Shoutbox

In all, I think it's best to keep with standard practises. The Comeback Message is a dialog window, and dialog windows always have OK = Enter. Ctrl+Enter is for a forced line break (page break where line breaks are the norm).

Something else that I've noticed through continued use that could be refined in an updated version of Msg+:

Within auto-responses, the Auto-R is applied to myself as well as my contact, this is a little peculiar.

I should in theory be able to post to the contact as many times as I like, whenever I like, without being reminded by my own auto-response that I the sender, 'may be away from my computer and therefore unable to respond', given that... I was the one who sent the message! So I know exactly where I am!

These auto-responses and time delay management settings should only really apply to incoming messages, not out-going ones too!

With the exception that everytime I send a message to the contact, these time delay settings would restart, thus assuming the fact that I am now situated back at my computer, and able to accept limited incoming communication again up until either the time delay runs out, or I send a response again which would restart the clock.


Cheers.


SketcH

---

One furthur observation. Does the time delay on Auto-R not apply if I close the conversation window? I hope it does. Otherwise its purpose is made a little redundant... as I know very few users who keep every single conversation window open all the time during Messenger use.

I have also noticed that rather than sending the auto-response and minimizing the window as you would normally expect, I am automatically confronted with the conversation window regardless of whether I am 'Away' or 'Busy' doing something else. This is to my mind intrusive to system usage, and I have had this issue make Msg+ take away all my control from another webpage and focus on this convo at hand.

An Auto-R I had hoped was supposed to do my 'reply' communication for me, not disable me from doing anything but. And at the moment, Messenger's default minimization technique without an Auto-R is more desireable to unhindered usage than the Msg+ Auto-R facility, it seems.

Please note that these suggestions are designed to alert the developers of areas of possible improvement and refinement. I am not looking to merely pick holes in its current functionality to degrade the quality of the product. I think Msg+ does some pretty fantastic things, I am simply aiming to encourage its growth.

I would hope that's clear.

Cheers.


SketcH

Hello. Me again.

Why, when I attempt to access my oddment of email accounts through the novel Msg+ interface... does it constantly persist in hijacking the webpages I'm already utilising for other means? It's becoming really annoying.

Could it not simply open up a nice clean page of its own device, and use that instead?

Cheers. Needed to vent.


SketcH

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Could it not simply open up a nice clean page of its own device, and use that instead?

---

In the Internet Explorer options make sure you have not enabled the "Reuse existing windows" (or similar) option (Advanced tab).

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
I've also noticed that I can't seem to simply utilize the basic MSN Messenger labelling and just apply 'auto-response' messages for the different reasons I might be away.

---

Yes you can... You need to set a personalised status without a "name status tag" (aka personalised status), but with a Messenger status...

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
For example, I'm (Away), but I am away because I have had to go to the shops. So I set the appropriate programmed Personalised Status describing this but maintain the standard (Away) identifier.

---

thus:
  Status internal identifier: whatever you like
  Fast activation shortcut: whatever you like
  Messenger Status: Away
  Name status tag: leave blank
  Auto-respond message: blablablabla

-----------

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
And on another occasion I might use the same (Away) identifier as a visual aid to me cooking in the kitchen... so I would use the same basic MSN Messenger identifier to illustrate the point, aside from a different Personalised Status response list that would dictate the point. I can't seem to do that. (Does that make sense?!)
(...)
I cannot use the inbuilt MSN identifiers for more than one personalisation status.

---

That is perfectly possible. Just make another personalised status with the same messenger status (eg: away) and the same name tag status (or none), but with a different auto-responder message...

-----------

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
With regard to the 'ping' thing. I know of that method, however, the other user is generally pretty alarmed when the word 'ping?' pops up on their window for seemingly no apparent reason... and I find myself explaining what I was doing... which the average contact on my list doesn't really understand anyway. It's a pain.

---

It is the only method to check if your contact has Plus! or not. This will not change. Otherwise it can be considered a major privacy breach if it is checked without the contacts knowledge. This has been discussed many many times before and will not change, regardless of any suggestions.

-----------

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
(EDIT= Right click 'cut,copy,paste' is also unavailable, which is odd.)

---

Not really, a context menu with copy/paste functions isn't a standard Windows thing. It might be usefull though, I agree. But I can imagine it wont be on the top priority list to add...

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
(EDIT=Speaking of which, do web urls appear on the other end as clickable links through this thing?)

---

Messenger Plus! does not interfear with the way MSN Messenger handles (or not handles) URLs. This means if MSN Messenger itself detects something as an URL and decides to convert it to a clickable item, then it will be done.

-----------

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
All-in-all though, I don't believe I came across any documentation or description that 'Ctrl-Enter' would insert paragraphing into that specific window. Perhaps that would be the easiest and quickest thing to address for the benefit of the average user. Should no action be taken to change the setting.

---

This is standard Windows beheviour and something any Windows user should know already though. It would be out of scope of the documentations to teach people all the Windows basics...

-----------

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Something else that I've noticed through continued use that could be refined in an updated version of Msg+: Within auto-responses, the Auto-R is applied to myself as well as my contact, this is a little peculiar.

---

That is because how Messenger Plus! detects when something is added to the conversation. As for now this will not change. Maybe in the futur...

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Does the time delay on Auto-R not apply if I close the conversation window?

---

yes

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
I have also noticed that rather than sending the auto-response and minimizing the window as you would normally expect, I am automatically confronted with the conversation window regardless of whether I am 'Away' or 'Busy' doing something else.

---

The window needs to have to focus in order to send the auto-respond message. This is just the way it is because of how Messenger Plus! interacts with MSN Messenger. There is nothing Patchou can do about it at the moment.

-----------

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Please note that these suggestions are designed to alert the developers

---

There is only 1 developer and that's Patchou. We are here simply to give some help with the product...

Yes. I've tried that. It didn't seem to like it when I used the word 'away' etc... more than once in the 'Status Internal Identifier'.

I've decided against using Personalised Statuses altogether. They have become more of a hinderance than a help to me in the way that they function at the moment.

However, some of the other features that I use courtesy of this app. are really helpful.

Thanks.


SketcH

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
Yes. I've tried that. It didn't seem to like it when I used the word 'away' etc... more than once in the 'Status Internal Identifier'.

---

The "Status Internal Identifier" is not the place were you define the messenger status! The "Status Internal Identifier" is the name you give to your personalised status and this must be unique. It is only used locally to identify your personlised status in the selection list.
* The messenger status itself is set in "Messenger status"...
* And the personalised status (the one your contact will see beside the messenger status) is set in "Name status tag"

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
I've decided against using Personalised Statuses altogether. They have become more of a hinderance than a help to me in the way that they function at the moment.

---

That's most likely because you use it wrong though... And what you want is perfectly possible.

Look at the default examples which comes with Messenger Plus! (when you install it for the first time) and also check out the official tutorials on http://www.msgplus.net.



-----------------------------------

EDIT:

quote:

---

Originally posted by SketcH
More Statuses------- MSN ---    Away
                         '                             --------------------- Sleeping AutoResponse (see ps 1)
                         '                             --------------------- Eating Auto Response (see ps 2)
                         '                             --------------------- Gone Out Auto-R
                         '                    Busy
                         '                            ---------------------- Working Auto-R (see ps 4)
                         '                            ---------------------- Cooking Auto-R
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '                    Etc...
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc... (Tick shows use)
                         '                            ---------------------- Etc...
                         '   
                         ' --Plus! ----   Sleeping (New ID)-------------- Sleeping Auto-R (see ps 10)
                                             
                                              Gone Out (New ID)------------- Gone Out Auto-R (see ps 11)
                                             
                                              CounterStrike (New ID)------- CS Auto-R (see ps 12)

---

Personalised Status 1
Status internal identifier: Sleeping Auto-R
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            <leave blank>
Auto-responder message:     I'm currently sleeping

Personalised Status 2
Status internal identifier: Eating Auto-R
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            <leave blank>
Auto-responder message:     Sorry, but I'm currently eating

Personalised Status 4
Status internal identifier: Working Auto-R
Messenger Status:           Busy
Name Status Tag:            <leave blank>
Auto-responder message:     At the moment, I'm at work

Personalised Status 10
Status internal identifier: Sleeping Auto-R with new id
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            Sleeping
Auto-responder message:     I'm currently sleeping

Personalised Status 11
Status internal identifier: Gone Out Auto-R with new id
Messenger Status:           Away
Name Status Tag:            Gone Out
Auto-responder message:     I'm currently not here

Personalised Status 12
Status internal identifier: CS Auto-R with new id
Messenger Status:           Busy
Name Status Tag:            CounterStrike
Auto-responder message:     I'm playing CounterStrike, leave me alone




Since the "Status internal identifier" is just the name you give to the status to be listed in the menu, you can make it whatever you want. eg:
  for PS1: MSN-Away: Sleeping
  for PS2: MSN-Away: Eating
  for PS4: MSN-Busy: Working
  for PS10: Plus!-Away: Sleeping
  for PS11: Plus!-Away: Gone Out
  for PS12: Plus!-Busy: CounterStrike

etc...

If you want, I could code a quick EXE to put those in auto. All you'd have to give it is your e-mail address so it can find where to put the settings.

Thanks for that. Appreciated.

However, they are still more a hinderance than a help I'm afraid.

The time delay feature not working with windows closed defeats the purpose of Auto-R's if you have to have every conversation you don't want to have open for them to function in time delayed succession, and they even apply to me... which is nuts. Conversations swiftly become Auto-Responding massacres. I don't tend to keep every individual conversation window open, and know very few people who do.

Added to that that when every contact who attempts to contact you and initiates an Auto-R opens a window and takes control over your desktop and primary input; I have found it much more preferable just to use the default MSN method of minimised taskbar blinking.

It's non-intrusive and I'm not over-run by opening Messenger conversation windows.

The good news is, I only downloaded Msg+ so that I could change peoples names, and send 'offline messages' so all these other features are more a bonus than a necessary requirement for me, personally.

If there is one thing that I have mentioned that I would suggest be addressed immediately, it would be the 'Comeback Message' icon change. Red figure to blue figure would be fine.

I just imported some saved settings and it re-applied 'Comeback Messages that I had a) already sent, and b) forgotten about.

With no visual identifier available in my contact list I cannot possibly keep on top of who's awaiting the receipt of one, and what it was about, without trawling through every single users individual Msg+ settings that I may or may not have set. Which is a bit farcical for such a useful Msg+ feature.

I hope my posts have highlighted some areas of development and consideration.

Thanks for your time, and your input.


SketcH