Two accounts in one contacts list ??? - Printable Version
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Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by se4me on 06-20-2008 at 11:23 AM
Hi,
I have been looking for a script that will allow 2 or more accounts to be opened in one messenger, I know I can have two messengers running but would be nice if I could have them in one contacts list.
It is possible with the trillian software I used to use a few years back.
Thanks, Chris.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by High Speed Chaser on 06-21-2008 at 04:29 AM
I'm 99% sure (but I could be wrong) that this is impossible.
When you sign into Messenger it downloads the contact list from that e-mail address' sever. Thus you would need to sign into two accounts in one messenger which is impossible.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by CookieRevised on 06-21-2008 at 05:55 AM
100% not possible. There is no script, addon, plugin, whatever which makes this possible. Messenger is quite simply not build for that.
However, the idea of having multiple accounts running in one contactlist window has been very briefly talked about in one of the sessions between MVPs and the Messenger team this year at the MVP summit.
But seeing that they still don't even allow to run two Messenger programs at the same time, I wouldn't get my hopes up too high. Maybe they will make something like that in like 10 years time or so 
And even running 1 account is not without its bugs as it is now... so yeah...
Another idea, which is more likely and which has come up in those same sessions too, is having a kind of tabbed contactlist window where you can easly switch between contactlists/accounts. But even that is just a 'wild' idea; So don't expect too much in the next couple of years.
Though, some 3rd party addon/tool did exist which simply executes two Messenger programs (polygamy/multi-messenger) and showing them both in a tabbed user interface window. Can't remember its name anymore. It was made by someone on this forum a long time ago as kind of an experiment IIRC, but I think there were also some problems with it.
Best thing you can do for now is simply allowing Messenger to run more than one instance (polygamy/multi-messenger) and switching between them via your Windows Taskbar. You could even group the two or more buttons together on the taskbar by enabling Windows' "group similar taskbar buttons together" option.
And while you're at it, you might wanna suggest this to the Messenger team yourself (use the menu Help > Send feedback). With stuff like this, if no-one requests it, it wont be made, so.... The more people ask for something, the more chance there is it will be made (if possible)....
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by Volv on 06-21-2008 at 07:14 AM
Surely it could be possible using software running as a proxy between the client and the server? Not that it would be an easy task either way.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by CookieRevised on 06-21-2008 at 07:18 AM
quote:The issue is not so much the connection and protocol stuff (since you get the same simultanious stuff when you use polygamy), but how it is presented in the contactlist window and how everything in the contactlist (from your own display picture to your personal side tabs, menus, etc) is related to 1 account only.
Originally posted by Volv
Surely it could be possible using software running as a proxy between the client and the server? Not that it would be an easy task either way.
Showing the data of two accounts in the (current) contactlist window is simply not possible since it is not build and designed for it.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by Volv on 06-21-2008 at 09:51 AM
quote:Apart from the email which would be a limitaton I would imagine everything else would be synched by the software between the two accounts (including DP and nickname) much like Trillian (when I used to use it anyway). I wouldn't care about the personal side tabs and menus (not even sure which menus you mean)
Originally posted by CookieRevised
Showing the data of two accounts in the (current) contactlist window is simply not possible since it is not build and designed for it.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by Th3rmal on 06-21-2008 at 11:08 AM
Have you guys ever used Pidgin?
Im not sure how it works but it allows you to sign into several email accounts and shows them all on the one contact list. (whether it be 2+ WLM accounts or a mixture of WLM, Yahoo, AOL etc.). So maybe something like that could be worked in...
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by CookieRevised on 06-21-2008 at 12:04 PM
quote:the main menus. Many if its items are dynamic and depend on what the account can do and what the connection for that account can support. Not to mention the options and settings, etc.
Originally posted by Volv
I wouldn't care about the personal side tabs and menus (not even sure which menus you mean)
This goes for everything else too.
The point is that Windows Live Messenger is not designed for it, so it is totally impossible to do it in Windows Live Messenger with some addon/plugin/whatever.
Of course, many other IM clients are designed with multiple accounts in mind and thus they form no problem. But the question was for Windows Live Messenger itself; which is not designed for it. Windows Live Messenger needs a total redesign/reprogramming for it to work; aka you probably end up making a new IM client.
It is like skinning Messenger: you can change existing stuff, but you can't add new stuff; you need to work with what is already there.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by Volv on 06-21-2008 at 03:43 PM
You have one primary account and the proxy loads up the secondary/tertiary accounts' contact lists and fools the client into thinking they belong to that account. It is a possibility with some clever coding albeit limited in some (what I consider to be minor relative to reward) ways.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by CookieRevised on 06-21-2008 at 04:32 PM
It will not be possible. Messenger doesn't just consist of a list of contacts.
There are way too many things which you need to reprogram in Messenger; Not everything can be done with a proxy, only the connection stuff itself, but that would probably be the 'least' of the problems you'll encounter.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by Volv on 06-21-2008 at 04:35 PM
quote:Not with that attitude
Originally posted by CookieRevised
it will not be possible.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by CookieRevised on 06-21-2008 at 04:38 PM
It's a realistic attitude.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by Volv on 06-21-2008 at 05:29 PM
quote:Yes, but you would just need to manipulate the list of contacts. The other accounts will exist in an almost bot-like state.
Originally posted by CookieRevised
It will not be possible. Messenger doesn't just consist of a list of contacts.
RE: Two accounts in one contacts list ??? by CookieRevised on 06-21-2008 at 06:11 PM
no, you also would need to manipulate everything else in Messenger, hence why I said that Messenger isn't just a plain list of contacts. Most other stuff is all related and linked to the account. For exampe your settings, dynamic menus, custom content, etc. Also, connection problems might occur with one account while the other account could have no problems... this would reflect the menus and other things you can do in Messenger also. For example viewing webcams, playing games, etc, etc... How are you going to manipulate all that with just a proxy? You can't...
It is all more than just having a concatenated list of contacts.