[Release] MSNstatus

MSNstatus - Beta Preview

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For those of us that use MSN Messenger but have away wanted the desktop display of the contacts that Miranda offers, I present to you MSNstatus. Display all of your contacts on the desktop and never have to open Messenger again to see who's online.

Featuring the same functionality you get when using the native Messenger window, you'll never want to open it either. Change your online status, start a conversation, adjust your preferences straight from the desktop. If you only want to see who is online, no problem - simply hide your offline contacts. This will even automatically update every 10 minutes to keep your contact list update or you can refresh the list at any time by selecting from the menu. Also as is a standard on all Four13 Design products, choose from either a dark or light text color so you'll always be able to read what's displayed.

What's planned for the final release

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- User skinning of Status Icons and Background graphic

- Full menu support

- Scrolling through contacts

Known Issues

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- List can extend beyond screen height if you have too many contacts

- Menu isn't fully programmed

Screenshots

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- Showing both built-in skins (MSN and Adium): Here

- Showing Windowless Contact List w/ Adium icons: Here

- Showing Windowless Contact List w/ MSN icons: Here

Regarding Skins

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Currently you can skin the background window and status icon only. I've been having limited success with the changing of text colors using the .ini file therefore I've added a menu item for that. You can select between 'Dark' and 'Light'.

Please use the provided skin as a template for creating your own skins. The dimensions should remain the same for each graphic as there might be alignment issues if you deviate from them.

Modify your MSNstatus_skin.ini by opening it in Notepad and entering the correct location (ie SkinFolderSkinPart.png). Do this for each part or your skin will have errors.

To skin MSNstatus, simply copy your modified MSNstatus_skin.ini file to the same folder as the MSNstatus.exe file. You can keep a copy of this file in the skin's folder if you wish (I recommended you do this).

Change Log

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Version 0.96 Beta (11.01.05)

- Added Skin feature and included a seperate skin (Milk) as a template to create your own

Version 0.95 Beta (11.01.05)

- Added Display Picture (will only display correct picture after changing through MSNstatus - cannot get picture through Messenger to begin with)

- Added Unread mail featuer (if you have an email account other than Hotmail or MSN it will read as N/A)

- FIXED!!! Offline contacts from not begin displayed on refresh!!

- FIXED!!! Listing of online contacts! It will nopw display the proper amount of online contacts below 20 (if you have over 20 online contacts then this is the limit for now)

- More menu items now work

Version 0.92 Beta (10.30.05)

- Fixed background status display showing while in windowless mode

- Added disabling of offline contacts during refresh of list

- Added Adium-esque skin with icons

Version 0.91 Beta (10.29.05)

- Added background feature

- Set limit to 20 contacts visible at a time

Version 0.9 Beta (10.28.05)

- Fixed an issue with the FriendlyName not updating to match your current screen name. It should now work!

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NOTE: Please be sure to have MSN Messenger running BEFORE you start this application. You will encounter problems if you do not!!

I hope you enjoy this application and please leave your suggestions on improvements for future updates!

Download from DeviantArt and help with the Beta Test!

#326752

Great app. Love the minimalism. Will have to wait till it can handle more contacts or till you can resize font siz maybe...

right now am only seeing half my contacts on screen...

also, is 'Elephant' supposed to be my nick...mine isnt elephant...

#326761

Great app. Love the minimalism. Will have to wait till it can handle more contacts or till you can resize font siz maybe...right now am only seeing half my contacts on screen...

I'm going to be adding in the ability to scroll through your contact list if it's more than what can be seen on screen. It should be pretty easy to do it'll be in the next update.

also, is 'Elephant' supposed to be my nick...mine isnt elephant...

Not sure why it's reading my FriendlyName - it should pick up on yours. I'll have to take a look at it. Maybe add in a clear line for the name on loading.

Edit: I've figured out the reason it's not changing the Friendly Name. I'll be releasing an update in the next 20 minutes.

Thanks for the report and for letting me know it actually works!

#326766

this is amazing mate...can't wait to see the final version

#326792

sounds pretty cool. will download and try out...

#326797

well- this is great and I've been looking for something like that, BUT, I don't think it recognizes my messenger 'cuz the nickname written is 'Elephant' and there's nobody on the contact list..

#326828

well- this is great and I've been looking for something like that, BUT, I don't think it recognizes my messenger 'cuz the nickname written is 'Elephant' and there's nobody on the contact list..

First try refreshing the contact list from the drop-down menu on the Friendly Name.

I am currently running this with the newest version of MSN Messenger 7.5. You may (Read: Probably) have to have Windows Messenger running in the background. Start Windows Messenger, go to Tools > Options > Preferences and be sure that 'Allow Messenger to run in the back' is enabled.

Also, please be sure that you have Messenger running BEFORE you run this application.

Hopefully this solves your problem. This is still in beta testing and I'm doing this to make sure there aren't any problems running on different computer setups.

#326850

Great idea!

It looks very promising. I have the same problem, I get Elephant as my nickname and can't see my contacts.

I'm using MSN Messenger 7.5.0311

MSNplus! 3.61.145

Can't wait for the final realease!!

#326858

Well i found out i was having those same problems it sempt to have worked when i installed the lastest windows messeger 5.1

#326871

It worked for me too after installing Windows Messenger 5.1

I have over 120 contacts, and it took a long time to load them all up (and didn't let me hide the offline contacts to stop the loading process), but once it completed it, it worked just fine and looked really good!!!

After about 10 minutes it crashed, not sure why, I wasn't using it.

But as I said, it looks VERY promising, and I can't wait for the next release. Thank you very much!!!

#326879

It worked for me too after installing Windows Messenger 5.1

Thankyou for confirming this. I was 99% sure it needed to be installed but one can never be sure without getting it out there for a little beta testing on different computers.

I have over 120 contacts, and it took a long time to load them all up (and didn't let me hide the offline contacts to stop the loading process), but once it completed it, it worked just fine and looked really good!!!

I will add in a setting to disable the offline contacts in the next update. This should save a lot of time when people have so many contacts and most of them are offline.

After about 10 minutes it crashed, not sure why, I wasn't using it.

This is mostly likely due to the same issue as before. Every 10 minutes it automatically refreshes the list and with so many contacts it's bound to run into problems (I only have 20 contacts on a test account).

The new update will limit the number of contacts to only 20 until I can get the scrolling feature fully working.

But as I said, it looks VERY promising, and I can't wait for the next release. Thank you very much!!!

Thankyou for your encouragement and hope you, and everyone else, likes where this is going.

#327014

this is great! its getting better and better though its already enough for me...working perfectly! Just have the issue of too many contacts. maybe you can make the font size smaller as an option?

excellent job anyway!

#327374

Great skins! Thank you!

Somehow my MSN shows 12 poeople online, but the MSNstatus only shows 2 of them, not sure why.

Also, thanks for adding the option of not showing the offline contacts, but once you do that, there is no option to see them again, maybe that can be added.

Thanks again!!

#327402

this is great! its getting better and better though its already enough for me...working perfectly! Just have the issue of too many contacts. maybe you can make the font size smaller as an option?
excellent job anyway!

I'm really excited that it's working for you and that you're enjoying the program! I will look into perhaps changing the font size in the future. Question: just how many of your contacts are online at any given time anyway?

Somehow my MSN shows 12 poeople online, but the MSNstatus only shows 2 of them, not sure why.

Your guess is as good as mine. It should see all 12 as the limit is for 20. I'll take a look through the code and see if there is a problem in there. Other than that I'm not whether I can help you or not.

Also, thanks for adding the option of not showing the offline contacts, but once you do that, there is no option to see them again, maybe that can be added.

To show your offline contacts again just click the arrow button you used to hide them. Works fine here. Hopefully that helps.

#327543

For me, this program has been something that has needed to be made for a long time. What you have done so far is incredible, but seems to not work with me, I only get 2 of my 206 contacts show online. If you need any help or would like some support, im willing to help as much as I can with anything I can because I think this program has the potential to be HUGE.

Thank you for your hard work, this program is something i really appriciate!

#327631

Hey there!

What happends is that once I click on hide the offline contacts, the option to un-hide them dissapears, I only see my name, online and my contacts, the offline line and the little black arrow to expand the menu dissapears.

Thank you very much , and keep up the great work!!!!

I second what technominds said, I'll help in whatever I can to make this great application better.

#327648

Hey there guys! Thanks again for all the encouragement. I've just uploaded the new version with some new features and I hopefully have fixed the problems you guys have been experiencing (it works on my test account at least).

Let me know as always! If you guys shoot me over an email I'll let you be beta testers four13design(at)hotmail(dot)com

#327834

This works alot better, but takes minutes to load my contact list and takes up alot of CPU and memory when doing so! This would be something to think about. Also, i dont know what language you have programmed this in... but a scrollbar shouldnt be too much of a problem in any language, it would definately benefit the program. Also, creating temp files/program files/registry entries with contact list information for each user could speed up load times a sufficient amount. Refreshing every user everytime will make the program use way too many resources.

I dont know if you have thought about this yet, but when you click a user nothing happens. Might be nice to open the chat window with that user. I used to program addons for MSN and their are alot of API's to interact with MSN that are very simple to use, and i do believe the new 7.5 has a HUGELY updated API list.

Just a few things to help you along the way, this program seriously kicks

Good Luck!

#327919

To answer your question: I've actually programmed this in VBscript. This program wasn't intended to be used by someone that has 200+ contacts. It only started out as a simple way to have my contacts on the desktop and there isn't a single person out there that could or would want that many contacts displayed.

As for loading times, I'm not sure how much of an increase one would get as it would still be parsing information from some source whether it be from Messenger or from a temp file. And it's quite zippy with my 10 contacts.

I might add a scrollbar but like i said before, it was originally intended to be a simple display for the desktop. If it gets anymore feature laden then the whole point would be thrown out the window and it would be easier to just use the MSN Messenger window.

That having been said, if you can direct me in a little help on catching the personal message and possible hooking into the DP (I've gotten to where I can change the DP but I'd like to be able to have the DP in MSNstatus change according to the main window as well) I'd be very greatful. These are the two main things I'd really like to include.

Clicking on the user name should start up a conversation window. I'll have to have a look at it to see why it isn't working.

Thanks again for your words and suggestions and I hope you like the next update.

#327929

More features wont rid the progra of its origional idea, If the normal MSN was entirely skinnable, and a desktop application, then your program would be pointless... but its not. Being able to cram in as many features as possible should be your goal, then you simply let the user choose what they want the program to display. Im not sure if its possible to have the display picture parsed, I know that all the display pictures are stored in an application folder, and that they are name coded in a specific order, but i will have to ask my friend Sherv of Sherv.net who programs a load of stuff for messenger for you, he may be interested in helping you on the project.

Grabbing text from a chat window is almost impossible, as MSN have tried to stop logging programs getting into their messenger. I dont know how you have parsed the contacts to your program, but maybe you could include grouping in the script, because that would save alot of screen space, or as trillian does; let the user re-name each contact to a personal name and place it in groups that are created via your program. This will save desktop space and im sure it will help those of us who HATE screen names!

As for programming, are you using VB.net or VB6?

#327946

Neither actually - just pure, good ole fashion VBscript in conjunction with DesktopX. Thanks for asking about the DPs, if I'm not mistaken they are stored in a .cab file, not 100% sure on that though. Also, I'll take a look into setting it by group though this may add to the start up time for larger contact lists.

As for the grabbing of text: I was actually talking about the personal message otherwise known as 'Now playing this song...' area.

#327952

The program is more stable, it loads faster, it looks great and the button to link to hotmail is very important.

It would be very nice if you could click on the contact and the chat box appeared. Also the now playing and showing the pictures would be great additions. Is is to complicated to add a menu to change the font, size and colour? Because that would add an extra customizing factor that I (and the aqua community I would guess) would love.

Thank you!!

#328001

i know this is a hideously old thread but um the links have died and it looks like the developer has done as well...whats going on?

#349734

i know this is a hideously old thread but um the links have died and it looks like the developer has done as well...whats going on?

The developer is alive and well. At least I was the last time I checked. I am just too busy at the moment working on Marquee and real-life to work on all the programs at once. The links should be working as I haven't taken them down from DeviantArt though I'll have a look (it's been awhile since I last checked MSNstatus over there).

If it is indeed down, Send me an email and I'll post it back to you.

EDIT: I just checked and the link is working. DeviantArt has been fouling up lately with slow servers and whatnot. All I can say is try again.

#349754