Hi,

Today MSN messenger (7.5) popped up its little notice about a new version available, so I clicked and ended up installing Windows Live Messenger 8.1.

I don't have a problem with that, but my custom emoticon list is now completely empty, and I had about 30 or so.

I searched these forums a bit and ended up looking in "\Documents and Settings\<windows accountname>\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN Messenger\<ID number>\" ... and renaming the .dat files to .png, I can confirm that all of my custom emoticons are there!

But I'm not sure how to add them back in.  If I try to create one with those png files, I get an error message saying "The image you chose is already being used for another emoticon. Please choose another image."

If I try to "add..." some emoticons directly from a conversation (with a friend who has the same ones I did), I get the same error.

Can anyone please help?

This is probably because you didn't name your emoticons and only gave them shortcuts. WLM 8.1 requires emoticons to have names. One option is to go back to 7.5 and name them all, then upgrade again....or you can try the following...

Copy the files elsewhere then rename them completely..not just change the extension. Try to add them through messenger again. If that still doesn't work exit WLM and delete "\Documents and Settings\<windows accountname>\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN Messenger\<ID number>\" ... restart WLM and try again.

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Messenger\<.NET passport>\ObjectStore\CustomEmoticons is the custom emoticon storage folder for WLM 8.1. You should see the files show up inthere. Each emoticon has 2 files, ID2 and DT2...to view you can doubleclick the DT2 files (opens in Windows viewer).


Note: folders i mentioned might be hidden so make sure you turn on "show hidden files/folders".

Thanks for the reply!

Copying and renaming didn't make a difference, so I deleted the folder you told me to.

It worked partially... now I have 7 of my customs in my WLM list.  I still can't add the rest of the missing ones.

I looked in the WLM storage folder and I have all of the DT2 files (34 of them... which I can open and see my emoticons)... but I have 8 ID2 files.  Seems some of them are missing... how do I fix that?

Edit - Ok, I can add SOME of my emoticons and that makes the DT2 + ID2 files.  But I get the same error when I try to add other ones.

So now you got all the ones you had as a png in a seperate folder, right?

If so you can delete both mentioned folders (exit WLM first), the one for MSN 7.5 emotes and the one for WLM 8.1 (don't worry it will rebuild the folder) without loosing a single thing (will require adding the emotes that did work too). You can also delete all DT2 files that don't have a matching ID2 file if you prefer..but deleting the whole folder is easiest. Then add the emotes as you always do through WLM.

If not so follow these steps (or if above method confuses you):
1) Make a totally independant temporary folder (eg: C:\myemoticons)
2) Copy every .DAT, .DT2, and .PNG from the "\Documents and Settings\<windows accountname>\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN Messenger\<ID number>\" and "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Messenger\<.NET passport>\ObjectStore\CustomEmoticons"  directories to that temporary folder
3) Remove both messenger directories (as they are probably screwed up now anyways )
4) Go to your temporary folder with all the copied files and rename every single file to .PNG if they aren't already named liked that
5) remove duplicates images if you have some (check with an image viewer)
6) start Windows Live Messenger and start adding the icons in the proper way by going to Tools > Emoticons > Create... > Find Image
7) remove your temporary folder


Edit: you're welcome

Yes, it's fixed!

I have all of my old emotes in a seperate folder, yes.  So I deleted those 2 folders you mentioned and was able to manually add them all back in.

Works perfectly now, thank you so much!