iChat not responding

Hi,

So this is a version of iChat 6 in Lion.

The setting for the option not to launch at a New Messages is only in the Preferences.

In Lion the .plists can be edited with Property List Editor that comes with Xcode (for that version of the OS).

I had not heard of Hipchat and looked at their website.

It does not make it clear which protocols it is using although I eventually found it uses Jabber/XMPP by using a "more" link at the bottom of the page and then the right hand menu in the next page.

There are several possibles at this stage.

The first is that the Helvetica Font or the Lucida Grande Font is corrupt.

Open the Font Book

Set to All Fonts.

Select Helvetica and then use File Menu > Validate.

Check it also is not duplicated.

Repeat for Lucida Grande.

Helvetica is a System Font uses by many items in the OS to make sure apps display their Windows properly.

If it is corrupt or missing then many app would be playing up.

Lucida Grande is used to title the Group bars in a Buddy list.

If you can remember the outgoing Font (If you changed it from Helvetica) or any Incoming Override you set then check these Fonts as well.

This will depend if there are or should be Open Chats when the App is opened.

Next check the Address Book.

Use the Card Menu > Find My Card (it might read Go to My Card.)

Check this is your Details.

iChat (and Messages) use the Address Book to place the name at the top of each buddy List.

Restart the iChat app after each change you make.

If none of these work Navigate to ~/Library/Preferences

You may need to use th ALT key in the Finder > Go Menu to see the Library in the menu list.

In the Preferences find the com.apple.iChat.plist file

Drag it to the Trash.

Restart the app.

8:38 pm Wednesday; April 16, 2014

hi,

In Mountain Lion and Mavericks it is possible to "turn Off" the iChat style accounts in Messages (although you can't do so with the iMessages account).

In the My Card the card could possibly have several Chat ID lined to it (that are yours). This should not be an issue.

Removing them will do nothing for the app.

You are sure you were in Hard Drive/Users/(your account)/Library/Preferences known as ~/Library/Preferences in short form ?

The Fonts need to be Fixed rather than Removed (off might be an option) as some might be needed as System Fonts.

Only remove them if you are sure the OS at least does not use them.

Could you use the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Folder and enter in ~/Library/Preferences

This will give you a view of the whole folder.

How many other com.apple.ichat.XXX items are there ?

At this stage I don't think there is anything wrong with the App.

I think it is the .plists are either not where they should be or you have lost the Ability to "Read" them.

Basically if a .plist is missing the app should recreate it from defaults held in the app.

This means you need to have Read and Write Access to the containing folders as well as the item itself when it is there.

I could understand you not having Read Permissions to a file that was there.

I can imagine it is possible ti lose Read an Write permission to the containing folders and therefore not be able to Read the .plist.

As iChat starts it checks your Internet Speed (or at least the portion of your connection that it is currently getting).

This is written to the .plist and recorded for that "Session".

This makes sure it has enough to do Video Chats and Audio Only chats and Screen Sharing.

If you go to the Video menu > Connection Doctor and change the drop down to Capabilities is everything Green ?

10:00 pm Wednesday; April 16, 2014

Hi,

There is a way but I need to know you are in ~/Library/Preferences.

You can then delete com.apple.iChat.Jabber.plist (Or the AIM one or Yahoo one or in fact the Subnet one for Bonjour)

10:02 pm Wednesday; April 16, 2014