Hello.

Ive been using Messenger Plus! skins for a while now but what really annoys me is that when I use the normal Messenger skin there are no adverts as I have removed them from the bottom of my contact list. However when I use a skin there are adverts at the bottom as shown in one of the images below.

I was just wondering is there any way to remove the adverts?!


Normal Messenger Skin: http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/Matu92/normalskin.jpg

Sheep Messenger Skin: http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/Matu92/newskin_.jpg

Thanks.

Matt

Skins that are submitted into the skins database do not have the remove adverts option straight up, as Patchou does not allow for this since it would be breaking the terms and conditions of use for WLM.
However, contacting the creator of the skin and asking them for a fix might work.

Ahh OK.

Thanks

The reason why this happens is because the advert boxes are defined in the interface files or UIFILEs. When you patch Messenger with something like MessPatch or A-Patch, you actually modify that interface file to remove the block where the adverts are in.

A Plus! Live skin does just the same, only it doesn't replace the interface file in the Messenger executable file itself but in the memory space where Messenger is loaded, that's why you can switch between Plus! skins so easily! It doesn't matter whether the original interface file was modified before, Plus! simply replaces it with the skin's interface file.

What you can do is quite simple:

• Contact the skin author and ask him if it's possible to add some kind of ad removal.
  
• Modify the UIFILEs of the skin yourself.

I was thinking of attempting to modify the skin myself but I would probably ruin it.

Hmm...Might try anyway

Thanks

Well, if you don't have any experience involving UIFILEs, you'd better learn it first a little or simply stay away from it.

Luckily, the worst thing that can happen when you try to modify the skin would be that the skin won't loaded. Back in the days where skinning was done by modifying the files themselves, you could simply screw up the executable and start all over again if you didn't make any backups.

Well, it's up to you. Perhaps you should first try to contact the creator and in the meantime, experiment a bit with it if you have nothing else to do.

Aha, Ill take a look.
I have no experience so i may screw it up

If I cant do it ill just stick with the good old normal messenger skin

Thanks again

Try opening the skin's folder and see if there's anything like "Remove ads.REG"..

I did find one of those in the skin folder but when I opened it I got an error message saying

"the specified file is not a registry script. You can only import binary registry files from within the registry editor"

Hmm....

Could you please open them with Notepad?

You should se something like this:

code:

---

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Patchou\Messenger Plus! Live\GlobalSettings\Skins\GTA IV Messenger\Settings]
"MySetting"=dword:00000001

---

Here is what it says

; Purpose: Enables a PlusSkin option via the registry.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Patchou\Messenger Plus! Live\GlobalSettings\Skins\Hide Adverts\Settings]
"RemChatAd"=dword:00000001
"RemListAd"=dword:00000001
"RemShareAd"=dword:00000001

Hmm.. Strange..

I assume the skin's name is "Hide Adverts"?

Anyway, try creating these entries manually:

1. Hit the Start button
   
2. Vista: type "RegEidt" (without quotes) in the search box and hit [ENTER]. XP: hit "Run" and type "RegEdit" and hit [ENTER].
   
3. Look for the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Patchou\Messenger Plus! Live\GlobalSettings\Skins\Hide Adverts*
   
4. Create the 3 registry entries mentioned in the REG file. Create them as DWORD (32-bit value) and assign them their value (should be 1). Please note that the key names are case sensitive
   
5. (Re)start Messenger and see what happens
   [/list]
   
   * If "Hide adverts" is not your skin's name, use the name there
   
   That'll do it

You are a Legend!

It worked, Thanks so much.
I really appreciate that.

Thank You!!

OMGOSH legend indeed, thanks soooo much!! Really appreciate stuff like that! Works like a charm, ppl like you should get paid..thx again im so happy! =)