Shoutbox

sorry if this is not where it should be but I really need some help. I need to be able to keep my chat history on msn but for some reason whenever I try to look at the history I keep getting the message windows can't open this file. I am then giving the option of checking online or using a programme already installed. I am not very pc literate so am at a loss as to where to start as I have never had to do this before. I have however noticed that my logs are not saving in xml if this helps.

Thanks
Andream

What version of Messenger Plus! are you using and what version of Windows Live Messenger?

Are they in a .PLE file format? If so then they are encrypted and you need Messenger Plus! to decrypt them.

quote:

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Originally posted by andream
sorry if this is not where it should be but I really need some help. I need to be able to keep my chat history on msn but for some reason whenever I try to look at the history I keep getting the message windows can't open this file. I am then giving the option of checking online or using a programme already installed. I am not very pc literate so am at a loss as to where to start as I have never had to do this before. I have however noticed that my logs are not saving in xml if this helps.

Thanks
Andream

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If you get such a dialog it means that the file extension association for those specific file extensions has been removed (or corrupted).

If the files have "PLE" as extension, then they are encrypted Messenger Plus! log files. And as Matty said, you need Messenger Plus! to open them. So, best thing you can do is to (re)install Messenger Plus!. After that you can open those files again by double clicking.

If the files have another extension then please post back with the complete name of that file so that we can point you to the right direction you need to take.

PS: Windows Live Messenger can only log chats in files with the extension "XML". So, if those files have anything else as an extension name, like you said, it means you're not logging with Windows Live Messenger (anymore). You can enable/disable this in Windows Live Messenger's options. Note: When you double click an XML file, it wont open in Windows Live Messenger directly because XML is a rather very general file type. It will probably open in your internet browser instead.

Hi

I am using the Windows Live 2011 messenger and latest version of messenger plus. They are not PLE files. All I can tell you that may help is that if anyone has a full-stop in their email address eg: andrea.morrison it names the log eg: andrea.morrison123454345 and type is noted eg: morrison123454345 File

I use msn frequently for work and really need to be able to look back at these logs for reference and ALL my colleagues have . in their email addresses :0(

Any help would be gratefully received

Thanks
Andrea

If you open the file in notepad what do you see?

The format of file is actually the Windows Live Messenger XML logging I do believe.

If you don't mind, you could also post one of the files here.

Hi Matty

All a bit gobbledygook to me when open in notepad. Do you mean post a file opened in notepad? Due to the nature of the work I do it would need to be an excerpt only.

Andrea

quote:

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Originally posted by andream
Hi Matty

All a bit gobbledygook to me when open in notepad. Do you mean post a file opened in notepad? Due to the nature of the work I do it would need to be an excerpt only.

Andrea

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Post a screenshot of the file opened in notepad then. But please make sure to upload it to the server here not a file host.

Thanks

This is a chat log from Windows Live Messenger not Messenger Plus!.

When you attempt to open it and it prompts you for a program to use select your browser in the list.

Sorry Matty

I thought all messenger logs would be same.
So how do I know if I'm in messenger plus or windows live andwhat i the difference?

Andrea