contacts names staying the same - Printable Version
-Shoutbox (https://shoutbox.menthix.net)
+-- Forum: MsgHelp Archive (/forumdisplay.php?fid=58)
+--- Forum: Skype & Technology (/forumdisplay.php?fid=9)
+---- Forum: Skype & Live Messenger (/forumdisplay.php?fid=10)
+----- Thread: contacts names staying the same (/showthread.php?tid=80469)
contacts names staying the same by rem17 on 12-27-2007 at 08:23 PM
About a week ago I noticed my contacts names were the same as about a month ago, some just had their e-mail address and some were fine. I'm not sure why they aren't changing back to the name they have now because they have since logged in and had different names, but it still shows their old ones.. I've had WLM for months now and it's been working fine, so I don't know why this has happened. 
I hope this makes sense and someone can help, thanks!
RE: contacts names staying the same by RebelSean on 12-27-2007 at 08:39 PM
Try deleting your contact cache:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 12-27-2007 at 09:39 PM
quote:Actually deleting contact cache causes this
Originally posted by RebelSean
Try deleting your contact cache:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
People say this is a bug in WLM but I don't think so, I think this is intentional.
I know, signing in on an MSN Messenger can still update the contacts' display names on the server side.
I explained the same thing before and some people rejected, it is here: WLM don't update server for contacts' display names You can try my statements, it is free.
RE: contacts names staying the same by RebelSean on 12-28-2007 at 07:01 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ahmetgns
Actually deleting contact cache causes thisproblemoccurence. I don't call this as a problem because this is WLM's special behaviour. While using WLM, contacts' names aren't stored at the server, but they are kept at computer's cache (of course if user keeps cache; you can find the related option in Options of Messenger>Security>"This is a shared computer, don't store my address book..etc. here"). So deleting and/or not keeping cache causes this issue.
That's completely incorrect
. First and formost, deleting the contact cache doesn't "cause" any "problem". That's why it's a "cached" folder with "cached" files. The information inside these "cached" folders came from the MSN servers, where your information is stored in the first placed . Your theory would be the same as saying, "Deleting IE's cache would cause "problems"". When in all actuallity, it is very "healthy" to delete you cached folders. That way they're updated with fresh files from servers 
.quote:
Originally posted by ahmetgns
I explained the same thing before and some people rejected, it is here: WLM don't update server for contacts' display names You can try my statements, it is free.
The reason why your posts are "rejected" is because they contain false information, just like your post above.
So before you go on trying to prove something wrong, make sure you know what you're talking about
RE: RE: contacts names staying the same by rem17 on 12-28-2007 at 12:48 PM
quote:I have done this and asked a few friends to sign out, then I sign in again to check, but it's still not working.
Originally posted by RebelSean
Try deleting your contact cache:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 12-28-2007 at 08:55 PM
RebelSean, you have right to misunderstand me because I couldn't express myself correctly. I understood what you mean, you are right on your statements but I believe I am right with mines as well. Let me try to explain it again.
Yes, MSN server is the first place which people's list informations are stored. And WLM retrieve those information if there is nothing (no cached folder) in the computer locally. But normally everyone who doesn't worry about their security keeps Messenger's caches in their computers. Also Messenger's related option suggests keeping cache by default, because in the sentence it says: "This is a shared computer, don't store...." so it means that if you don't share your computer with others, you must untick this option so your contacts' display names will be retrieved from cache and always be shown as the ones you have seen from them lastly even if you sometimes see them offline.
WLM doesn't store and in case there already exists a name, doesn't update the display name information at the server, just like it doesn't store display pictures as well. When you delete your cache, all display pictures of your contacts' are set again as the blue default one.
The difference between display names and display pictures is, display pictures have never been stored at the server, but names used to be stored while using MSN Messenger. So some of your contacts' names are still there and if there is no cache on the computer, those names can be retrieved from the server by WLM. However as you guess, these names have been saved at the server while you were using MSN Messenger, so most of your contacts' names were different at those times. So you see old names when you delete your local cache.
Really, can someone say me that, if WLM checked the server for new names all the time, what the purpose of caching contacts' information locally would be. You say, caching information is for fast sign-in. Then if WLM checked all contacts' information with the server at every sign-in even if there is a local cache, then how would it make signing-in fast?
I hope it is clear now.
Edit: By the way, the quotation below is the evidence of my statements. He deleted the cache and contact's name turned to an older one, is this correct rem17?
quote:
Originally posted by rem17
quote:I have done this and asked a few friends to sign out, then I sign in again to check, but it's still not working.
Originally posted by RebelSean
Try deleting your contact cache:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
RE: RE: contacts names staying the same by RebelSean on 12-29-2007 at 08:22 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ahmetgns
WLM doesn't store and in case there is already a name, doesn't update the display name information at the server, just like it doesn't store display pictures as well. When you delete your cache, all display pictures of your contacts' are set again as the blue default one.
Again you're completely wrong. Your display name is stored on the server, every_time_you_update_it. That is how your name is spread to your contacts. Deleting your contact cache doesn't affect your contacts display pictures; those are stored in a temp folder. The contact cache folder is purely all of your contacts display names, and personal statuses. When you login, if your contact has updates to his/her display name and/or personal message, it is downloaded from the servers. Same goes with your contacts display picture.
quote:
Originally posted by ahmetgns
Really, can someone say me that, if WLM checked the server for new names all the time, what the purpose of caching contacts' information locally would be. You say, caching information is for fast sign-in. Then if WLM retrieved all contacts' information from the server at every sign-in even if there is a local cache, then how would it make signing-in fast?
I hope it is clear now.
You have the entire functionality completely wrong. When intially installing WLM, your contact list is cached on your folder. When one of your contacts update his/her display name and/or personal message (And I do believe status updates are also stored), it is sent to the servers and your client automatically downloads and displays their changes. On the contrary, this is also why in the new beta there's a nice little message telling you sign-in may take longer than usual due to the new protocol which downloads your entire contact list.
quote:
Originally posted by ahmetgns
Edit: By the way, the quotation below is the evidence of my statements. He deleted the cache and contact's name turned to an older one, is this correct rem17?
quote:
Originally posted by rem17
quote:I have done this and asked a few friends to sign out, then I sign in again to check, but it's still not working.
Originally posted by RebelSean
Try deleting your contact cache:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
And you're once again misreading someone's reply, he did not state that his contacts name's turned to old ones.
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 12-29-2007 at 11:20 AM
RebelSean, I will cry now because I can't express myself. If only you knew Turkish and I had a chance to explain it better.
You said you were using messenger for 7 years but believe me you are still wrong on something. I am testing my statements again and again and each result seems to be supporting me.
quote:This is correct, but your contacts' display names aren't stored at the folder (or whatever it is) dedicated to your account at the server. They are stored locally. Of course, when they update it, their dedicated folders at the server are updated with the new name too but you have no chance to retrieve those names from there. You can retrieve display names for only online contacts and your wlm can't store that new name on your folder at the server, they will be saved locally in your computer.
Originally posted by RebelSean
Your display name is stored on the server, every_time_you_update_it.
quote:
Originally posted by RebelSean
Deleting your contact cache doesn't affect your contacts display pictures; those are stored in a temp folder.
quote:Yes, this happens only for your online contacts. For your offline contacts, you won't see any change until they come online. (I think rem17's problem is this, she saw the old names only for her offline contacts in her list, I don't think she has any problem with her online contacts)
Originally posted by RebelSean
When you login, if your contact has updates to his/her display name and/or personal message, it is downloaded from the servers. Same goes with your contacts display picture.
rem17, can you untick the option about caching, and then try these. However note that,you have no chance to get the display names which you see lastly because they have been permanently lost. You will see old names for your offline contacts and when they come online, their new names will be stored in your cache again and unless you delete the cache, you will see the last display names for them even when they are offline in your contact list.
RE: contacts names staying the same by RebelSean on 12-29-2007 at 12:45 PM
You're kidding me right? You just agreed with all of my statements, but yet you're saying I'm wrong? You honestly have no respect for people who know what they're talking about.
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 12-29-2007 at 01:01 PM
No I am not kidding, the problem is I can't express myself correctly. Another problem may be we are talking about a bit different things, but we think we are on the same thing. Whatever, I'll live with my facts, and you'll live with your facts.
RE: contacts names staying the same by rem17 on 12-29-2007 at 09:23 PM
quote:No, I created this thread to get help on this. I have never deleted the cache up until RebelSean told me.
Originally posted by ahmetgns
Edit: By the way, the quotation below is the evidence of my statements. He deleted the cache and contact's name turned to an older one, is this correct rem17?
quote:
Originally posted by rem17
quote:I have done this and asked a few friends to sign out, then I sign in again to check, but it's still not working.
Originally posted by RebelSean
Try deleting your contact cache:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
quote:I have been using WLM for months now, maybe nearly a year and I've never had problems with the contacts names, but about a week ago I signed in and noticed some names were off months ago or just had their e-mail address. When a contact is online their name is updated, but when I sign out and in again and they're offline it's back to their old name/e-mail address. Before that though, WLM did store the current contact names even when they were offline!
Originally posted by ahmetgns
quote:Yes, this happens only for your online contacts. For your offline contacts, you won't see any change until they come online. (I think rem17's problem is this, she saw the old names only for her offline contacts in her list, I don't think she has any problem with her online contacts)
Originally posted by RebelSean
When you login, if your contact has updates to his/her display name and/or personal message, it is downloaded from the servers. Same goes with your contacts display picture.
Anyway I've lost my DPs so I'm just going to reinstall WLM, hopefully it will work again!
Oh and I'm a she.
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 12-29-2007 at 09:43 PM
quote:Your cache may have been deleted if you played with the option "This is shared computer, don't store...". because ticking that option may immediately delete your cache, I am not sure though.
Originally posted by rem17
No, I created this thread to get help on this. I have never deleted the cache up until RebelSean told me
Your problem may be messenger can't access your cache on the computer, so it retrieve contacts' display name information from the server all the time (you may have noticed this because if you have a crowded list your sign-in delay will be longer in that case). But I will say again, deleting contact cache will not solve the problem because it is the reason of this. Before deleting cache, if you backed up it and copied to another computer and signed in on that computer, you would be able to see the proper names of your contacts again, this is my guess.
quote:Who said in the other way
Originally posted by rem17
Oh and I'm a she.
(edit: sorry, it is me )RE: contacts names staying the same by rem17 on 01-03-2008 at 04:20 PM
Hey, well just thought I'd reply back and say that my contacts names are fine now. I reinstalled WLM and also "This is a shared computer do don't store...." option is unticked. I don't think I've ever messed on with it before though. 
Thanks for the help anyhoo.
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 01-05-2008 at 10:38 AM
I noticed something. Let me explain how I noticed it:
I backed up all of my contacts with Messenger's menu "Export Contacts". Then I deleted all contacts. Then I imported that contacts file again. When I imported it, all of my contacts appeared with their email addresses in my contact list. Then as people come online from one day to another day, display names of those contacts' who came online were saved in my local computer (not in the server). So I always saw their last used display names properly in my lcoal computer even if they are offline sometimes. However, yesterday I went to school and signin Messenger on a computer in a computer laboratory there. When I signed in, I believed I will see all of my OFFline contacts' email addresses only, not their display names because I believed display names weren't stored at the server. I confirmed this statement for all of my offline contacts except only ONE contact (not to mention I already get online contacts' display names) I wondered what is different with this ONE contact, why I saw his display name even he is offline. I must have seen his e-mail address like all other offline contacts. I came home and investigated the issue and realized that I am receiving contact updates from only that ONE contact. Then I subscribed all of my contacts' updates and after 5 minutes I unsubsribed again but now whereever I signin, I see their display names which I saw while subsribing. So now I can safely say that "Subscription to contacts' updates" has something to do with this display name issue but I couldn't understand yet how it works exactly.
RE: contacts names staying the same by CookieRevised on 01-05-2008 at 01:23 PM
quote:That is the only reason for the contacts cache being there, which was introduced in WLM8.
Originally posted by CookieRevised here
When there is a (ref:contacts) cache it will use it (ref:Messenger) in order to let you sign in faster and reduce the net traffic upon signing in. When people update their screen name, the new name will be stored in the cache.
Which also explains the reason why signing in in WLM8 for the very first time will take longer, since WLM then creates the cache; And in order to do that it needs to retrieve all the contact names from the servers.
RE: contacts names staying the same by ficho01 on 01-11-2008 at 11:15 PM
I have a question and I think it suits here...
When I delete my cache folder with contacts and sign in back to Messenger, my contacts have their old nicknames & PSMs, which they had about 2 months ago. I've deleted cache folders several times and after signing back to Messenger my contact list was always in the same "phase". With nicknames and personal messages 2 months old.
I mean, shouldn't it update?
Hope you understood me.
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 01-11-2008 at 11:29 PM
No, it shouldn't update. I tried to explain all of these in this thread. However, you are wrong on something. Even if you delete the contacts cache, the PSMs and display pictures will still remain for your contacts. Because PSMs and DPs aren't stored in the cache files, I think they are stored at another place. However they are never stored on the server side.
Storing display names at the server is useless because normally every Messenger user is supposed to keep contacts cache on his/her computer. So no need to store it on the server for a few percent of users who doesn't keep cache. The contacts whose old nicknames you see when you delete cache are already offline contacts 
RE: contacts names staying the same by kryp2nyt on 01-12-2008 at 07:56 PM
This is simply pointless...
Why the hell does such a thing exist in the first place? Whenever my contacts update their nicknames on MSN 7.5, IT REMAINS UPDATED EVERYWHERE, no cache or sh*t.
This is really funny...isn't newer supposed to be better?
RE: RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 01-12-2008 at 07:59 PM
quote:
Originally posted by kryp2nyt
Why the hell does such a thing exist in the first place?
quote:This explains it.
Originally posted by CookieRevised
quote:That is the only reason for the contacts cache being there, which was introduced in WLM8.
Originally posted by CookieRevised here
When there is a (ref:contacts) cache it will use it (ref:Messenger) in order to let you sign in faster and reduce the net traffic upon signing in. When people update their screen name, the new name will be stored in the cache.
Which also explains the reason why signing in in WLM8 for the very first time will take longer, since WLM then creates the cache; And in order to do that it needs to retrieve all the contact names from the servers.
quote:Also why are people interested in their offline contacts' names that much
Originally posted by ahmetgns
The contacts whose old nicknames you see when you delete cache are already offline contacts
RE: contacts names staying the same by kryp2nyt on 01-12-2008 at 08:03 PM
I don't know why this seems 'untrue'.
I find 7.5 singing in faster than WLM, in fact, WLM sometimes NEVER signs in from first attempt.
And....who needs speed? A few extra seconds won't kill you
RE: contacts names staying the same by ahmetgns on 01-12-2008 at 08:06 PM
quote:But when I delete cache, it takes really long and I hate it, so I don't even considering deleting cache. Remember WLM and 7.5 may be different in terms of signing in delay.
Originally posted by kryp2nyt
I find 7.5 singing in faster than WLM,
quote:
Originally posted by kryp2nyt
And....who needs speed? A few extra seconds won't kill you
quote:It kills Messenger servers
Originally posted by CookieRevised
and reduce the net traffic upon signing in.
RE: RE: contacts names staying the same by kryp2nyt on 01-12-2008 at 08:12 PM
It kills Messenger servers
...it doesn't kill the servers, it gives us more bugs than previous installments of messenger...no one experienced such a funny bug before, not to mention, some people finds it frustrating...