Changes between Version 122 and Version 123 of Using Pidgin

Timestamp:

Aug 18, 2008, 10:43:40 PM (15 years ago)

Author:

chemistrydioxide

Comment:

moved platform-independent question "What should I do if Pidgin crashes?" from Windows to all platforms section

Using Pidgin

@@ -226 +226 @@
 
 === Pidgin Crashing ===
+= ["Using Pidgin"] =
+
+[[TOC(inline,noheading)]]
+
+== All Platforms ==
+
+=== Getting Started ===
+
+==== How do I use AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk/Jabber/XMPP, ICQ, or any other protocol? ====
+Use the Account Editor (Accounts->Add/Edit) to add the account of the appropriate messaging service.  Use the checkbox in the account editor to enable the current account.
+
+For Google Talk, fill in the Domain field with the domain of your Google Mail e-mail address.  For most users this will be gmail.com or googlemail.com, but Google Apps for Your Domain users will use their domain instead.
+
+==== How do I register for a new account? ====
+This depends on the protocol.
+ * '''AIM:''' Go to [https://reg.my.screenname.aol.com/_cqr/registration/initRegistration.psp?mcState=initialized&seamless=n&createSn=1&sitedomain=www.aim.com&siteState=http://www.aim.com/get_aim/congratsd2.adp this website].
+ * '''MSN (including Hotmail email):'''Go to http://registernet.passport.com/
+ * '''MSN (using your own email address):''' Go to http://register.passport.net/
+ * '''Yahoo:''' Go to http://edit.yahoo.com/config/eval_register
+ * '''XMPP (Jabber):''' This will depend on the server in question.  All Jabber servers use the XMPP account type.  Go to http://www.jabber.org/user/quickstart.shtml for some public Jabber servers or visit [https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=talk Google Talk's account creation page]
+ * '''ICQ:''' Go to http://web.icq.com/register
+ * '''Gadu-Gadu:''' In the ''Add Account'' dialog select Gadu-Gadu protocol and click the ''Register'' button.
+ * '''Novell:''' See your Novell server administrator.
+
+=== Buddy Icons (Avatars), Buddy List and Blocking ===
+
+==== How do I set a buddy icon or avatar? ====
+We call all user pictures, avatars, etc. buddy icons.  There are two ways to set one for yourself:
+  * '''Global''' - This will affect all of your accounts.  On the Buddy List window, beside the status selector at the bottom, there is an area that will have a generic photo icon if you have no icon set.  You can click that and select an icon from there.  The icon will take effect for all accounts you have configured in Pidgin.
+  * '''Per-account''' - This will affect only the account you modify.  Go to Accounts->''your account''->Edit Account.  On that dialog, check the box labeled "Use this buddy icon for this account:", then click the leftmost button below that checkbox.  Select your buddy icon.
+
+In either case, the file must be smaller than 4KB to work on AIM and XMPP.  It can have any dimensions, and can be in any format.  However, if you wish Windows users to see it, it must be in a format Windows understands, such as .bmp, .gif, and .jpg.  Pidgin will attempt to scale icons to fit within these constraints, but it is not always possible to do so.
+
+The following dimension guidelines are believed to be accurate as of June 2007:
+||'''Protocol'''||'''Dimensions'''||'''Format'''||'''File Size'''||
+||AIM||48x48 to 50x50||gif, jpg, bmp, ico||7168 bytes (7.0KB)||
+||ICQ||48x48 to 50x50||gif, jpg, bmp, ico||7168 bytes (7.0KB)||
+||Yahoo!||96x96||png, gif, jpg||||
+||XMPP (including Google Talk)||32x32 to 96x96||png, gif, jpeg||8191 bytes (one byte short of 8.0KB)||
+||MSN||up to 96x96||png||||
+
+Pidgin itself (for the chat window) will scale icons up or down to 32x32 for display in the buddy list and the infopane.  In general, to maintain the aspect ratio, you should begin with a square icon.
+
+==== A friend of mine uses my favorite episode of ''The Young and the Restless'' as her buddy icon, but I can't quite make it out in the infopane.  What do I do? ====
+
+The easiest thing to do is ask your friend to put it up on !YouTube or some equivalent service.  Alternatively, you could buy it on DVD, if available.  The mouse-over tooltip on the infopane also has her full-size buddy icon, for a quick fix.  Additionally, clicking the icon in the infopane should also enlarge it.
+
+==== How can I unblock someone? ====
+See the "Privacy" option under the "Tools" menu in the Buddy List.
+
+==== Why are the status icons so big? ====
+==== Can I make buddy list entries smaller? ====
+We believe that, by adding a second line of text to each buddy list entry, we're able to show more information about each buddy on the buddy list.  The "Big List," as we call it, shows status text and idle time concisely and attractively.  Most importantly, it puts the buddy icon in the list, making it far easier to locate buddies within a large list where names are harder to pick out than images.  Due to the increased usability of this interface, we have made it the default.
+
+We are aware that some people feel more comfortable using an interface more similar to IM clients they may have used in the past.  The 'Big List' can  be disabled by un-checking "Show buddy details" in the Buddies menu.
+
+==== Can I import or export my buddy list? ====
+Not with Pidgin alone, but the [http://plugins.guifications.org/trac/wiki/PluginPack Purple Plugin Pack] provides the [http://plugins.guifications.org/trac/wiki/listhandler List Handler] plugin, which adds some importing and exporting capabilities.
+
+==== Why are my logs combining the logs of several of my buddies? ====
+It's likely you have inadvertently combined some buddies into contacts when you did not intend to do so.  To correct this you need to find which contact the logs are associated with.  Right-click that entry in the buddy list and click Expand.  Drag out the buddies that do not belong in the contact.
+
+==== Where did my buddy go?  I just tried to change its group and it disappeared! ====
+You inadvertently created a contact from two buddies.  Hover over each buddy in the destination group and watch the tooltips that appear.  You'll see the "missing" buddy in one of them.  Right-click that entry in the buddy list, click Expand, and then drag the buddy that does not belong out to the group.  Watch the buddy list carefully; a bar will appear to show you where the buddy will go if you are in the right location.
+
+==== Can I group buddies by their owner, like Trillian's or Miranda's Metacontacts? ====
+Sure! Right click a buddy on your list and at the bottom of the menu click "Expand".  Then just drag other screen names to the same person below it.  When you're done, click on the arrow to collapse them.  When the contact is collapsed, Pidgin will select a buddy to display based on the status of the buddies in the contact, and their order.
+
+If you use the Alias function, by either highlighting a buddy and pressing F2 or right-clicking and selecting "Alias...," when two or more buddies in the same group are aliased to the same name, Pidgin will prompt you to automatically merge them together into one contact.
+
+==== I grouped my buddies into contacts, can I control which one is selected? ====
+Yes and no.  Pidgin uses an algorithm to determine which buddy is selected.  If you right click on a contact
+and select expand, you can see an ordered list of the buddies in that contact.  Pidgin will pick the                                                                                                                                                 highest/topmost buddy that is most available.
+                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
+It computes which is most available as follows:
+  1. It will start at the top looking for a buddy that is "present" and not idle. If it finds one, it will use that.
+  1. If it did not already find one, it will then start at the top looking for a buddy that is away but not idle. If it finds one, it will use that.
+  1. If it has not already found one, it will start at the top of the list looking for a buddy that is idle but not away.  If it finds one, it will use that.
+  1. If it has not already found one, it will start at the top of the list looking for a buddy that is both away and idle.  If it finds one it will use that.
+  1. Lastly, if all of the buddies are offline, it will pick the top buddy. Ideally it would search the list one more time, looking for a buddy that is offline, but on a protocol that supports offline messages.  This has not, however, been implemented yet. 
+
+With this search pattern, you should be able to drag the buddies in that contact into an order that will yield reasonable results for that contact most of the time.  While this will be sufficient for most people most of the time, we recognize that a small minority of users may need to control things more precisely.  In the source tarball there is a plugin, contact_priority, that does not install by default.  If installed and loaded, this plugin allows for some modifications to the algorithm that Pidgin uses.  Specifically, you can weight certain accounts to be either more likely to be chosen or less likely to be chosen. This cannot, however, be done on a per-buddy basis with the existing plugin.
+
+==== Why are protocol icons not displayed in the buddy list and conversation windows any more? ====
+See [http://pidgin.im/~seanegan/blog/identity.html Sean's blog entry on the subject] for the rationale behind this change.  However, as of Pidgin 2.2.0 you can add protocol icons to the buddy list with Buddies-> Show->Protocol Icons.  The [http://plugins.guifications.org/trac/wiki/convbadger convbadger plugin] from the [http://plugins.guifications.org/trac/wiki/PluginPack Purple Plugin Pack] adds protocol icons to conversation windows.
+
+=== Keyboard Shortcuts ===
+
+==== What are the default keyboard shortcuts (key bindings)? ====
+See [wiki:shortcuts this wiki page] for a list.
+
+==== How do I make Enter make a newline and Ctrl+Enter send? ====
+
+Locate or create your `gtkrc-2.0` file and insert:
+{{{
+binding "my-bindings"
+{
+    bind "Return" { "insert-at-cursor" ("\n") }
+    bind "<ctrl>Return" { "message_send" () }
+}
+widget "*pidgin_conv_entry" binding "my-bindings"
+}}}
+
+==== How do I make Pidgin use emacs-like keybindings? ====
+Locate or create your `.gtkrc-2.0` file and insert the following:
+{{{
+gtk-key-theme-name = "Emacs"
+}}}
+You will need to restart Pidgin when you have finished.  Note that this will affect other GTK+ applications as well.
+
+==== How do I bind keystrokes to menu items? ====
+
+Locate or create your `gtkrc-2.0` file and insert:
+
+{{{
+gtk-can-change-accels = 1
+}}}
+
+After coercing Pidgin into rereading this file (for instance, by restarting it), you can hover over a menu item and hit the keystroke you want to bind to it, and your wish will be granted!  (You might want to turn off `gtk-can-change-accels` again when you're done, since it's pretty easy to bind keys by mistake with it turned on.)
+
+If you're using a recent enough Gnome, you can instead open the ''Appearance'' preferences applet, switch to the ''Interface'' tab and toggle ''Editable menu shortcut keys''.  In older versions of Gnome, use `gconf-editor` to set the `/desktop/gnome/interface/can_change_accels` key instead (which is what happens in newer Gnomes behind the scenes anyway).  You don't need to restart Pidgin if you take the gconf path.
+
+==== How do I make Escape close conversation windows? ====
+As of 2.4.2 this option is included by default. The option is under Tools ⇒ Preferences ⇒ Interface Tab.
+
+=== Spell Checking ===
+
+==== How do I change the language for the Highlight Misspelled words option? ====
+Pidgin currently only supports spell checking in your locale language.  This is because gtkspell 2 does not offer a good way for us to know which dictionaries are available or to switch between them.  This functionality has long been promised for gtkspell version 3, which has been delayed somewhat indefinitely.  See [http://gtkspell.sf.net gtkspell.sf.net].
+
+There is, however a simple plugin called [http://plugins.guifications.org/trac/wiki/switchspell switchspell] that can change the spell check language on a per-buddy basis.
+
+==== Why do all words I type get highlighted as misspelled? ====
+We've seen several users with this issue.  It seems to be that the dictionary for the spell checking language is missing.  Most likely you need to install a package named "`aspell-XX`" where `XX` is the language you run Pidgin in, such as `en` for English or `es` for Spanish.
+
+=== Statuses ===
+
+==== How does Pidgin decide which saved statuses to show in the status selector? ====
+Pidgin shows six "popular" saved statuses in the status selector. These are your six most recently used statuses, offset by a weight. Pidgin sorts all your saved statuses by the timestamp when they were last used.  And then, for each time you've used a status, the timestamp is increased by one day.
+
+If you are upgrading from 1.x or lower, Pidgin is unable to determine which are the most popular states, as these older releases did not save that information.  As a result, the initial contents of the menu will be somewhat random.  It will settle over the first few uses of (distinct) states into the behavior described above.
+
+==== Why are no states listed when I go to set a state for Auto Away? ====
+Pidgin can only use saved states for Auto Away.  You need to create and save a named state first.
+
+=== Smileys (Emoticons) ===
+
+==== Does Pidgin support animated smileys? ====
+Yes, but there is a bug which can cause animation to be lost if Pidgin has to resize the image.  Also, only the most recent 20 emoticons are animated.
+
+==== How do I use/make smiley themes? ====
+See [wiki:SmileyThemes the page on smileys].
+
+=== Look & Feel ===
+
+==== Can I "skin" Pidgin? ====
+The UI can be customized using GTK themes and by [wiki:SmileyThemes Smiley Themes].  Application-specific skins will never be supported by Pidgin.  This seems to confuse a lot of users, so here's an attempt at an explanation.
+
+Themes allow you to change font size, font face, the color of different elements of the UI, and sometimes their shape. All of this is perfectly reasonable, and encompasses the range of configuration that ''most'' users are requesting. Skins go beyond this. Skins allow you to move and possibly suppress different elements of the UI that the programmers have added for specific reasons.
+
+In so doing, skins create a support nightmare. The developer, talking to the user, cannot be sure that the user sees the same interface. Is it a bug that the user cannot see how to change font size, or is the user's skin suppressing that widget? This is an unacceptable situation.
+
+Conversely, while themes allow some silliness, for instance setting the background to the same color as the font, the results are relatively easily foreseen and avoided by theme authors. Further, by using the existing GTK theme mechanism, we gain two advantages:
+  1. We don't have to write it ourselves.  Were we to write our own mechanism, we would be adding overhead in both the run time and the time necessary to debug.
+  1. We have a built in way of debugging theme problems, by checking if the same bug exists with other GTK programs.
+
+Lastly, since GTK themes only allow acceptable modifications, we do not have to worry that a user isn't seeing part of the UI because it is either showing or not showing ''because of our code''.
+
+Themes and information on using them can be found at http://themes.freshmeat.net, http://art.gnome.org, or by searching on your favorite search engine, such as Google.
+
+The default location on Windows to add the theme is: `C:\Program Files\Common Files\GTK\2.0\share\themes` (TODO: This isn't correct, it should be the user-specific directory, not the global directory).
+
+==== How do I change the font Pidgin uses?  The background color? ====
+The font preference in Pidgin applies only for the formatting of outgoing messages on those protocols which support said formatting.  The display fonts used by the rest of Pidgin are those specified by GTK+, the toolkit we use to create the user interface.  If you're using Gnome, you can change these in System ⇒ Preferences ⇒ Appearance ⇒ Fonts; the font used for conversations is the ''document'' font, while the rest of Pidgin uses the ''application'' font.
+
+If you're not running Gnome and want to change the fonts used, you need to edit your `~/.gtkrc-2.0` (or `~/.purple/gtkrc-2.0`) file.  On Windows, see [wiki:"Using Pidgin#WhatisagtkrcfileandwherecanIfindit" this FAQ entry] for the location of the gtkrc file.  If that file does not exist, simply create it.
+
+As an example, you can put this into `.gtkrc-2.0` to change the font size for all GTK+ applications:
+{{{
+# Sets the font used by all gtk applications.
+gtk-font-name = "Verdana 9"
+}}}
+
+Alternatively, you can do this to change the font size for other elements:
+{{{
+# This is the style section.  You need this for the examples below.
+# If you are going to copy the example, copy the entire block,
+# including the "{" and "}" lines.
+style "imhtml-fix"
+{
+    font_name = "Sans 10"
+}
+
+# This will apply the font style just shown to various components.
+# If you are going to copy the example, copy the line that does
+# what you want.
+
+# Conversation entry box--where you type.
+widget "*pidgin_conv_entry" style "imhtml-fix"
+
+# Conversation history pane--where you read the conversation.
+widget "*pidgin_conv_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix"
+
+# Log viewer--where you read stored logs
+widget "*pidgin_log_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix"
+
+# formatting-capable entry areas (IMHtml widgets) in request dialogs
+widget "*pidgin_request_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix"
+
+# formatting-capable notification areas in dialogs (again, IMHtml widgets)
+widget "*pidgin_notify_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix"
+}}}
+
+Background colors can be changed similarly, by finding the correct widget names and setting appropriate bg elements.  Other widgets in Pidgin can be controlled in a similar manner.  For example, to change the background color for a group, do something similar to the following:
+
+{{{
+style "NoPidginGroupColor"
+{
+    bg[ACTIVE]   = "#FFFFFF"
+}
+
+widget "*pidgin_blist_treeview" style "NoPidginGroupColor"
+}}}
+
+You could also switch GTK+ themes.  Themes and information on using them can be found at http://themes.freshmeat.net, http://art.gnome.org, or by searching on your favorite search engine, such as Google.
+
+=== Crashes and Bugs ===
+
+==== What should I do if Pidgin crashes? ====
+Follow the instructions [wiki:TipsForBugReports#WhattodoifPidgincrashes here] to submit a bug report.
 
 ==== Why does Pidgin crash when I start it? ====
@@ -316 +546 @@
 == Windows Specific ==
 
-=== Proxy and Connection Settings and Problems ===
+=== Proxies and Connection Settings and Problems ===
 
 ==== Why can't I connect? My firewall is configured to allow Pidgin access. ==== #windowsfirewall
@@ -337 +567 @@
 Yes, if you set the proxy preference to "Use Environmental Settings", Pidgin will parse the HTTP Proxy setting from Windows as long as you have a specific server set; auto-detection and configuration via `.pac` URL do not work, nor do proxy bypass settings.
 
-=== Running Windows Pidgin From a USB Drive (Portable Mode) ===
+=== Portable Mode ===
+
+==== Running Windows Pidgin From a USB Drive (Portable Mode) ====
 It is relatively easy to set up Pidgin to run from a USB drive. Most of Pidgin is very good about not assuming that it is installed; a slightly customized launcher makes it all come together nicely.
 
@@ -421 +653 @@
 If you just want the buddy list to always be on top, you can dock it to the side of your desktop.  A user has also recommended the freeware Windows utility, [http://www.abstractpath.com/powermenu/ PowerMenu] which can set any window to be 'Always On Top'.
 
-=== Pidgin Crashing ===
-
-==== What should I do if Pidgin crashes? ====
-Follow the instructions [wiki:TipsForBugReports#WhattodoifPidgincrashes here] to submit a bug report.
-
 === Miscellaneous ===
 
@@ -494 +721 @@
 Ubuntu Gutsy shipped a broken `/etc/purple/prefs.xml` for a while which caused this problem.  See [https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pidgin/+bug/144122 this bug report] for information on the problem and how to fix it.
 
+
+==== Why does Pidgin crash when I start it? ====
+Here are some things to try:
+  * Make sure you are running the most recent version of Pidgin.
+  * Make sure only one version of Pidgin is installed.  On UNIX-like systems, `whereis pidgin` can be helpful for this.
+  * Make sure Pidgin is not already running.  In recent versions, if an instance of Pidgin is already running then a new instance will not start without specifically forcing it.  You can check the process list on your operating system or look for the "System Tray" or "Notification Area" icon.
+  * If you are running a UNIX-like system, try "export GDK_USE_XFT=0" in a terminal, then run Pidgin from the same terminal.
+  * Disable or remove any third-party plugins, especially those related to encryption.
+  * If disabling third-party plugins doesn't help, disable ''all'' plugins.
+  * If you are on Windows, deleting `tcl.dll` from the Pidgin install directory may prove helpful.
+  * If none of these help, read TipsForBugReports.
+
+==== Pidgin <non-current-version> is buggy.  Why? ====
+==== Pidgin from Monotone is buggy.  Why? ====
+Non-current versions have old bugs which may be fixed in the current version--that's why we make new releases.  Monotone is frequently unusable because of changes in the code.  Bugs are introduced during the development process and are hopefully fixed before a release is made.
+
+=== Voice and Video (Microphone and Webcam) Support (Not Implemented Yet) ===
+
+==== Does Pidgin support webcams (video)? ====
+==== Does Pidgin support MSN video chat? ====
+Not currently.  It is planned.  See below.
+
+==== Does Pidgin support microphones (voice)? ====
+==== Does Pidgin support libjingle? ====
+Not currently.  It is planned.  See below.
+
+==== When will voice and video be implemented? ====
+We plan to implement these features eventually, but it is a daunting task.  Not all of our developers care about these features, and because of that don't want to work on them.  The time available to those developers who do want to work on these features is limited, and so any work on these features proceeds slowly.
+
+We aim to have an abstracted, protocol-agnostic API for voice and video, which makes the task harder.  Also adding to the difficulty is that now that we have a completely split core (libpurple) and UI (Pidgin and Finch), we refuse to take a step backward and violate this split.  The protocol plugins can NOT have any code in them that is UI-dependent, or we break the libpurple/UI split.  This imposes additional restrictions that make it a very painstaking process to implement voice and video correctly.
+
+In short, we have no idea when this will happen.  It could be tomorrow, or it could be in 2099.  That's really the best answer we can give right now.
+
+Some history and current status on voice and video should be collected at the ProgressReport page.
+
+=== Miscellaneous ===
+
+==== Can I change the height of the text input area? ====
+You can't manually resize the text input area, nor disable auto-resizing. The area auto-resizes up to a height of half the window height before the scrollbar appears.
+
+==== When will newer MSN features be supported? ====
+
+Support for MSN protocol version has been merged and will be available with the Pidgin 2.5.0 release (tentative). Currently only old MSN protocol version support is enabled by default.
+
+See more information about support for the newer features on the ProgressReport page.
+
+==== How can I enter non-ASCII characters? (like Windows' Alt+###) ==== #win32-alt-codes
+Entering character codes works differently in GTK+; press `Ctrl+Shift+u` and then type the Unicode number (in hexadecimal) with Ctrl and Shift held down. GTK+ 2.10.0 and later versions do not require Ctrl and Shift to be held down while typing the number.  For example, `Alt-164` would become `Ctrl+Shift+u`, `f1`.
+
+==== Can I still see messages in a chat if I close the window? ====
+Yes.  Pidgin has a persistent chat feature, where you will remain in a chat room even if you close the window.  When you open the window again, all the messages that were sent are still there as if the window had been open the whole time.  
+
+To make a chat persistent, add it to your buddy list, then right click and choose "Persistent" from the context menu.
+
+==== What happened to my timestamps?  Can I change them? ====
+As of 2.0.0, timestamps follow the system locale.  This is a significant difference from previous versions of Pidgin, and though it was requested more than once, we know it will prove to be a controversial decision.  Fortunately for all of you out there, we also provide plugins to change it.
+
+The two plugins we provide are the Timestamp plugin and the Message Timestamp Formats plugin.  Timestamp allows you to have iChat style timestamps, but it is implemented to behave slightly differently.  The Message Timestamp Formats plugin allows you to manipulate the timestamps in a couple different ways, such as restoring 24-hour timestamps and/or causing all timestamps to have dates in them.
+
+==== What is a "Buddy Pounce"? ====
+Pidgin introduced buddy pounces a few releases before AOL came out with "Buddy Alerts."  Despite this, you could think of a buddy pounce as an alert and get an idea of the most minimal use of a buddy pounce.  In reality, a buddy pounce is much like a macro, or a recorded action.  When you set a pounce on someone, you can choose from a number of events, such as sign on or status change, and then you choose from a number of actions.  These actions include everything from playing a sound (like an alert would do) to sending a message to the person, to executing a command.  This action will occur the next time pidgin detects the event, i.e. the next time the person in your buddy list who you have pounced signs on.
+
+==== Can I use Pidgin for e-mail, blogging, RSS feeds, or anything else that isn't IM-related? ====
+No, you can't.  We get requests for this often, but Pidgin is indeed a messaging client.  Aside from the capabilities each protocol may support, the Pidgin developers have no intention to turn Pidgin into a multi-feature Internet client capable of doing everything under the sun.  We also won't be helping to develop plugins to turn it into that.  There are many Internet applications available for Linux, Windows, or whatever operating system you use that would undoubtedly do a better job.
+
+Note that [http://www.livejournal.com LiveJournal] provides an XMPP messaging service which makes it possible to make entries to your blog via IM, no matter what XMPP-supporting IM client you use.
+
+==== Pidgin beeps whenever I press backspace, how do I disable that? ====
+
+See http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/3683 .
+
+==== Can I turn the tray icon off? ====
+Yes.  By default the tray icon will load if you have a Notification Area or a System Tray in your desktop environment.  Look at the Interface tab in Tools->Preferences.  Change the 'System Tray Icon' setting to 'Always', 'Never', or 'On unread messages' as you prefer.
+
+==== What do those colors in the conversation tab mean? ====
+ * '''Red''' - A message is waiting for you in a chat that does not contain your name
+ * '''Blue''' - Someone (in one-on-one IM) sent you a message or (in chats) said your name/nickname
+ * '''Green''' - The buddy is typing
+ * '''Yellow''' - The buddy began typing, and then stopped
+ * '''Gray''' - There has been a join or a part in that chat, or the buddy has signed off
+
+==== I get "accept/reject certificate" prompts all the time. What do I do? ====
+This may mean that the Pidgin root certificate set is incomplete. If so, we'd like to hear about it. Do the following:
+ 1. Accept the Certificate
+ 2. Go to Tools->Certificates
+ 3. Select the relevant server and export the certificate to a file.
+ 4. [/simpleticket File a ticket]. Attach the exported certificate, and specify which protocol you are connecting to, as well as the server the certificate is for.
+
+== Windows Specific ==
+
+=== Proxy and Connection Settings and Problems ===
+
+==== Why can't I connect? My firewall is configured to allow Pidgin access. ==== #windowsfirewall
+We've had a lot of problems with various firewalls, particularly Norton Internet Security (and Symantec Client Firewall).  Many firewalls will not fully stop interfering with a program's ability to connect when configured to do so.
+
+For Norton Internet Security, a workaround that seems to work is to add the following ports to the global `HTTP Ports` list:
+ * 443 -> MSN (ssl)
+ * 1863 -> MSN
+ * 5050 -> Yahoo
+ * 5190 -> AIM/ICQ
+ * 5222 -> XMPP (including Google Talk)
+ * 6667 -> IRC
+
+The Mozilla folks maintain a good Windows Firewall information resource [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firewalls here].
+
+==== What does "Windows socket error !#10060" mean, and how do I fix it? ====
+This is a horribly obtuse error message which simply means that Pidgin was unable to connect to some remote host, probably the IM server you were trying to use.  This is almost never a problem with Pidgin or its configuration; generally it indicates a network problem, firewall problem, or NAT/router problem.  If you are running a Windows firewall product, check [#windowsfirewall the appropriate FAQ question] for possible solutions.
+
+==== Can Pidgin use my Windows (IE) Proxy Settings? ====
+Yes, if you set the proxy preference to "Use Environmental Settings", Pidgin will parse the HTTP Proxy setting from Windows as long as you have a specific server set; auto-detection and configuration via `.pac` URL do not work, nor do proxy bypass settings.
+
+=== Running Windows Pidgin From a USB Drive (Portable Mode) ===
+It is relatively easy to set up Pidgin to run from a USB drive. Most of Pidgin is very good about not assuming that it is installed; a slightly customized launcher makes it all come together nicely.
+
+'''N.B.:''' With the setup described in this guide, other GTK+ applications can use the same GTK+ runtime.
+
+'''''Preparation'''''
+ * create a temporary folder structure (e.g. in `C:\tmp`):
+   * `extracted`
+   * `extracted\GTK`
+   * `extracted\Pidgin`
+   * `portable`
+   * `portable\GTK`
+   * `portable\Pidgin`
+ * '''download''' the zipped binaries of [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=235&package_id=230234 Pidgin] (`pidgin-`<''version''>`-win32-bin.zip`) and [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=235&package_id=119698 GTK+] (`gtk-`<''version''>`-rev-a-installer.tar.gz`) from SourceForge
+ * '''extract''' these archives to `extracted\GTK` and `extracted\Pidgin`, respectively
+
+'''''Pidgin'''''
+ * copy (or move) everything ''except'' the following folders from `extracted\Pidgin` to `portable\Pidgin`:
+   * `ca-certs`
+   * `perlmod`
+ * delete (or rename) `perl.dll` and `tcl.dll` in `portable\Pidgin\plugins`
+ * '''language'''
+   * if you do ''not'' want to use a language other than American English (`en_US`), delete the entire `portable\Pidgin\locale` folder
+   * otherwise, delete all ''except'' the desired languages' folders (e.g. `en_GB` or `fr`) from `portable\Pidgin\locale`
+ * '''spell-checking'''
+   * if you do ''not'' want to use spell-checking, delete `libgtkspell.dll` from `portable\Pidgin`
+   * otherwise, see '''ASpell''' instructions below
+ * rename `portable\Pidgin\pidgin.exe` to `portable\Pidgin\pidgin-portable.exe` - this will cause Pidgin to run in "portable mode"
+
+'''''GTK+'''''
+ * copy (or move) everything ''except'' the following files and folders to `portable\GTK`:
+   * `extracted\GTK\share`
+   * `extracted\GTK\COPYING.LIB-2`
+ * '''language'''
+   * if you want to use a language other than American English (`en_US`), copy the appropriate `extracted\GTK\share\locale\<`''language''`>` folders to `portable\GTK\share\locale`.
+ * '''theme'''
+   * choose any GTK+ theme from `share\themes` (usually `MS-Windows`)
+   * copy the theme's `gtkrc` file from `extracted\GTK\share\themes\`<''theme''>`\gtk-2.0` to `portable\GTK\etc\gtk-2.0`, replacing the existing file
+
+'''''ASpell'''''
+
+For spell-checking support, you will also need to create a minimal ASpell runtime installation from an existing ASpell installation.
+  * create a folder `portable\Aspell` and a sub-folder `portable\Aspell\bin`
+  * copy `aspell-15.dll` into `portable\Aspell\bin`
+  * copy the `data` and `dict` sub-folders into `Portable\Aspell`
+
+Now you can move the entire `portable` onto your USB drive (e.g. `U:\`).
+Running `U:\portable\Pidgin\pidgin-portable.exe` will cause Pidgin to run off the USB drive, saving all settings, logs etc. to `U:\portable\.purple`.
+
+'''''Upgrading Pidgin Portable'''''
+
+In order to upgrade Pidgin portable to a new version, simply download the latest [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=235&package_id=230234 zipped binaries] and follow the steps described in the '''Pidgin''' section above.
+
+=== Smileys (Emoticons) ===
+
+==== Why did my smiley theme disappear after I upgraded Pidgin? ====
+Smiley themes should be installed to the user's .purple directory, not in the location Pidgin is installed to.  This means that you install smiley themes only to `%APPDATA%\.purple\smileys`.  Additions to or removals from Pidgin's installation location will be lost during an upgrade.
+
+=== Look & Feel ===
+
+==== How do I change the look and feel? ====
+See [#CanIskinPidgin this FAQ entry].
+
+==== What is a gtkrc file and where can I find it? ====
+The windowing toolkit that Pidgin uses, GTK+, is configurable via a text file.
+
+There is a global file found in the `etc\gtk-2.0` directory your GTK+ Runtime install directory (`C:\Program Files\Common Files\GTK\2.0`, by default).
+There is also per-user file (named `.gtkrc-2.0`) in your user's home directory, the location of this varies according to the version of Windows you're using and the configuration.
+ * For Windows 2000/XP/Vista(?), entering `%USERPROFILE%` in your Windows Explorer address bar will take you to the right directory (probably something like `C:\Documents and Settings\username`).
+ * For Windows 98/ME it will be something like `C:\Windows\Profiles\username`.
+ * If you have the `HOME` environment variable set, it will override the default per-user file location.
+
+**Note that Windows Explorer will not allow you create a file that starts with a period; you'll need to use a text editor or rename the file in a cmd shell.
+
+There is also a pidgin-specific file that is located in the configuration directory (`%APPDATA%\.purple\gtkrc-2.0`).
+
+It is recommended that you edit your per-user file or the pidgin-specific file instead of the global file as the global file will be replaced when GTK+ is upgraded.
+
+==== Can I make Pidgin transparent/translucent? ====
+You can make Pidgin translucent in most versions of Windows using the "Transparency" plugin that ships with Pidgin for Windows.  A user has also recommended the freeware Windows utility, [http://www.abstractpath.com/powermenu/ PowerMenu] which can to make any window translucent.
+
+==== Can I make Pidgin or its instant message windows always stay on top? ====
+If you just want the buddy list to always be on top, you can dock it to the side of your desktop.  A user has also recommended the freeware Windows utility, [http://www.abstractpath.com/powermenu/ PowerMenu] which can set any window to be 'Always On Top'.
+
+=== Miscellaneous ===
+
+==== How does Pidgin for Windows determine which language to use? ==== 
+For the user who installed Pidgin, the language selected during installation will be the default.
+This can be overridden by setting the `PIDGINLANG` environment variable (for example, `PIDGINLANG=de`).
+If neither of these are specified, it will fall back to the default Windows user locale setting.
+
+==== Where are my settings and data (including logs) saved? ====
+==== Where is my `.purple` directory? ====
+Data is stored in your user's "Application Data" directory in a `.purple` subdirectory.  The location of this will vary according to your setup and version of Windows.
+ * For Windows 2000/XP/Vista(?), entering `%APPDATA%` in your Windows Explorer address bar will take you to the right directory (probably something like `C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data`).
+ * For Windows 98/ME it will be something like `C:\Windows\Profiles\username`.
+This can be overridden by setting the `PURPLEHOME` environment variable.
+
+Logs are stored in a subdirectory called `logs`.
+
+==== How do I run multiple instances of Pidgin on Windows? ====
+Pidgin will, by default, prevent multiple instances from running simultaneously.
+You can override this restriction by defining the `PIDGIN_MULTI_INST` environment variable or by specifying the `-m` command line parameter.
+If you do this, you may find the `-c` parameter useful to specify unique configuration directories for each instance (e.g. `-c c:\home\.pidgin-alt`).
+
+==== Can I use Pidgin for Bonjour (Link-Local Messaging)? ====
+As of version 2.0.2, Pidgin for Windows supports Bonjour.  You must install Apple's [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/bonjourforwindows.html Bonjour for Windows] to use this functionality.
+
+==== Can I run Pidgin on Windows98/ME? ====
+Yes, but you need to use an old GTK+ runtime (2.6.10 or older); you can download the [http://downloads.sourceforge.net/pidgin/gtk-runtime-2.6.10-rev-a.exe standalone GTK+ 2.6.10 runtime installer] and install it separately before installing Pidgin.  These old GTK+ versions are unmaintained and will have bugs that won't be fixed.
+
+== Linux and Unix-like platforms ==
+
+=== Sound ===
+
+==== How do I get sound to work correctly? ====
+Pidgin uses gstreamer to play sounds.  Playing sounds directly through esound or arts is no longer supported.  To compile Pidgin with support for gstreamer you need libgstreamer0.10-dev and its dependencies.  These packages are named differently on different platforms.  If you do not wish to install these packages you can also just change your sound playing method in preferences to `Command` and use `esdplay %s`, `artsplay %s`, `aplay %s`, or `play %s`.
+
+==== How do I make Pidgin use ALSA or OSS for playing sounds? ====
+==== What does the "Automatic" option do? ====
+The "Automatic" option lets gstreamer pick how the sounds are played.  You can use the `gstreamer-properties` tool to control this if you use GNOME.
+
+=== Look & Feel ===
+
+==== How do I change the look and feel? ====
+See [#CanIskinPidgin this FAQ entry].
+
+Themes and information on using them can be found at http://themes.freshmeat.net, http://art.gnome.org, or by searching on your favorite search engine, such as Google.
+
+The system-wide location on Windows to add themes is `C:\Program Files\Common Files\GTK\2.0\share\themes`, but this location will be overwritten when installing updated GTK+ runtime versions.
+
+==== Can I make Pidgin transparent/translucent? ====
+It is not yet possible to make Pidgin translucent in Linux and other platforms that use X11.
+
+The X.org X11 server provides a COMPOSITE extension that allows applications to have true translucency, but it is X.org-specific and it requires support at the GTK+ level (if it is to be per-widget).  Support for this is apparently scheduled for inclusion GDK 2.12, but we are not currently interested in implementing support for it (note that a plugin could provide this functionality).  Pseudo-translucency offered by other programs (by copying a section of your background image, tinting it, and plastering it onto a window) will never be implemented in Pidgin.
+
+Note that if you are using a compisiting window manager such as Compiz, you may have global support for modifying the opacity of any window.  For example, in Compiz, the default method to changing the opacity of a window is Alt+Mouse Scroll Wheel.  This method does not require extra support from the applications.
+
+=== Miscellaneous ===
+
+==== Where are Pidgin's settings and logs? ====
+Because Pidgin is a libpurple client, it stores its settings and logs in ~/.purple.
+
+==== Why does Pidgin use the same `WM_CLASS` for every window? ====
+Both strings in the `WM_CLASS` property are supposed to be the same for all windows in the same instance of an application.  ICCCM states that one is meant to be the same for all instances of the application and the other is meant to be unique to that instance of the application.  ICCCM also states, "If a client has multiple windows with identical `WM_CLASS` and `WM_NAME` properties, then it should provide a `WM_WINDOW_ROLE` property."
+
+GTK+ sets these `WM_CLASS` values for us so that they are unique for Pidgin instances, and the documentation for the `gtk_window_set_wmclass` function says explicitly not to use it for anything else.  Pidgin uses the `WM_WINDOW_ROLE` hint to differentiate windows.  If your window manager is having problems differentiating between Pidgin windows, please ensure it uses the `WM_WINDOW_ROLE` hint per the ICCCM.
+
+==== Pidgin doesn't remember which plugins I have enabled between restarts ====
+
+Ubuntu Gutsy shipped a broken `/etc/purple/prefs.xml` for a while which caused this problem.  See [https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pidgin/+bug/144122 this bug report] for information on the problem and how to fix it.
+