Q: iMessage preferences doesn't open

Hi,

That is interesting.

You are right to think that the app would not work if the AppleGothic Font were missing which is the most common cause for the Preferences to be greyed out and not working.

That suggests that the App has lost contact with the process that brings up the Preferences.

You state you are using OS X 10.11.5

Which version does Messages say it is ?

There is a possibility that the app has not updated properly.

Is it in the Application Folder ? (not inside another folder within Applications ?) as an Update will ignore the app if this is the case.

The Console App (Applications/Utilities) may give some hint in the messages it constantly streams.

It is best to have it open  and then see what pops up when you try to open them.

I would also try a NVRAM reset

If that does not help launch Disk Utility (Applications/Utilities again) (After making a backup) and use the First AID tab after selecting the Boot Drive if not already selected.

8:20 pm      Monday; July 18, 2016

Hi,

Sorry for the delay.

Items like that to refer to things the App calls upon as it Starts up.

It can be as simple as the Contacts App not having the correct My Card.

Open Contacts and go to the Card Menu > Show My Card.

Is this your details ?

I would still do the NVRAM reset.

It is safe as it is not very destructive in what it does. (mostly emptying caches that are not touched during other maintenance processes)

Also check the Font Book for Helvetica  and Lucida Grande

The second is used in Buddy Lists but needs to be in place.

The Helvetica has been used by many app for the general text of the window titles and the text you may enter - although this have changed in Messages more recently.

8:43 pm      Wednesday; July 20, 2016

Hi,

Is this in an Admin or Standard Mac User Account ?

If you are using Managed then you may not have access to things that later the use of the app.

In this case you may not be allowed to create new Accounts in messages or add Buddies to Buddy Lists if you you use them.

9:55 pm      Monday; July 25, 2016

Hi,

I am sorry,  the whole thing is now working after you jiggled with the Buddy lists or the Buddy Lists are the bit that are working ?

8:13 pm      Tuesday; July 26, 2016

Hummm,

It is almost as if the Preferences are not there.

Now the Preferences and some of the settings in the Menus are stored in .plist item in the Users Home folder/Library/Preferences or ~/Library/Preferences for short.

Try this.

Open a Finder window.

Now use the Go Menu whilst Holding down the ALT key.

Select the Library that appears.

Navigate to Preferences.

Change to cover Flow view if you are not already using it

Using the View Menu > Show View Options choose to show the Modified column.

Now look for com.apple.iChat.plist

This holds most of the info that would be in the Preferences and some of the Menu items.

Make Messages the front App.

Go to the View Menu

Choose one of the Active items and change it's setting.

I would try two, Sort Conversations and Show All Buddy Pics in Conversations (in this case Buddies includes Contacts)

Does the com.apple.iChat.plist change the date/time in the Modified Column ?

8:29 pm      Wednesday; July 27, 2016