How to open a closed conversation in iMessage?

Hi,

In Mavericks version which is called version 8 (but then again the version in Yosemite is as well and it is different) you can go to the File Menu and the Recents List and select it from there.

If it is a Saved Chat then it will reopen.

If it is an iMessages conversation that you did not save you will have to open the conversation to the same Contact and the iMessages "history" will re-appear as this is stored in the Chat.db item separate (and sometimes alongside ) Saved Chats.

8:50 pm Tuesday; January 20, 2015

Hi,

In that case it sounds like the com.apple.iChat.LSSharedFileList.plist files is not getting written to properly.

The number of records in this .plist is controlled by the Setting in System Preferences > General Section about the number of Apps, Documents and Servers that have been used (you used to be able to set them separately).

You obviously know how to access the ~/Library

Navigate to /Preferences and find the .plist mentioned.

Right Click it and select Get Info.

In the Info Panel scroll to the bottom.

It should list the Name next to the Little House Icon in the Path Bar (shortname)

This should have READ and WRITE permissions.

If you select the Line and then use the cogwheel type icon under the list it should have Greyed out Text saying "Make shortname (me) the Owner" - it will be greyed out if you already own it.

8:30 pm Wednesday; January 21, 2015

Hi,

The Home Library (i.e the one that used to be on show in the Little house Icon folder in Users) or ~/Library for short can be seen in several ways.

I tend to describe the method of opening a Finder window then Using the GO Menu but at the same time holding down the ALT key (Same level as the Space Bar but one key away on either side).

The Menu that drop down will then show the Library and you can select it.

You can then Navigate like any other folder to Preferences and to the .plist involved.

In the Preferences folder you will find there are several items that start com.apple.ichat.....

You need to check the LSSharedListFile one.

Saving the Chats is a separate thing from the computer updating the list.

In the past with iChat you got a new version Number with each OS release.

This also happened with Messages 7 and Messages 8 in Mountain Lion then Mavericks.

In Yosemite Messages is still called Messages 8 despite some quite radical changes to it's Preferences and Menus. One thing that has disappeared is the Recents List item. i.e. what you are doing now to find them is what you have to do in Yosemite if you Upgrade.

8:13 pm Thursday; January 22, 2015

Hi,

Apple has some apps that are what is called Sandboxed.

Sandboxing is a way of protecting the whole System from something happening to one app.

This means as well as storing the .plists for various apps in the ~/Library/Preferences folder it also has a Read and Write route to the same place.

In the Finder open the Little House iCon folder (your Home Folder)

Use CMD+ J keys together.

In the panel of View Options select the bottom item to reveal the Library Folder (this will make it show all the time)

Navigate this time to ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Preferences

In here you will find the same .plists but you will notice they are Alias versions (they are Aliases to the ones in ~/Library/Preferences)

Now use the View Menu > Show Path Bar and the details of the folders you have gone through will be sown in iChat and text form across the bottom of the window.

Right Click the Preferences one and then select Get Info.

Check you Own this folder and have Permissions th Read and Write to this as well.

Moving back along the line of icons repeat the above for the Library, Data, com.apple.iChat and Containers folders.

8:40 pm Saturday; January 24, 2015

Hi,

I have run out of ideas as to why your Recent List item and the actual folder are not linked up properly.

9:11 pm Saturday; January 24, 2015