OS X Messages (8.0) window stays blank after start.

Back up all data.

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Launch the built-in Terminal application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

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Wait for a new line ending in a dollar sign ($) to appear below what you entered. Restart the computer. Test. If there's no change, see below.

Reinstall the OS.* Your data should be unaffected unless something goes wrong. If the system was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you may need the Apple ID and password you used.

If you use FileVault 2, then before running the Installer you must launch Disk Utility and select the icon of the FileVault startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you gave it a different name.) It will be nested below another icon with the same name. Click the Unlock button in the toolbar and enter your login password when prompted. Then quit Disk Utility to be returned to the main Recovery screen.

If you installed the Java runtime distributed by Apple and still need it, you'll have to reinstall it. The same goes for Xcode. All other data will be preserved.

*The linked support article refers to OS X 10.9 ("Mavericks"), but the procedure is the same for OS X 10.7 ("Lion") and later.

Did you Restore Standard Fonts in Font Book? That should have fixed the problem.

Hi,

for the Points.

It would be useful for both Linc and myself if we could pin down why this Font goes Missing and why it does not get put back if is you "reinstalled the System Fonts".

As Linc is asking the Method used about the "reinstall" of th Fonts might be key.

Previously iChat used Helvetica to open the app (if it was/Is missing the app will not start)

It used (and so Does Messages ) Lucida Grande to display the Titles to the Groups bars in a Buddy list.

In Messages it uses these to display the main Window and the various Search field and "To" spot and the drop downs for Buddies and Contacts.

I was unaware of the use of Apple Gothic until the post yesterday.

i.e. it is possible to check for some Fonts that were known (And the outgoing Font for Messages if you changed it from default) but this was new and it is a but difficult to check what might be missing.

9:48 pm Thursday; July 10, 2014

Great,

Thanks for the extra info.

It helps us to understand that the process has to be somewhat Manual to get the font back.

Thanks again for taking the time to explain this.

7:32 pm Friday; July 11, 2014

I just wanted to thank you for this! It was stupendously helpful. I also had to go digging around the net for AppleGothic.ttf (it was completely missing from my system). But I did find it, put it where you said to, and voilà. I never would have been able to handle this without your advice. Thank you!!

You're welcome.

9:20 p.m. Saturday; August 22, 2015

This worked perfect! Thank so much!

Perhaps you can help me as my iMac developed the same problem after some system upgrade or software installation. Font Book validated the AppleGothic font as safe to use. Is it really necessary to reinstall the system?

Hi,

I am confused.

Your Reply is linked to a Post that Linc made. Nowhere in the Thread does he say to Reinstall the OS until after the point you have inserted your Post.

The first step is to see if AppleGothic is on your computer.

It is Hard Drive Name/Library/Fonts (not in Hard Drive Name/System/Library/Fonts where the system Fonts are kept).

It it is not there it should be Restored or grabbed from a Backup.

Basically it is simpler step than Reinstalling the whole OS.

9:38 pm Sunday; April 24, 2016

I am obviously a novice at this posting thing. In fact I did scan most of the Thread but chose to insert my reply at a convenient spot. I hope this clears up any confusion.

I am able to see the AppleGothic font in font Book and font Book verified the font as safe to use. It is in the Hard Drive Name/Library/Fonts location. So the message problem does not seem to be the result of a missing or corrupted font.

John

Hi,

Did Font Book indicate the Font was in use ?

It would show as Greyed out and say "Off " if was Disabled.

(This is just an example pic)

Also when Highlighted like the picture the Edit Menu lists Enable "Font Name"

Having said that lets presume it is active, you have a window like the picture in the Original Post but as far as far as we can tell at the moment it is not caused by the Font being Missing or inactive ?

IF you cannot see the window itself then go to the Window Menu and use the "Messages" option.

The Messages app can have multiple window open and using the red Button on one does not quit the app like it does for some app but only hides that window.

If you have access to the Preferences item in the Messages Menu can you Enable the Bonjour account if it is Not Active ?

The Windows Menu should now show "Buddies" if it did not before.

If you select this in the Windows Menu does the Buddy List window Appear on the Screen ?

Answers to these questions may help us to pin point which direction to take.

8:45 pm Monday; April 25, 2016

Ralph,

Font Book does not have AppleGothic grayed out and looks like this.

When Messages starts up it does not open a message window. Using the command File:New Message brings up a blank message window. The app will not allow me to open a second message window, i.e., nothing changes. Most of the other menu items are grayed out, but this may be caused by the blank message window. My Status is set to available. Messages is logged into my Apple ID account. Everything looks normal in the Accounts preferences and all four accounts seem to be active. I can bring up the Buddies window but it seems to have lost most of my buddies: hum, part of the problem? I can also bring up the file transfer window.

The Bonjour account is active. We do use that method locally.

That should answer all of your questions. Too bad we can not share screens to troubleshot this issue.

John

Hi,

Using the Window Menu should give you this:-

Now the Side Bar could be empty if you have not made any Chats or conversations yet.

Therefore the right hand pane for the actual Chat could also be blank.

If you have no account except for the iMessages one enable then the bottom left will also be blank and the Windows Menu will only list Messages (CMD + 0)

If the Main window is "Hidden" by previously using the red dismiss/close button then the window will appear if you click New Messages but technically remain "hidden" when restarting the app.

Only using the Windows Menu will bring it back Permanently.

AS you can see by my pic the main window is effectively tabbed Chats using the Side Bar to switch between them.

New Messages can be started from the Main window as well with the icon to the right of the Search field that looks like a box with a pencil in it.

Clicking this twice does not open a second "New Chat".

Chats are not separate like they were in iChat. (if you turned Off Tabbed chats)

The Messages Menu > Status only applies to the iChat type accounts that have Buddy Lists (AIM, Bonjour, Jabber/Google and Yahoo)

It does not apply to the iMessages account.

There is no way to tell if you are logged in properly or not except by the failure to Add a new Contact ("not Registered") or failure to Send (Not Delivered).

You say four Accounts ?

iMessages,

Bonjour seem to be two

AIM and a Google one ?

In the General Section of the Preferences use the item to separate the Buddy Lists (gather accounts into one list need to be Unticked)

The Window menu will now get other options by account names.

I have more than the CMD+9 limit

You can then set each Buddy List with it's own Status Messages and see which might not have all the Buddies.

It is late where I am and it will be some time before I am back

10:22 pm Monday; April 25, 2016