buddies have disappeared from the buddy list. ***?

I video chat with a friend using Messages and suddenly my buddy list is empty .... no buddies. We both use AIM. What gives?

Hi,
Your Buddy List is kept on the Server for AIM.
This does mean that if you have two Logins at the same time it is pretty much impossible to do anything with the Buddy List as the other login will tend to "Correct" things.
This can mean if the second login is set to Invisible then all your Buddies will appear Off line. (if one login does get full dominance).
You may end up with a situation where neither login maintains dominance and you may only see those Buddies that are Off line at their ends but not see the ones that are ON line either.
However this is only a possible outcome and would take loads of testing over different types of login to see if it were possible.
Other Login include Different apps on the same Mac
The same and different apps on different computers.
PC logins.
Logins via iOS devices
Logins on other type of phones
Web Browser logins.
You can also test non Apple IDs on this page https://settings.aim.com/
Apple IDs (@mac.com, @me.com linked to iCloud and @icloud.com IDs) use a sort of two pass Login to AIM and Apple to use the Apple Password for the IDs to work.
This now excludes the use of @mac.com name on earlier versions of iChat.
The iMessages account uses an Apple ID.
It appears that it does have to be an iCloud variant (new Apple IDs are automatically iCloud ones but older ones may not be).
The ID does NOT have to be the one used in the iCloud Setting.
In fact iTunes and App Store are best served by the same ID but they can be different (it requires two payment methods). FaceTime and Messages (iMessages Account) are also best served by the same ID as you can switch to Video or Audio in FaceTime from the iMessages account. Again they can be different and you could be using 4 different IDs up to here.
Then there is the iCloud settings in System Preferences the links to iPhoto, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Notes and so on (BUT NOT iMessages) that syncs those apps with your other Macs and iOS devices.
Your Apple ID used in iMessages needs to be able to check the password at Apple and if it is the same one you use for iCloud that is a close as it gets.
The iCloud server could crash but iMessages would handle it's own login.
(If the server Apple uses for Apple IDs in general were to crash that is a different story but that is going to be a server farm an unlikely to fail in that sense.)
If your iCloud Account is syncing Contacts then all the devices that are linked to that need to be still syncing.
It is a bit unclear if one device is a Master device or if the list is completely moved to the iCloud servers.
I have found if the Sync is turned Off on my Mac there is no Local Contacts List.
However whilst you might not see First Name Last Names (or your choice) in the Buddy Lists you should still see the AIM names (AOL or AIM IDs/Screen Names and other Apple ID used as AIM names)
Checking on the AIM Settings page may also reveal if the account you have with AIM has been suspended.
This can happen if you travel and AIM deems the use "Unusual".
Since Apple IDs can no long be checked there it has become more difficult to obtain a full picture.
9:29 pm Friday; February 20, 2015
 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

How to get the iChat Buddy List to automatically appear on the Desktop

On my friends computer iChat is set to launch whenever he logs into his account, but the Buddy List does not appear on his Desktop. So when I see him online there is no green video camera mark next to his name.
If I want to do a screen share with him, I have to ask him to go to the iChat icon towards the right side of the Menubar (the round 'speech ballon') and click on Show AIM Buddy List at the bottom. Once he has the Buddy List on his Desktop, I can screen share with him.
Surely there must be a way for the Buddy List to always appear on the Desktop when logging into his computer... Can anyone help out?

Hi,
Interesting one.
If I were telling you how to create this it would be like this:-
1) Go to System Preferences > Accounts > Your account and enter iChat in the Login items. (Makes iChat launch at Computer Start Up)
2) to Hide the Window (Buddy List(s) ) at Start Up click the Red Button to close the Window/Buddy List before Quitting.
This will cause the next Start Up to not show th Buddy List.
How you make the Buddy List appear after that depends on how you bring it in to View.
NOTES:
Some Windows in iChat from Buddy List to the Preferences to th Actual Chat Windows will appear in the places you left them for the most part.
The Exceptions are Incoming Invites.
This means the Buddy List will be were you left it, your Outgoing Invite/Preview whilst waiting for Connection will always be where the last outgoing Video Chat window was.
Using the Red Button on a Open Chat Window will end the Chat (All types).
However doing it to a Buddy List only Hides it.
In addition to this using the Item (or the Keystrokes) from the Window Menu of iChat for a Buddy list when it is On view will Hide it (or Bring it back if Hidden)
The Show AIM option in the Menu Bar icon's drop down is a two edge thing as it shows All Buddies (Available ones) from all AIM Buddy lists if you have more than one (Apple names are also AIM Names in this case).
Does he want to change this Behaviour ?
He would be better off using the iChat Window menu (or Keystrokes) after he has clicked the icon in the Dock to bring the app to the Front so he can access the Menu bar with ichat in it.
He could also click and Hold the icon for iChat in the DOCK and select the Account Name there. This, if I remember correctly, will have the same effect as presenting the Buddy List from the Menu Bar icon (it will be hidden at Next Start Up)
9:58 PM Saturday; November 13, 2010
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

How can I see my jabber buddy list as a default and not a new message window on my message app??

I recently got my OS reinstalled and since then I had a multitude of issues.
1) my texts kept showing up on my macbook pro so I took my cell number off the preferences on messages on macbook. Can I still have people facetime me using my cell phone number?
2) I do see my jabber buddy list when I click on the message center as a default. I keep getting the new message window, can i set a default that when i click on it I see who is online vs. having to go to windows and select buddy list all the time??
3) what is bonjour and why would i want to use it?

Hi,
Re 1)
The settings for Messages > iMessages are separate from the FaceTime ones on both Mac and iOS devices.
Re 2)
If you have a Jabber (Google or Facebook Chats included) ID in Messages > Preferences > Accounts you can go to the Window Menu and display them.
By default they are a combined list (Any AIM, Jabber, Yahoo or Bonjour account that is logged in)
In the Preference > General section you can untick the item that gathers them into one list to show them separately.
They also appear in the Window Menu separately with their open CMD + # keystrokes.
Once you have them On show quit the app that way.
It will "Remember" that they were on Show the next time you open the app.
Re 3)
Bonjour is a process on the Mac that "sees" all other Macs on your LAN and shows them in the Side bar of the Finder window as "automatic" Shares.
In iChat and Messages it is an included account that cannot be deleted
If Enabled it can have it's own Buddy List (see 2) )
It shows the Names of the peopel singed in on the other Macs on your LAN that are also using iChat or Messages with the Bonjour Account Enabled.
The name is taken from the My Card in the Address Book or Contacts app.
The My Card should have the Mac User's details (you on Your computer when Logged in) and a head and Shoulders icon.
I have three computers
One is running iChat 4.x.x and on that machine (running Leopard) the My Card calls me Ralph G4 as it is running on G4 tower.
My Laptop has me as Ralph MacBook Pro
This iMac I am posting from has the My Card of Ralph Johns
On this computer if I have iChat running on the other I see Ralph G4 and Ralph MacBook Pro as "Buddies"
It can do everything that the AIM and Jabber logins can do.
Text Chat, Audio Only Chat, Video Chat, Screen Sharing, File Transfers etc.
10:21 pm Saturday; February 15, 2014
 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

Ideas for a "buddy list"

hi i am trying to design and create a buddy list for my instant messenger. i have created a Jtree with online and offline has the child nodes.
i then going to create a vector list stored in a txt file with users names, and i will load that list in a jtree..
the problem im having is how can i load data from the vector list into the jtree? And most importantly how can the Jtree autmaticly updates itself when a user is offline/online?
BTW i have a sMYSQL erver that knows when a user is offline/online..
any suggetsions?

> i read about mvc but i dont see it helping me in this situation.
With more experience, you'll hopefully learn the relevance.
> i read about tree listeners and thats more
relivent than mvc patterns.
I don't agree that it's "more" relevant at all. The view listens to the model in this case, which a JTree does (it listens to the TreeModel).
> i added tree listeners to
my program and insterted this code below...
I don't see that there's a need to add any tree listeners in your case. Update the model, and the view will update itself automagically.
Please refer to the following:
How to Use Trees
Dynamically Changing a Tree
DynamicTreeDemo
Good luck!

Corrupted Buddy List full of Strangers' Names

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