Hi Richard,
I have also posted in the other thread about the Time issue (Select the Automatic Setting).
PS It does not allow me to delete the iMessage (inactive) account. Also when I press the plus to add an account iMessage does not come up as a choice, only AIM, Jabber, Google Talk and Yahoo are available, so I can't even try to put in another id.
If you have one iMessage account and it is named then use the Sign Out button to remove the APple ID
You can then add another.
If you Messages > Preferences > Accounts lists an iMessages account that has not real name and is not logged in and as you can't use the minus key with iMessages accounts (Don't ask me why they made it that different) you cannot remove it from the Preferences.
It is normally marked as Inactive if this happens.
You have to go to ~/Library/Preferences
In the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Folder and paste that path above in the dialogue box that appears.
IN the Preferences find com.apple.imessage.bag.plist and com.apple.imservice.iMessages.plist and drag both to the Trash.
Restart The Messages app.
It is likely you will have to re-enter the Apple ID.
The goal is to not have all my devices go off when someone contacts me. I hope I can have this thing where they can contact a specific device and this can work. If not how can I have one id and not have all devices go off like a Christmas tree?
The only way I have achieved this with two iPhones is to change the Apple ID used on one of them.
Initially I set up Messages on the Mac first and then one iPhone.
this create the pop up Messages on the Mac that the "iPhone Is Using it's phone number and the Apple ID.
Accepting adds the iPhone Number to the Receive Messages at and also in the Send Messages From drop down.
I then added to Apple ID to the second iPhone.
I denied the iPhone Number for this iPhone on the Mac and the other iPhone.
This causes the number to not appear as a Receive and Send "Alias".
Like you say if your iPhones are nearby your computer all three will chime as the sync will send it to the Apple ID not just the Number.
I then removed the Apple ID from the second iPhone (It says it will remove it from All and implies "Forever" but I have not found it to be so)
I added a second Apple ID but denied this and the iPhone Number at the Pop ups so that it was not linked to the Messages app on the Mac.
I have yet to work out a way to keep at least one device from bleeping away between the iMac and the iPhone that do use the same Apple ID.
8:12 PM Wednesday; April 3, 2013
iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.3)
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