HI,
The .plist are
.plist |
Holds
|
com.apple.ichat.plist |
All the Preferences items except Accounts plus some other Menu settings. Includes the Alerts (18 settings), The Messages pane font, colours and override settings plus saved chats, Mic and camera input devices if Multiples are available. Pic-in-Pic size and position for Video chats. |
com.apple.ichat.AIM.plist |
Holds the server settings and the current State (logged in, Available and the like. |
com.apple.ichat.Jabber.plist |
Holds all Jabber including Google States and server info |
com.apple.ichat.Yahoo.plist |
Holds all Yahoo Accounts logged in state and server. |
com.apple.ichat.Subnet.plist |
Holds the info about the Bonjour Buddy list state. |
com.apple.iChat.LSSharedFileList. |
This holds the Recent Lists (File Menu > Recent Items) the number is controls in System Preferences > Genral pane |
com.apple.iChat.StatusMessages. |
The Saved Status Mesages you have created and Saved plus the pre made ones |
com.apple.imessage.bag.plist |
Server info for the iMessages account |
com.apple.imservice.iMessage. |
More to do with the iMessage account and it's "Aliases" |
com.apple.imagent.plist |
This is for a support app. It holds whether Screen Sharing is On, whether the camera is On, the "iTunes is playing" info order. The Off line On Quit setting. Read receipts info. |
In addition, as you have shown in your first post, there are variations with hexidecmail type numbers.
These are created in case there is a network boot and don't have an impact on a day-to-day basis otherwise.
There are also the .lockfile names that also have no bearing to the content of the .plists and can be left alone.
IMAgent starts up when the computer does and essentially runs in the background.
If the option in the general section of the Messages setting about "When I Quit ,set the Status to Off Line" in ticked then this prevents IMAgent "Listening" for Off line iMessages and IMs for Buddy lists.
The Support app itself does things for Messages when it is running. It calls the vcencoder into action when Video chats are happening.
It is this app that call on the Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) engine for the Screen Sharing which is why it's .plist holds that setting.
From iChat we know you can target the bits of the app that may need sorting.
deleting com.apple.ichat.plist itself is the most "destructive" as it deletes all the changes your have made to the Preferences, such as the font choice it's colour, the Messages balloon/speech bubble colour (or the colour of the style you are using, whether you are saving Chats, All 18 Alert sound settings (plus all or any set individually against Buddies in the Buddy lists).
Mine currently list a 197 different settings involving Video chat window placement, Audio Chat window placement, the state of all 10 accounts I have or have not got logged in (mostly details pointing to Buddy pics)
It also holds th Buddy List Sort order from the View Menu and things such as whether you show Buddy Names and Pic in Chats and what is shown in Buddy lists (two different settings).
The 4 main IM server account .plists only deal with those accounts and do not effect the iMessages account or each other.
(There was an exception in the Beta version where the Bonjour "Send as I type" crossed over and effected the Yahoo account.)
Only the two with "imessage" in the name effect the iMessage account.
If individual iMessages or IMs are not appearing we have to consider if it is a Font issue, a windowing issue or a something else such as the Style choice plug in.
If you had changed the Font (Messages Menu > Preferences > Messages) and have then deleted com.apple.ichat.plist the font will have reverted to Helvetica
You will need to open the Font Book and find this Font and see if Font Book suggests it is corrupt.
As this is a System Font it is unlikely, as it is heavily used in running apps (Title of windows and the like) and can make apps fail if not present.
Having said that you say other Messaging services within Messages are OK such as AIM or Jabber chats.
This suggests it is not the Font, The Style Plugin (View Menu > Messages > Show As ...) or the even a windowing issue.
I can't see that you missed any .plists in your first and second posts.
I never had iChatEnhancer or iChatViewer that you had .plists for.
I also don't have the com.apple.MessagesFileTransfer.plist (Numbered or not) despite having used Jabber and AIM for File and Picture Transfers and have sent Pics and Files via iMessages as well.
AS the least invasive action at this stage I would try Downloading and Installing the COMBO version of the OS X 10.8.2 update
This will "catch" any part of the OS and apps that have not updated properly.
EDIT,
The table looked better in the reply screen.
I have removed some of the .plist bits to give the left hand column more room.
9:45 PM Saturday; March 9, 2013
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
Message was edited by: Ralph Johns (UK) 9:47 PM