Q: Messages Menu Commands Greyed Out

Ralph,

I just did the upgrade to iMessages that Apple was requiring. Also switched from an AIM account to an iMessage account. Experiencing this problem of everything being grayed out under the buddies menu. I think the AppleGothic.ttf font may be the issue (see screenshot). How do I obtain this font? I found one link (http://www.2shared.com/file/uMc8Fxy3/AppleGothic.html) but know nothing about the source so not sure if this is a valid download. Any pointers?

With the switch to the iMessage account, I lost my "buddies" list. Tried going back to the AIM account but they don't appear there either. Trying to rebuild the list but can't since the buddies menu is grayed out. Grrrr....

Must say, I've been fairly frustrated with the new iMessages. Up to this point we'd used iChat's screenshare a lot between myself and some of my employees and never had a problem. However have been unable to do so for the past couple months due to one thing and another seeming to mess us up as we've gone through the Mavericks upgrade and iMessage transition. It hasn't been intuitive or seamless by any means. Very much appreciate you help.

Hi,

iMessages only gets updates when the OS gets an update and then not on every occasion.

Previously in Mountains Lion Messages 7 was updated just once to version 7.0.1

Messages 8 has had 3 updates  but Apple have seemingly stopped changing the version number  (in Error logs there is references to the build 3 level)

Presumably based on Apple's history in such matter they will be working on a OS X 10.9.5 update if OS X 10.9 is going to get that far.

The Font Book (scroll to the Bottom where there are other Apple xxx fonts) and you should see the AppleGothic.tff Font.

In the File Menu you can then Validate the Font

And of course make sure that the Font is active.

I don't know anything about that download site you list.  The file is also dated 2009 which seems a bot old.

I can't see your Screen Shot I am afraid.

iMessages is just another service.

This time run by apple themselves and is only usable with Macs and iOS devices that can run the iOS version of Message.

Messages can still run an AIM login (although Apple have re-labelled it back to AOL)

Adding this in Messages or System Preferences > Internet Accounts  will bring back your Buddy lists (by default they are hidden but see the Window Menu)

Screen Sharing like Video chats  works in AIM and Jabber accounts only.

7:30 pm      Thursday; September 4, 2014

Thanks Ralph - that info about only AIM accounts being able to screenshare was very helpful. I won't even bother chasing the iMessages account further.

In terms of the fonts, I did got to Font Book and scrolled to bottom. I find a font named "AppleGothic" and below it, when I spin the arrow down, it says "Regular". I don't see anything with the "tff" suffix. Is the font called simply "AppleGothic" the same thing?

Anyway, I switched back to AIM and, at least for my purposes, all seems happy now. Thanks again.

Hi,

Font Book

In the Preview menu you can select Show Info.

You will see that the full name does appear in the path part.

Font Book does not actually says what type of Font any of them are  when listing them.

So, yes it is the same thing.

The only time it might not be is if it appeared to be a duplicate.

8:40 pm      Thursday; September 4, 2014

Got it. Thanks.

The Bonjour thing just bailed me out! Thanks.

Boom! You nailed it for us! My wife and I are in the video production / graphic arts business and she had that font disabled on her desktop. Reinstalled. Problem solved. Thank you Rob! *cheers*

Hello, everyone! Unfortunately my wife's laptop seems to have the grayed out issue with some of the preferences (see the image below).

I'm trying to get her messages to work between her iPhone and Mac messages so she can reply to txts on her Mac, but to no avail. Mine works flawlessly, but in trying to replicate my settings on her system, there are all these grayed out options. Her iCould account is tied to to messages with identical settings to mine. I have tried the font suggestion, but the font is already there (I even re-installed the font to be sure). All folders along the path to the .plist all have proper permission settings.

Any ideas?

Hi,

That particular picture tell you that you have no Bonjour, AIM, Jabber or Yahoo account Active.

There is an iMessages account presumably Logged in.

We were talking about this Menu being Greyed out.

Which then means you cannot Access the Preferences.

If I "Disable" all my other accounts except the iMessages one

and then take a pic of the General section in the version I am using...

Then the items you have greyed out are not Visible.

I.e. the Buddy List as one list only applies to account that have Buddy List (and iMessages does not)

The Status settings also only apply to Buddy Lists  and not to the iMessages account.

If the Account is not linking between two devices you have to possibly fully reset BOTH.

Check the iPhone has the Apple ID set in iMessages (whilst it might be an iCloud ID that makes no difference to the iMessages server).

If necessary remove the Apple ID from the iPhone and untick it on the Mac and then check the iPhone can iMessages the Apple ID and vice versa.

Then add back the Apple ID to the iPhone  and check if your iMessages the iPhone Number whether the sync version of what the iPhone Receives appears back on the Mac.  (i.e. if you send an iMessage to the iPhone Number it "receives" that iMessage and the iMessages process sends the sync version to the other devices - if this is only the Mac you see a duplicate in the active conversation on the "receive" side but it is the "Sync" version of the iMessages the iPhone Received)

7:28 pm      Sunday; October 12, 2014

Thanks guys! I had the same exact problem.

I went to the Font Book and enabled Apple Gothic font. Now my Messages app works just fine, all the greyed out menus (like Preferences) came back to life. Silly workaround, but oh well. I usually try to simplify my font menus, and this font is definitely one I don't need there

THANK YOU!!  That's exactly what it was. No idea how that font was removed, or whether it wasn't removed but just not there in update. Whatever. This worked. My fingers thank you. I can type a mean streak, but tap, tap, tap is so hard for someone who "talks" as much as I do. 

KUDOS for the great fix!

You are the man. I've been looking for a real fix to this issue for months. I just had to activate the AppleGothic font in Font Book. Thanks

I am having a similar problem:

• I have enabled my apple id
• I cannot login or add buddies as they are grey

I cannot find any clear-cut solution, and it seems like this is a reasonable place to post this.

Can Ralph or someone please advise?

Thanks!

Hi,

I am not sure you have a complete understanding of the App in it's current form.

The Messages app can have an iMessages account and up to 4 different IM account (Instant Message) such as AIM/AOL, Jabber Yahoo or the Bonjour account.

The iMessages account deals with Contacts and works from the Contacts app to link to people.

The other have Buddy Lists (Separate windows within Messages that can be displayed from the Window Menu)

If you have no Buddy list Account active and therefore not Buddy List window on show then the Buddies Menu will be mostly greyed out

As you can see the Messages main window/Chat window/Interface is the active one.

I have several Buddy Lists on show but the Buddies Menu cannot Add a Buddy.

It will change if the Chat is to a Buddy rather than a Contact (i.e not an iMessages conversation) or if the Buddy list is "Front"

Normally the first thing the Mac version of Messages does is ask you for an Apple ID to register with iMessages.

this is because the iMessages and Bonjour accounts are there by default.

The iMessages one needs an Apple ID and the Bonjour one finds other Macs on your LAN and uses the Contacts app as your "Buddy Name" if you Enable it (it is Not Enabled by default).

Therefore you are Logged in if the iMessages account is Enabled.

The Status item only applies to Buddy Lists so you can not use this to become "Available" in the iMessages account.

The only way you know it works is when you select a Contact and send them an iMessage.

Let me say this another way:-

Originally there was iChat.

It had Buddy List and you clicked on the icon at the bottom of the Buddy list after highlighting a Buddy or double clicked the Buddy and the Chat window would then open.

Over the years Video and Audio Chats have been added then Jabber and later Yahoo.

The iMessages account was added when it became Messages and the main Messages Interface/Chat window became the main item.

Buddy Lists are no longer displayed by default.

The iMessages account accesses the Contacts app by either typing directly in th "To" Space  or using the Blue + icon on the right after starting a New Message.

Most of the Menu items apply to the iChat functions such as the one where you can change the Status Messages for an Account and the type of Status it is.

The iMessages account just logs in (blindly if you like) when it is Enabled

The only time you know there is a problem is if it gives you an Error Message on Registration or when Enabling the account or if it cannot Send iMessages to Contacts.

To restate many Menu item might appear greyed out as they refer and work with Buddy Lists and not the iMessages account.

There in nothing to tell you the iMessages account has Logged in.

You cannot change it Status from the menu item.

Up to Mavericks/Messages 8 you can't permanently change the Buddy Pic until you have a Buddy list Account active.  (Just enabling the Bonjour Account abut keeping the Buddy List hidden even if you have no other Macs on your LAN is enough for this).

9:29 pm      Monday; October 27, 2014

OK, thanks!