Well guys Sopair 2 is officially out for the general public to download. Just to recap, Sopair 2 is a special edited version of Windows Live Messenger 9 which contains some of the most requested options for Messenger 9. It not only allows you to change the layout of 9 but it also enhances 9 in several areas such as the alerts and sign in window.

Please note this skin is ONLY for the Public Beta of Messenger 9 and you MUST have Messenger Plus! Live 4.79 or later to run the skin.

Features:
Ability to switch from modern and classic Messenger layouts
Add a 3rd Display Picture to the chat window
Ability to move chat window display pictures to the right
Enhances alerts to make them suit 9 better
Sign In window matches the design better
Ability to restore send button in chat window
Ability to hide button text
Ability to hide buttons
Hide whats new and tabs
Use Messenger 9 icons in the tabbed chat bar
and MORE!

Note:
This skin itself is a beta and was only constructed as a proof of concept that skinning can still be done on 9 properly. It may contain a few bugs here and there but overall it is solid. No support will be given on this skin as it is for a beta version of Messenger and a beta version of Messenger Plus! Live. The skins option panel is only available in English.




DOWNLOAD

By the way, don't ask me about ad-removal because everyone should know the drill now regarding ads and how to remove them.

Enjoy the release.
Willz.

the alerts look nice
i also like the 3rd DP

Woo an update Keep it up!

Go on with it man!!! It's an awesome work!!!!

PD: I know it's not possible, but I hate the add xD...Thought...I can't use A-Patch for the MSGPLus Skins... =(...

PD2: Just tryied with no succes... I can't send "invisible" messages (appearing offline)... And when I get online Messenger crash...

One suggestion would be to remove some padding, if possible, on both sides of the convo window, cause it takes up a lot of room...

But awesome, I'm lovin' it!

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Originally posted by :No-Frost:
Go on with it man!!! It's an awesome work!!!!

PD: I know it's not possible, but I hate the add xD...Thought...I can't use A-Patch for the MSGPLus Skins... =(...

PD2: Just tryied with no succes... I can't send "invisible" messages (appearing offline)... And when I get online Messenger crash...

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Keep up the good work Willz. I am going to try this skin as soon as I upgrade to 9.0

Nice job, but is there any way to make search bar area transparent like you've done on menubar in '8.5 style dashboard'.

and do simlair thing for the 9.0 dashboard? Also, On 9.0 dashboard, is there a way for you to lengthen the area for the name? Currently my name will be truncated even though there's loads of space next to it. (if you need SS/more detail ask ;o)

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Originally posted by vaccination
Nice job, but is there any way to make search bar area transparent like you've done on menubar in '8.5 style dashboard'.

and do simlair thing for the 9.0 dashboard? Also, On 9.0 dashboard, is there a way for you to lengthen the area for the name? Currently my name will be truncated even though there's loads of space next to it. (if you need SS/more detail ask ;o)

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Im just gonna ask it here:
Will you be making Open 9? Or, however you would call it, the WLM9.0 version of Open Live? OL helped me alot, and it would most certainly do when I need to "relearn" the new ways of coding skins when 9 is released.

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Originally posted by Willz

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Originally posted by vaccination
Nice job, but is there any way to make search bar area transparent like you've done on menubar in '8.5 style dashboard'.

and do simlair thing for the 9.0 dashboard? Also, On 9.0 dashboard, is there a way for you to lengthen the area for the name? Currently my name will be truncated even though there's loads of space next to it. (if you need SS/more detail ask ;o)

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Nah I can't do it because the search bar isn't its own element that I can move around in 923 like the mail buttons etc. Its part of the 1001 container which contains the entire contact list.

If I try to do the same dashboard effect for this it will just stretch the scene from top to bottom and that will just look dodgy since a scene is only 640x320.

As for the more characters thing in the 9 dashboard, what defines that is that amount of buttons you have on the right of it. Since the layout goes DP | Name | Buttons. The dp and buttons area are constrained to their original sizes whilst the name area is stretched to whatever area is left. If the word doesn't fit it will wrap the text automatically.

So yeah you can't really extend how long is properly since its automatically done. The only thing you can do is hide more buttons or remove a bit of padding or even make the buttons themselves a bit smaller. Either that or remove word wrapping (not actually sure if that is even a property anymore). Its not really an easy issue to overcome.

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This is the best 9.0 skin by at least 3 miles

I have some problems with it and I'm not the only one (spanish forum users also), when I try to open a conversation window Messenger crashes, I thought I was the only one, but is I told before, other spanish users are experiencing the same issue, can you check it? I'm using the latest WLM and Plus! betas, no more thing installed

'nother question ;p

In the conversation window, would it be possible to make the standard toolbar transparent? And like expand the part underneath so it shows through sorta thing, cause the colouring of that bar is lame, works well with the default theme but the messenger team obviously didn't think people would want seamless graphics.

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Originally posted by vaccination
'nother question ;p

In the conversation window, would it be possible to make the standard toolbar transparent? And like expand the part underneath so it shows through sorta thing, cause the colouring of that bar is lame, works well with the default theme but the messenger team obviously didn't think people would want seamless graphics.

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Originally posted by Willz
As for the random chat window crash. I think I have isolated the problem. I've sent build 2.0.1 to Menthix, but ya know its up to him if and when he puts it up

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Originally posted by Willz

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Originally posted by vaccination
'nother question ;p

In the conversation window, would it be possible to make the standard toolbar transparent? And like expand the part underneath so it shows through sorta thing, cause the colouring of that bar is lame, works well with the default theme but the messenger team obviously didn't think people would want seamless graphics.

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I actually did play around with that for a bit during early Sopair versions, I had it partially going, but for some reason the scene wouldn't extend properly so I sorta gave up on it. It could possibly be done, but there was just too much mucking around and I wasn't gonna pull my hair out over it. Not for a beta

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2.0.1 is out for those having crash issues with the chat window please update to this build. For those that don't well you don't have to but you can if you want

Great skin.
What about the little dots I reported in the Sopair 1 topic? Is there a possibility to include an option to remove them in the next Sopair release?

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Originally posted by Squillace
Great skin.
What about the little dots I reported in the Sopair 1 topic? Is there a possibility to include an option to remove them in the next Sopair release?

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Is it normal to have all the tabbed chats white no matter what color of window im using?

yeah, i set it to a static color since the flickering was kinda getting on my nerves. If it really bugs you just go into skininfo and delete the tabbed chat color code.

minor bug i've noticed

the "Hide "What's New" and Tabs" only hides the what's new section, the tabs still display

i don't think the tabs can be hidden independently from the adverts (aside from using WLM's own option

also there's no tooltip on the skin options button

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Originally posted by djdannyp
minor bug i've noticed

the "Hide "What's New" and Tabs" only hides the what's new section, the tabs still display

i don't think the tabs can be hidden independently from the adverts (aside from using WLM's own option

also there's no tooltip on the skin options button

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I know ad removal is not a feature in your skin, but if we have already removed the ad via other means, is it possible to make your skin not add the ads?
If I have to chose, Id rather your skin plus the annoying contact list ad, but I wish I didnt have to chose. Without your skin enabled, I dont have ads.

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Originally posted by Jiggs
I know ad removal is not a feature in your skin, but if we have already removed the ad via other means, is it possible to make your skin not add the ads?
If I have to chose, Id rather your skin plus the annoying contact list ad, but I wish I didnt have to chose. Without your skin enabled, I dont have ads.

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Originally posted by Willz


By the way, don't ask me about ad-removal because everyone should know the drill now regarding ads and how to remove them.

Enjoy the release.
Willz.

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I checked the folder before I posted, looking for a file mentioned in another thread here, something like 'disableads.REG', but cant find anything.

go to his site and u will find the blue pill lol

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Originally posted by djdannyp


try having a look in the skin's folder C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! Live\Skins\Sopair

and you might find something to help you

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I wish i knew the drill. but some people are new to this scene. every community gets new people, so when I'm told I should know by now, it doesn't help .
but ill keep searching for the blue pill. I understand removing ads isn't something that should be talked about in a big way, i was just hoping id get pointed in the right direction, but really I'm just more confused now, cos there's nothing in the folder.
Oh well. Thanks for the great skin though, I'm making all my friends switch to wlm 2009 with Sopair, since they saw my screenshots .

EDIT: Thanks lordtinuviel, you made me look a little harder in the right place , and, well, I found the new pants . I couldn't find them, cos, to be honest , I did not see the links on designevolved.net (now that I've noticed them, they are really obvious). They were such a light colour, they blended into the background for my eyes. All I saw was one long news entry page .
Sorry for the stupid questions, and thanks for the vague puzzles, it was fun .