| | 88 | == Statuses == |
| | 89 | |
| | 90 | === How does Pidgin decide which saved statuses to show in the status selector? === |
| | 91 | 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. |
| | 92 | |
| | 93 | 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. |
| | 94 | |
| | 95 | === Why are no states listed when I go to set a state for Auto Away? === |
| | 96 | Pidgin can only use saved states for Auto Away. You need to create and save a named state first. |
| | 97 | |
| | 98 | == Voice and Video (Microphone and Webcam) Support (Not Implemented Yet) == |
| | 99 | |
| | 100 | === Does Pidgin support webcams (video)? === |
| | 101 | === Does Pidgin support MSN video chat? === |
| | 102 | Not currently. It is planned. See below. |
| | 103 | |
| | 104 | === Does Pidgin support microphones (voice)? === |
| | 105 | === Does Pidgin support libjingle? === |
| | 106 | Not currently. It is planned. See below. |
| | 107 | |
| | 108 | === When will voice and video be implemented? === |
| | 109 | 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. |
| | 110 | |
| | 111 | 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. |
| | 112 | |
| | 113 | 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. |
| | 114 | |
| | 115 | Some history and current status on voice and video should be collected at the ProgressReport page. |
| | 116 | |
| | 117 | == Spell Checking == |
| | 118 | |
| | 119 | === How do I change the language for the Highlight Misspelled words option? === |
| | 120 | 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]. |
| | 121 | |
| | 122 | 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. |
| | 123 | |
| | 124 | === Why do all words I type get highlighted as misspelled? === |
| | 125 | 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. |
| | 126 | |
| | 127 | == Smileys (Emoticons) == |
| | 128 | |
| | 129 | === Does Pidgin support animated smileys? === |
| | 130 | 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. |
| | 131 | |
| | 132 | === How do I use/make smiley themes? === |
| | 133 | See [wiki:SmileyThemes the page on smileys]. |
| | 134 | |
| | 135 | === Can I save custom emoticons as animated gif? === |
| | 136 | No, you can't. Gdk doesn't allow us to save animated gif. We are looking for something to workaround this issue. |
| | 137 | |
| | 138 | === Why did my smiley theme disappear after I upgraded Pidgin? === |
| | 139 | 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` (if you're using Windows) or `~/.purple/smileys` (if you're using Linux/*nix). Additions to or removals from Pidgin's installation location will be lost during an upgrade. |
| | 140 | |
| | 141 | == Look & Feel (All platforms) == |
| | 142 | |
| | 143 | === Can I "skin" Pidgin? === |
| | 144 | 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. |
| | 145 | |
| | 146 | 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. |
| | 147 | |
| | 148 | 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. |
| | 149 | |
| | 150 | 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: |
| | 151 | 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. |
| | 152 | 1. We have a built in way of debugging theme problems, by checking if the same bug exists with other GTK programs. |
| | 153 | |
| | 154 | 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''. |
| | 155 | |
| | 156 | 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. |
| | 157 | |
| | 158 | 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). |
| | 159 | |
| | 160 | === How do I change the font Pidgin uses? The background color? === |
| | 161 | 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. |
| | 162 | |
| | 163 | 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. |
| | 164 | |
| | 165 | As an example, you can put this into `.gtkrc-2.0` to change the font size for all GTK+ applications: |
| | 166 | {{{ |
| | 167 | # Sets the font used by all gtk applications. |
| | 168 | gtk-font-name = "Verdana 9" |
| | 169 | }}} |
| | 170 | |
| | 171 | Alternatively, you can do this to change the font size for other elements: |
| | 172 | {{{ |
| | 173 | # This is the style section. You need this for the examples below. |
| | 174 | # If you are going to copy the example, copy the entire block, |
| | 175 | # including the "{" and "}" lines. |
| | 176 | style "imhtml-fix" |
| | 177 | { |
| | 178 | font_name = "Sans 10" |
| | 179 | } |
| | 180 | |
| | 181 | # This will apply the font style just shown to various components. |
| | 182 | # If you are going to copy the example, copy the line that does |
| | 183 | # what you want. |
| | 184 | |
| | 185 | # Conversation entry box--where you type. |
| | 186 | widget "*pidgin_conv_entry" style "imhtml-fix" |
| | 187 | |
| | 188 | # Conversation history pane--where you read the conversation. |
| | 189 | widget "*pidgin_conv_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| | 190 | |
| | 191 | # Log viewer--where you read stored logs |
| | 192 | widget "*pidgin_log_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| | 193 | |
| | 194 | # formatting-capable entry areas (IMHtml widgets) in request dialogs |
| | 195 | widget "*pidgin_request_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| | 196 | |
| | 197 | # formatting-capable notification areas in dialogs (again, IMHtml widgets) |
| | 198 | widget "*pidgin_notify_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| | 199 | }}} |
| | 200 | |
| | 201 | 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: |
| | 202 | |
| | 203 | {{{ |
| | 204 | style "NoPidginGroupColor" |
| | 205 | { |
| | 206 | bg[ACTIVE] = "#FFFFFF" |
| | 207 | } |
| | 208 | |
| | 209 | widget "*pidgin_blist_treeview" style "NoPidginGroupColor" |
| | 210 | }}} |
| | 211 | |
| | 212 | 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. |
| | 213 | |
| | 214 | == Look & Feel (Windows) == |
| | 215 | |
| | 216 | === How do I change the look and feel? === |
| | 217 | See [#CanIskinPidgin this FAQ entry]. |
| | 218 | |
| | 219 | === What is a gtkrc file and where can I find it? === |
| | 220 | The windowing toolkit that Pidgin uses, GTK+, is configurable via a text file. |
| | 221 | |
| | 222 | 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). |
| | 223 | 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. |
| | 224 | * 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`). |
| | 225 | * For Windows 98/ME it will be something like `C:\Windows\Profiles\username`. |
| | 226 | * If you have the `HOME` environment variable set, it will override the default per-user file location. |
| | 227 | |
| | 228 | **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. |
| | 229 | |
| | 230 | There is also a pidgin-specific file that is located in the configuration directory (`%APPDATA%\.purple\gtkrc-2.0`). |
| | 231 | |
| | 232 | 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. |
| | 233 | |
| | 234 | === Can I make Pidgin transparent/translucent? === |
| | 235 | 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. |
| | 236 | |
| | 237 | === Can I make Pidgin or its instant message windows always stay on top? === |
| | 238 | 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'. |
| | 239 | |
| | 240 | == Look & Feel (Linux and Unix-like platforms) == |
| | 241 | |
| | 242 | === How do I change the look and feel? === |
| | 243 | See [#CanIskinPidgin this FAQ entry]. |
| | 244 | |
| | 245 | 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. |
| | 246 | |
| | 247 | 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. |
| | 248 | |
| | 249 | === Can I make Pidgin transparent/translucent? === |
| | 250 | It is not yet possible to make Pidgin translucent in Linux and other platforms that use X11. |
| | 251 | |
| | 252 | 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. |
| | 253 | |
| | 254 | 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. |
| | 255 | |
| 127 | | == Spell Checking == |
| 128 | | |
| 129 | | === How do I change the language for the Highlight Misspelled words option? === |
| 130 | | 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]. |
| 131 | | |
| 132 | | 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. |
| 133 | | |
| 134 | | === Why do all words I type get highlighted as misspelled? === |
| 135 | | 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. |
| 136 | | |
| 137 | | == Statuses == |
| 138 | | |
| 139 | | === How does Pidgin decide which saved statuses to show in the status selector? === |
| 140 | | 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. |
| 141 | | |
| 142 | | 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. |
| 143 | | |
| 144 | | === Why are no states listed when I go to set a state for Auto Away? === |
| 145 | | Pidgin can only use saved states for Auto Away. You need to create and save a named state first. |
| 146 | | |
| 147 | | == Smileys (Emoticons) == |
| 148 | | |
| 149 | | === Does Pidgin support animated smileys? === |
| 150 | | 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. |
| 151 | | |
| 152 | | === How do I use/make smiley themes? === |
| 153 | | See [wiki:SmileyThemes the page on smileys]. |
| 154 | | |
| 155 | | === Can I save custom emoticons as animated gif? === |
| 156 | | No, you can't. Gdk doesn't allow us to save animated gif. We are looking for something to workaround this issue. |
| 157 | | |
| 158 | | === Why did my smiley theme disappear after I upgraded Pidgin? === |
| 159 | | 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` (if you're using Windows) or `~/.purple/smileys` (if you're using Linux/*nix). Additions to or removals from Pidgin's installation location will be lost during an upgrade. |
| 160 | | |
| 161 | | == Look & Feel (All platforms) == |
| 162 | | |
| 163 | | === Can I "skin" Pidgin? === |
| 164 | | 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. |
| 165 | | |
| 166 | | 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. |
| 167 | | |
| 168 | | 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. |
| 169 | | |
| 170 | | 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: |
| 171 | | 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. |
| 172 | | 1. We have a built in way of debugging theme problems, by checking if the same bug exists with other GTK programs. |
| 173 | | |
| 174 | | 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''. |
| 175 | | |
| 176 | | 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. |
| 177 | | |
| 178 | | 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). |
| 179 | | |
| 180 | | === How do I change the font Pidgin uses? The background color? === |
| 181 | | 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. |
| 182 | | |
| 183 | | 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. |
| 184 | | |
| 185 | | As an example, you can put this into `.gtkrc-2.0` to change the font size for all GTK+ applications: |
| 186 | | {{{ |
| 187 | | # Sets the font used by all gtk applications. |
| 188 | | gtk-font-name = "Verdana 9" |
| 189 | | }}} |
| 190 | | |
| 191 | | Alternatively, you can do this to change the font size for other elements: |
| 192 | | {{{ |
| 193 | | # This is the style section. You need this for the examples below. |
| 194 | | # If you are going to copy the example, copy the entire block, |
| 195 | | # including the "{" and "}" lines. |
| 196 | | style "imhtml-fix" |
| 197 | | { |
| 198 | | font_name = "Sans 10" |
| 199 | | } |
| 200 | | |
| 201 | | # This will apply the font style just shown to various components. |
| 202 | | # If you are going to copy the example, copy the line that does |
| 203 | | # what you want. |
| 204 | | |
| 205 | | # Conversation entry box--where you type. |
| 206 | | widget "*pidgin_conv_entry" style "imhtml-fix" |
| 207 | | |
| 208 | | # Conversation history pane--where you read the conversation. |
| 209 | | widget "*pidgin_conv_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| 210 | | |
| 211 | | # Log viewer--where you read stored logs |
| 212 | | widget "*pidgin_log_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| 213 | | |
| 214 | | # formatting-capable entry areas (IMHtml widgets) in request dialogs |
| 215 | | widget "*pidgin_request_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| 216 | | |
| 217 | | # formatting-capable notification areas in dialogs (again, IMHtml widgets) |
| 218 | | widget "*pidgin_notify_imhtml" style "imhtml-fix" |
| 219 | | }}} |
| 220 | | |
| 221 | | 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: |
| 222 | | |
| 223 | | {{{ |
| 224 | | style "NoPidginGroupColor" |
| 225 | | { |
| 226 | | bg[ACTIVE] = "#FFFFFF" |
| 227 | | } |
| 228 | | |
| 229 | | widget "*pidgin_blist_treeview" style "NoPidginGroupColor" |
| 230 | | }}} |
| 231 | | |
| 232 | | 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. |
| 233 | | |
| 234 | | == Look & Feel (Windows) == |
| 235 | | |
| 236 | | === How do I change the look and feel? === |
| 237 | | See [#CanIskinPidgin this FAQ entry]. |
| 238 | | |
| 239 | | === What is a gtkrc file and where can I find it? === |
| 240 | | The windowing toolkit that Pidgin uses, GTK+, is configurable via a text file. |
| 241 | | |
| 242 | | 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). |
| 243 | | 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. |
| 244 | | * 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`). |
| 245 | | * For Windows 98/ME it will be something like `C:\Windows\Profiles\username`. |
| 246 | | * If you have the `HOME` environment variable set, it will override the default per-user file location. |
| 247 | | |
| 248 | | **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. |
| 249 | | |
| 250 | | There is also a pidgin-specific file that is located in the configuration directory (`%APPDATA%\.purple\gtkrc-2.0`). |
| 251 | | |
| 252 | | 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. |
| 253 | | |
| 254 | | === Can I make Pidgin transparent/translucent? === |
| 255 | | 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. |
| 256 | | |
| 257 | | === Can I make Pidgin or its instant message windows always stay on top? === |
| 258 | | 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'. |
| 259 | | |
| 260 | | == Look & Feel (Linux and Unix-like platforms) == |
| 261 | | |
| 262 | | === How do I change the look and feel? === |
| 263 | | See [#CanIskinPidgin this FAQ entry]. |
| 264 | | |
| 265 | | 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. |
| 266 | | |
| 267 | | 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. |
| 268 | | |
| 269 | | === Can I make Pidgin transparent/translucent? === |
| 270 | | It is not yet possible to make Pidgin translucent in Linux and other platforms that use X11. |
| 271 | | |
| 272 | | 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. |
| 273 | | |
| 274 | | 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. |
| 275 | | |
| 276 | | == Crashes and Bugs == |
| 277 | | |
| 278 | | === What should I do if Pidgin crashes? === |
| 279 | | Follow the instructions [wiki:TipsForBugReports#WhattodoifPidgincrashes here] to submit a bug report. |
| 280 | | |
| 281 | | === Why does Pidgin crash when I start it? === |
| 282 | | Here are some things to try: |
| 283 | | * Make sure you are running the most recent version of Pidgin. |
| 284 | | * Make sure only one version of Pidgin is installed. On UNIX-like systems, `whereis pidgin` can be helpful for this. |
| 285 | | * 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. |
| 286 | | * If you are running a UNIX-like system, try "export GDK_USE_XFT=0" in a terminal, then run Pidgin from the same terminal. |
| 287 | | * Disable or remove any third-party plugins, especially those related to encryption. |
| 288 | | * If disabling third-party plugins doesn't help, disable ''all'' plugins. |
| 289 | | * If you are on Windows, deleting `tcl.dll` from the Pidgin install directory may prove helpful. |
| 290 | | * If none of these help, read TipsForBugReports. |
| 291 | | |
| 292 | | === Pidgin <non-current-version> is buggy. Why? === |
| 293 | | === Pidgin from Monotone is buggy. Why? === |
| 294 | | 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. |
| 295 | | |
| 296 | | == Voice and Video (Microphone and Webcam) Support (Not Implemented Yet) == |
| 297 | | |
| 298 | | === Does Pidgin support webcams (video)? === |
| 299 | | === Does Pidgin support MSN video chat? === |
| 300 | | Not currently. It is planned. See below. |
| 301 | | |
| 302 | | === Does Pidgin support microphones (voice)? === |
| 303 | | === Does Pidgin support libjingle? === |
| 304 | | Not currently. It is planned. See below. |
| 305 | | |
| 306 | | === When will voice and video be implemented? === |
| 307 | | 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. |
| 308 | | |
| 309 | | 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. |
| 310 | | |
| 311 | | 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. |
| 312 | | |
| 313 | | Some history and current status on voice and video should be collected at the ProgressReport page. |
| | 295 | == Sound (Windows) == |
| | 296 | There are no known issues with sound on Windows. |
| | 297 | |
| | 298 | == Sound (Linux and Unix-like platforms) == |
| | 299 | |
| | 300 | === How do I get sound to work correctly? === |
| | 301 | 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`. |
| | 302 | |
| | 303 | === How do I make Pidgin use ALSA or OSS for playing sounds? === |
| | 304 | === What does the "Automatic" option do? === |
| | 305 | 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. |
