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Messages app windows and pref pane won't open when starting app

I'm running Mac OS 10.8.5 on a late 2012 27-in iMac with 16GB RAM and running the Messages app to send text messages to my iPhone/iPad friends and family. Without any rhyme or reason, the app degrades over time. At some point when you open it, doubleclicking on a contact in the left pane doesn't display that chat in the right pane. Then at that point that when you re-open it the next time, the chat windows, file transfer window and pref panes never open. The only way to get it reopen again is to trash all the pref files labeled ichat or imagent. Then you have to log back out, log in, open the app, reenter your Apple ID and password, go into the prefs pane and go to the account tab, log out again, then log back in...and then finally, it will show you as available and let you send texts again.


There's gotta be a solution for this, or at least a more graceful one that what I'm doing. Thoughts?

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on May 8, 2015 6:51 AM

Reply
9 replies

May 8, 2015 12:18 PM in response to The Mork Daddy

Hi,


If any, only the com.apple.ichat.plist needs to be deleted.

The com.apple.iChat.AIM.plist (and the Jabber, Yahoo and Subnet (Bonjour) ones have nothing to do with the iMessages account.

Neither does the Shared List one (Recent Chat list) or the Status Messages one (As it says on the tin, it is the Status Messages for the Buddy list and the iMessage account does not have a Buddy list).


You do not mention:-

com.apple.imservices.imessages.plist or com.apple.imessages.bag.plist that do hold the Apple ID (And alternatives) and the Server info respectively.


How is the app set to display when you open it ?

Main window ? Buddy Lists ? other windows ?


Do you Quit the app before shutting down the computer ?

Is the computer set to re-open windows on Restart ?


When you can't access the Preferences window does that mean the Preferences item is greyed out in the Messages Menu as that is a Font issue.

In the Font Book app check the AppleGothic (All one word) is Active, not Duplicated and Validates (File Menu).


Some of these symptoms also sound a bit like your hard drive is nearly full.

What size is it and is about 10% of it Free Space ?

You may need more free space if you use apps that create large temporary files so that multiple Undos work (iMovie, Photographic apps and the like)







User uploaded file

8:18 pm Friday; May 8, 2015


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

May 8, 2015 1:33 PM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hi Ralph, thanks for your response.


  1. com.apple.imservices.imessages.plist and com.apple.imessages.bag.plist also get trashed when I "reset" the app.
  2. I'm attaching a screenshot below, but app is set to display with buddy list in left pane and active chat in right pane, of a single window. As you can see in the screenshot, I have my son selected in the buddy list, but the app keeps the chat with my girlfriend as the active chat. At that point, you're forced to doubleclick the buddy and open a new dedicated chat window. I don't keep any other windows open.
  3. This issue occurs when I quit before a shut down or restart, as well as if I let the OS close it for me when shutting down.
  4. Computer reopens windows on restart.
  5. The preference pane doesn't show up at all, as if I never selected the menu item in the first place. When that happens, none of the windows will appear, even if you select them with the Window menu item.
  6. AppleGothic is not present on the machine (not sure why, but it's a work machine, so IT would be the culprit behind that).
  7. Hard drive is 1TB, only half full.


I'll see if I can figure what the story is with AppleGothic. Thanks for your input!


User uploaded file

May 8, 2015 1:43 PM in response to The Mork Daddy

Hi,


I have my Messages set to keep the chats in time/date order.

This will make conversations with new iMessages (or IMs fro other services) pop to the top.


However if this is not set then the conversation with the new iMessage just gets highlighted.


I think though you are telling me you are the one that is selecting the chat/conversation that is highlighted.


AppleGothic should be in Hard Drive/Library/Fonts

Others that are required by the System are in Hard Drive/System/Library/Fonts.

There is an option in the Font Book App to "Restore Standard Fonts" in the File Menu.


EDIT as we crossed posted.

Those are the older versions.

Mountain Lion onwards requires AppleGothic.





User uploaded file

9:41 pm Friday; May 8, 2015


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

May 11, 2015 12:58 PM in response to The Mork Daddy

I've had a similar problem under both Mavericks and Yosemite, with all updates along the way. Most of the time, when I launch Messages, no window of any kind shows. Choosing New Message from the File menu does nothing. Choosing Window>Bring All to Front does nothing. In fact, I have found no menu choice that does anything. Switching to a different app, and then back, will sometimes open the message window. Sometimes, hiding all other windows will reveal the message window behind the last window of another program. These last two techniques work after half a dozen tries, or so, on some days. However, on other days, trying them thirty times in a row doesn't help.


Preferences always shows up in the Messages menu, and I can always select it. However, the preferences window often doesn't open, or at least doesn't show. Perhaps all the windows are open in some sense, but just invisible. Restarting isn't particularly helpful. Sometimes Messages works after a restart, most times, things are just the same as before. I have noticed no difference between quitting Messages first before restart, and letting the OS close it. I am set up to reopen programs on restart.


The best chance that I have found is to quit Messages, and then relaunch it. Usually, after about ten tries, the window will appear. After that, quitting the program and relaunching it again will almost always work. Until the next day, or something. I'm not sure whether it is simply time passing, a restart, or something else, that changes the behavior of Messages back to not displaying a window.


This all makes Messages pretty hard to use.

May 11, 2015 1:42 PM in response to Koninda

Hi,


All the windows can be hidden but technically open and also remain so across multiple opening of the app.


Using the red button/blob top left of a window will "hide" rather then closing or Quitting the app.


The Window Menu lists keystrokes to bring them back into view.

CMD + 0 should list the Messages app main window (the one with the list of Chats and the Chat window section)


Depending how you have the app set up CMD + 1 will either reveal a combined Buddy List (all other accounts apart for iMessages) or the first Account in the List (Other CMD+ # will reveal the other Accounts).


If a window is Hidden and you Quit the app it will remain Hidden when you open the app next time.

The Icon in the DOCK can temporarily reveal a window but it will go back to be hidden next Start up of the app.

Only the Window Menu or the keystrokes will bring the window back permanently.


This bit:-


Preferences always shows up in the Messages menu, and I can always select it. However, the preferences window often doesn't open, or at least doesn't show.


Does seem a bit odd.

If you can access the Preferences you should see the window.

Technically it should go back to the past pane you had open (General, Accounts, Video).

This window will close when you use the red blob/button top left of the window.


Try this:-

In the Finder use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key.

Select the Library in the Menu that appears.

Navigate to Preferences

Find com.apple.ichat.plist.

Drag this to the Trash and restart the Messages app.


Does this change anything ?

(this .plist holds the window info)



User uploaded file

9:42 pm Monday; May 11, 2015


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

May 12, 2015 6:26 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Thank you, Ralph. To clarify my earlier report, I had tried many times, without success, the menu equivalent of CMD + 0, that is, Window>Messages. I had tried the menu equivalent of CMD + 1 a few times, also without success. While I won't claim to know everything about how windows can be hidden, I believe that the program was not working normally for me.


The good news for me is that you suggestion of deleting the Library>com.apple.ichat.plist file seems to have solved the problem. Now when I launch the Messages program, I get to see a Messages window. The program now appears to be behaving normally. Thank you for your suggestion.

May 12, 2015 12:42 PM in response to Koninda

Hi,

Glad I could help.


I was trying to get across that some of what you posted COULD be normal function of the app.

From there though I thought I had pointed out the bit that made it clearer that something was at fault and needed some attention. (The attention being deleting the .plist).


Thanks for the feedback.



User uploaded file

8:42 pm Tuesday; May 12, 2015


 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 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

Messages app windows and pref pane won't open when starting app

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