Why won't iChat let me add buddies anymore?
December 15, 2008 11:17 PM Subscribe
iChat won't let me add new buddies, people who I know are online are not showing up on my buddy list.
Googling "ichat buddies won't add" turns up a lot of message board questions but no actual answers. I've got a new model macbook, and am using iChat to talk to buddies on AIM.
What happens is:
1. I try to add a new buddy.
2. The buddy is added, shows up on my buddy list.
3. The buddy disappears right away.
If they're online, I can chat with them, but they won't appear on my buddy list no matter how many times I add them. They don't even appear in my 'offline buddies' list. What gives?
Googling "ichat buddies won't add" turns up a lot of message board questions but no actual answers. I've got a new model macbook, and am using iChat to talk to buddies on AIM.
What happens is:
1. I try to add a new buddy.
2. The buddy is added, shows up on my buddy list.
3. The buddy disappears right away.
If they're online, I can chat with them, but they won't appear on my buddy list no matter how many times I add them. They don't even appear in my 'offline buddies' list. What gives?
Best answer: I've had this. For me it happens when I try to add someone I've removed before. I found a fix that worked for me here.
visual mechanic: I don't think that's the case. It's certainly not been for me.
posted by abcde at 12:21 AM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
visual mechanic: I don't think that's the case. It's certainly not been for me.
posted by abcde at 12:21 AM on December 16, 2008 [1 favorite]
I had the same problem and I think I fixed it by removing my account from iChat and re-adding it.
posted by Venadium at 1:02 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by Venadium at 1:02 AM on December 16, 2008
Best answer: abcde is correct. i have this exact problem. but it has nothing to do with previously added people and taking them off. for me it's just adding anyone. just do the plist trashing.
these two:
* com.apple.ichat.AIM.plist
* com.apple.ichatAgent.plist
then just relaunch ichat. should be fine.
posted by dithmer at 1:58 AM on December 16, 2008
these two:
* com.apple.ichat.AIM.plist
* com.apple.ichatAgent.plist
then just relaunch ichat. should be fine.
posted by dithmer at 1:58 AM on December 16, 2008
Response by poster: dithmer- I have no idea what "plist trashing" means, could you tell me more?
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 7:44 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 7:44 AM on December 16, 2008
BuddhaInABucket: He is just recommending the method which is described in detail in my link, which shows in detail how to delete the .plist files.
posted by abcde at 8:44 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by abcde at 8:44 AM on December 16, 2008
Erk, I accidentally clicked Venadium's name for pronoun check instead of yours, dithmer. Sorry about that.
posted by abcde at 8:48 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by abcde at 8:48 AM on December 16, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks guys! It worked!
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 11:16 AM on December 16, 2008
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 11:16 AM on December 16, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by visual mechanic at 12:16 AM on December 16, 2008