Messages - Facebook ID numbers instead of Names

Please try each of the following steps.

Step 1

From the Messages menu bar, select

View ▹ Buddy Names ▹ Show Full Names (or Show Short Names)

Step 2

From the menu bar, select

 ▹ System Preferences... ▹ Language & Text ▹ Region

From the Region menu in the preference pane, select one of the preset regions. If one is already selected, choose a different one, then change it back. Close the preference pane and test.

If you still have the problem after taking those steps, post your results.

Yep I'm seeing it too. I just set it up a few minutes ago, when I sign in, all is good (real names). After I send a message (or maybe after I receive one) they all go to numbers. Don't have any more details yet, other than you aren't the only one.

Tried Linc Davis's suggestions, nothing different happened.

Edit: Ok it did switch back, briefly to real names with pictures, then about 15 seconds later it changed back to numbers.

Hi,

An interesting thought.

Against.

1) It does not happen to my Google Mail ID (Google run a Jabber server)

2) It does not happen to my Jabber Me. account.

3) Nor my Jabber.org account.

4) nor my redhotChillipepper one. (I use this one so infrequently I probably have the name wrong but you get the picture)

For.

1) Facebook's own document that states it's anon standard implementation.

To Quote

Limitations

Facebook Chat should be compatible with every XMPP client, but is not a full XMPP server. It should be thought of as a proxy into the world of Facebook Chat on www.facebook.com. As a result, it has several behaviours that differ slightly from what you would expect from a traditional XMPP service:

• Your client cannot send or receive HTML messages
• Because roster items and presence subscriptions are based on the user's Facebook friends, they cannot be created or deleted using the standard XMPP mechanisms.
• Facebook Chat is terse when sending updates for new friends, because the negotiation happens outside of XMPP. Future versions of Facebook Chat may be more conformant.
• The user's own Jabber ID (JID) is different from the Jabber ID that their contacts will see because the translation is done internally.
• Arbitrary IQ stanzas cannot be passed between clients.
• Presence probes do not currently work.
• Non-SASL authentication with the

  jabber:iq:auth

  namespace as described in XEP-0078 is not currently supported.
• The XML parser does not yet fully handle XML namespaces. Please stick to the same style as the examples in XMPP RFCs 3920 and 3921 when using XML namespaces.

As you can see from the items I have Highlighted there are several potentional issue arround the Names and Jabber ID.

The line about future versions possibly being more conformant may be the key to this.

The Jabber ID (JID) which is issued by a Jabber server is not normally changed in to anything else by the server in question.

Some do make use of Address Cards and Nicknames that can supply the Buddies that see on line with extra info (most of which Messages and iChat don't even look for) but they do need to be features that are "turned On" for that particular server.

In this document Facebook seem to be saying they will broadcast something that they call your Jabber ID that is not the JID in XMPP terms.

8:34 PM Wednesday; August 14, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

HI,

If you use Facebook integration and it appears in System Preferences > Mail, Contacts and Calendars and can be "Enabled" for Messages there, as can Google (GoogleTalk and Yahoo)

Any Account can also be Manually added to Messages via the + icon at the bottom of the list in Messages > Preferences > Accounts.

There have been issues in setting up a Facebook account that needs the setting at Facebook about "Other Browsers" to be changed.

The idea seems to be that Facebook takes note of your Browser and then stop other Browsers (or in this case Apps) Logging in.

9:16 pm Sunday; July 28, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Hi All,

I understand there is a thread at Facebook about this issue.

8:22 pm Wednesday; July 31, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Who's John ?

I see no-one in this thread that is identified as being called John.

However you are linking your reply to one of my posts

In iChat Craig Symonds posted

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5196549?answerId=22603476022#22603476022

8:59 pm Wednesday; July 31, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

HI,

Sorry about that, I seem to have misunderstood what the person said (Or I may have the wrong thread)

However I can't check as I don't have a Facebook Account.

10:18 pm Wednesday; July 31, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

hi,

As it is reported to be happening in PC and Mac Apps it looks more like Facebook's issue.

10:10 PM Thursday; August 1, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Hi,

Strangely sending a feedback message to Apple might prompt them to prompt Facebook

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ichat.html

It has worked when AIM have had issues in ichat in the past.

I use the iChat feedback page as the app is built on the iChat engine.

Enter full specs in the free text area (the version drops downs have always been behind the times)

10:27 PM Thursday; August 1, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Hi,

I saw a thread that posted the link in this thread

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5193696?answerId=22610695022#22610695022

However I understand it is only a starting point and not a thread itself or a Ticket follow up spot.

(I don't have Facebook and posted something from another thread).

10:31 PM Thursday; August 1, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

I see I am becoming a cyclic with this having posted that link in this thread already (by a less roundabout route)

10:41 PM Thursday; August 1, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Hi,

The Hosts have a community that Level 6 posters and above can access.

It has a Sub-category of "New Technical Issues".

I have raised the issue there, as Facebook seem to be doing nothing on this.

If Apple "lean" on them we might get more action.

Although I have used this route for iChat things before the one that comes to mind is when AIM "blocked" @mac.com names that had more than 12 characters before the @ (i.e Pre MobileMe).

8:13 PM Tuesday; August 13, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

HI ~Bee,

Would that (Your last line) have anything to do with the way you sync your Contacts List ?

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5193696?answerId=22728359022#22728359022

8:56 PM Wednesday; August 14, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Thanks for those.

Strangely I can visit the developers page and read about the issue but I can't visit the link in the follow up post as I then have to log in.

The Pidgin site gives more info about the process.

If you register at AIM you can register the Screen Names and if you want you can choose a "Display Name" as well.

Both the Screen Names and the Display name are overridden if you have an Address Card in your Address Book/Contacts app for the person with their Screen Name Listed on it.

It would seem that various Jabber Apps can also make use of vCards for you to Name you Buddies and also can make use of Nicknames.

The Enable option at Facebook says the ID someone uses is added to @chat.facebook.com which should then be the Jabber ID (JID).

However that blurb on the Pidgin link shows extra info is returned on a query. (some numeric info and what looks like the "Real Name" (?Display Name) of the Facebook Account)

I am not aware of other Jabber servers doing this.

8:19 PM Saturday; August 17, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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

Hi,

Thanks for that.

I had not heard of that one.

9:05 PM Friday; August 23, 2013

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.4)
 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