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what happened to iChat in mountain lion?

Anyone know where ichat went? I just upgraded and there is no ichat

Posted on Jul 26, 2012 7:42 PM

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40 replies

Jul 27, 2012 5:19 AM in response to drquinndsa

Hi,


It transformed and blossomed into Messages.


Messages can do all that iChat could do (Text Chatting, Video Chats, Audio Chats, Screen Sharing, iChat Theatre) as well as the new iMessages bit (Messaging to iOS devices and syncing to this using the same Apple ID)


To Launch Messages you tend to need an Apple ID to "register for iMessages

This then appears in Messages > Preferences > Accounts as the first "Account" although it does not have a Buddy list.

Once this is down you should see the list also contains all your iChat Accounts.


Going to the General Section of the Preferences and unticking the item that Links the accounts into one List and then using the Window menu allows you to show the Buddy lists like before

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User uploaded file
1:19 PM Friday; July 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 10.7.2)
 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

Jul 29, 2012 3:10 PM in response to davim026

HI,


In Messages Menu > Preferences chose the Accounts icon

In the list on the left all your iChat type accounts (Screen Names and IDs) should be listed below the iMessages one.


Click on each in turn and check the "Enable this Account" box is ticked

(You can also check the Messages Menu > Accounts to see which accounts are logged in)


From there the setting in the General Settings will either have them in one List (Shown by using CMD + 1 keys together) as as separate Buddy lists revealed by using CMD and a number (1 though however many accounts there are) as seen in the Window Menu.

I have 8 at present

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There are two ways to start an "iChat" type Video Chat

1) The same way you did in iChat by:-

a) Clicking on a Green Video icon in the Buddy List

b) Clicking on a Buddy to highlight and using the icons at the bottom of the Buddy list

c) Clicking on a Buddy to highlight and then using the Buddies menu > Invite to Video Chat

d) Right Clicking on a Buddy and and using the menu that pops up


2) Choosing a Buddy from Buddies in the Blue Plus Icon in the Messages window (rather than Contacts for iMessages) then using the Video icon that replaces the Blue + icon.


Screen Sharing tends to need the Buddy List to be showing or Converting a Video chat as you might of done before.




User uploaded file
11:10 PM Sunday; July 29, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 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

Aug 5, 2012 12:38 PM in response to lostx

Hi,


You can trun Off the iMessages bit by unticking the "Enable this Account" box.

You can display the Buddy Lists of all the other account exactly as you did in Snow Leopard or Lion with iChat 5 and 6

Go to the Applications Preferences > General Section.

Untick the item that gathers all your accounts into one list.

This will make them display separately. (When you use the keystrokes in the Window Menu)







User uploaded file
8:38 PM Sunday; August 5, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 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

Aug 6, 2012 1:53 PM in response to iBiM

Glad to have helped.



User uploaded file
9:53 PM Monday; August 6, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 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

Sep 1, 2012 10:48 AM in response to Obanite

Thanks for letting us know.



User uploaded file
6:48 PM Saturday; September 1, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"


 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Lion 10.7.2)
 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

Oct 5, 2012 8:48 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi,


I am extremely confused by all of this. iChat is an essential part of my work and communication. I cannot get to my Buddies list. I've read all of these posts and still can't get anywhere with it. Why can't I create a .mac account in the preferences? This is the only computer I have that is not running Snow Leopard, so I can't sync those to iCloud. Please help, somebody!!

Oct 5, 2012 1:20 PM in response to stoneskipper

Hi,


First of all in System Preferences > Mail, Contacts and Calendars does it list some of your iChat accounts ?

Your AIM and Jabber Screen Names and IDs


It should list them if the Mac User Account was upgraded from Lion (iChat 6) or you migrated an Account from a computer that was using iChat.


Are these accounts (if listed) active for Messages ?


If you have an @mac.com name already then you can added it Messages.

As an AIM Valid Screen Name it gets added under the AIM listing

Messages Menu > Preferences > Accounts > Add Button bottom left > Chose AIM in top drop down.

Repeat for other AIM or Jabber names.


In the Messages > Preference > Accounts check each account is Enabled.

This is a check box on the Account info tab on the right of the list of accounts.


Once they are Enabled they will appear in the Window Menu.

The default is to show "Buddies" and the CMD + 1 keystroke (A combined list of all non iMessages accounts)


To Unlink them go to the General section of the Preferences and untick the line about gathering the "Accounts" into one list.


Creating an account/Screen Name from within iChat stopped in iChat 5 (In fact it has been disabled in both iChat 4 and iChat 5 by both AIM and Apple removing the Registration pages involved.)





User uploaded file
9:20 PM Friday; October 5, 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

Oct 14, 2012 1:06 PM in response to kjetilgf

HI,


If you go to the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Server and type VNC:// first your will invoke the Mac's Own Screen Sharing App.


This does need the Screen Sharing to be On in System Preference Sharing.

It also requires the Apple Remote Desktop ports to be open between you and any Internet connection.

(i.e it's dead easy to use with a LAN connection)



User uploaded file
9:06 PM Sunday; October 14, 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

what happened to iChat in mountain lion?

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