Shoutbox

I help out in a Computer Room that have a few un-networked computers with Messenger on and I like to make little things, like custom logon screens, wallpapers etc.. with information and various bits on it for two reasons.
1; I like to try new things and this gives learning a point, wouldn't have figured out about the code behind the logon screens otherwise.
2; The people who use them are idiots and need BIG BOLD LETTERS to understand certain rules.

But anyway back to the point of this post. After getting round to installing the new Plus! and seeing the custom skins option, my heart went through the room, finally something new to do in my own time. Problem, need a reason to work on it. The computers are going to be formatted tommorow with all new copy of windows and office as they are bogged down with rubbish files and programs that people installed etc...

As the new Messenger will be installed I was thinking about adding Plus! and making a skin to fit in with the Logon screen and wallpaper. But there is a problem.

I need to know the following if you are able to set Plus! to have just one version of settings for anyone who logs in so I can set the skin and password the settings so no one can play about with them. If so how?

Also is there away of possible hiding the buttons on the main window so the skin can't be changed?

Sorry if there is an obvious answer, I have looked around but have been known to not see the bleeding obvious.

Thanks.

isnt there a way to set a password for your messenger plus settings?

Use that?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ashley_H
isnt there a way to set a password for your messenger plus settings?

Use that?

---

That is account-wise...

Just had a thought, would there be something in the registry that might help me out?

I believe there is a way to turn off the msgplus and script buttons in the ribbon via the registry, but I don't think the top menu can be removed.

I just need it to be hard for someone to get anywhere near the settings as they will probably mess things up and make more work for me and others.

You can achieve most of the things via registry however there will be some limitations. Let me explain the steps you must apply.

1. Signin Messenger with your Windows Live ID.
2. Go into the Messenger Plus! Live Preferences and set whatever you want to set for your users by default. (For example, remove the Plus! icons from contact list and conversation windows and disable chat logging and choose the skin you want.
3. Set a Preferences Password.
4. Signout and exit Messenger.
5. Go to registry.
6. Browse for HKCU>Software>Patchou>Messenger Plus! Live.
7. Here find DefaultSettings root and delete it.
8. Now find your Windows Live ID which you have just signed in and out.
9. Rename it as DefaultSettings.
10. Delete Contacts root under DefaultSettings because people's contact list will be different than yours.
    • After deleting it, you may consider creating the same root again, because there was a Contacts root before. Deleting and Readding is the easiest way to empty that root's content.
11. Now you can consider scanning the keys' names under Preferences, you may get the function of some of them. For example ContactWatchTime key is for user specific purposes. For example if you don't delete ContactWatchTime from DefaultSettings root, then it will be copied to all users' Preferences root in registry and will cause Messenger Plus! Live to keep wrong statistics about contacts of Messenger users who connnect with your computers, ie, it may show wrong info about, for example, Last Online time of the users' contacts).
12. These two steps are not required. But you can still consider setting that option
    • Expand GlobalSettings.
    • Set a DWORD key and name it "DisplayWizardFirstStart (It will be set 0 by default). This will prevent the Configuration Wizard from popping-up when a new user signs in. (However, if you complete the previous steps correctly, then new users won't see the pop-up Configuration Wizard anyway even if you don't complete this twelveth step)

[edit] You said you had many computers and I think applying these steps on each of them is very difficult. Therefore, Export that DefaultSettings root to a portable device (like a flash memory) after you complete up to twelveth step on only one computer, then import that to each other computer.[/edit]

With this system, whoever signs in Messenger on that computer can hardly notice the existence of Messenger Plus! Live. Even if they notice it, they cannot access the Preferences panel because it will ask for the password you set previously. However the limitations of this system are:

1. They can access to the Configuration Wizard via Contact List's Plus! menu and it will not ask for a password so users can change some of the options there like enabling chat logging (This has been requested from Patchou that opening configuration wizard must also ask for the password because in version 3 of Messenger Plus! it was so and it is more logical imho.)
2. They can access Sound Library, Contact List Clean-Up and Contacts on Dekstop windows and can change settings about them.
3. They can do some sort of things with the Plus! menu of conversation windows like enabling/disabing chat logging or enabling/disabling auto-accepting requests. Also they can use commands if you didn't disable it while you are configuring your account.

Hope this helps you with your problem. Let me know if there is any problem applying these steps.

Try this.
Visitor Control 1.0 however it only supports 1 main account and 4 others which might be a problem for you. It allows you to make it so only the main control can change the options I think.

Anything up to 160 people would use the computers at some point and most of them have MSN. Thanks for the help but it's too limiting.

Visitor Control only

quote:

---

Originally posted by Script's details page
can all change, only your email can login, or they can login but have a guest nickname, telling their contacts that their at your house.

---

So it even doesn't prevent others from accessing Messenger Plus! Preferences.

earthangelGhost, it looks like you didn't try what I suggested. It works like a charm. I am ready to help you if you have difficulties.