The installer package didn’t work out so well for a variety of reasons, so I’m going back to using a custom installer application. The installer should be a one-click process and will remove any old versions of Chax, including Chax 1.5 and the SIMBL-based betas and alphas of Chax 2.0. This version of Chax is entirely self-contained, as Chax 1.5 was, so SIMBL or PlugSuit is no longer required. Sorry to everyone that’s been having all the random issues, this beta should clear up the problems that have been reported to me. The only change in this version is the installer; the functionality of Chax itself is identical.

The first beta of Chax for Leopard is finally finished! A complete list of features is listed below. While not every feature that was available for Chax for iChat 3 is back, I believe the current features represents the most commonly used parts of Chax. Barring any significant problems, a final release should be available early next week. Chax 2.0 will use a standard installer package rather than the custom installer previously used. SIMBL is bundled in the installer, so Chax will now work out of the box.

Features:

• Growl notifications for incoming messages and status changes
• Activity log shows history of contact status changes
• Built-in log viewer displays past conversations sorted by person
• Customize contact list fonts
• Display status changes directly in message windows
• Automatically resize the contact list to fit visible contacts
• Display buddy icon of message senders in the dock
• Auto-accept text invitations

Fixes since alpha 3:

• Extra Growl notifications no longer appear
• Fixed possible visual bugs in the log viewer and contact list
• Now distributed as a package installer bundled with SIMBL
• Removed nonfunctional group font customization field
• Update checker is now functional
• Exporting logs from the log viewer works again
• Fixed AV chats not being received properly

 

Here’s the third, and hopefully last, pre-beta version of Chax for 10.5. The log viewer has been rewritten, so it should be more responsive and stable compared to previous versions. Functionally it is the same, but it should be significantly smoother. The commonly reported bugs have been fixed, as well as a bug in iChat where using the Auto Accept AppleScript to immediately accept text messages caused new chat windows to float on top of all other windows. I also re-added Chax’s ability to auto-accept text messages, freeing up the AppleScript option in the preferences. Lastly, buddy icon notifications in the Dock are back. Full name notifications in the Dock will probably be following suit sometime soon.

Regarding a unified contact list, which has been a huge request – I too would love to see such a feature. However, a single contact list is a question of whether or not it is even possible, not me holding back on anything. You guys don’t need to post any more comments or email me about it, I know!

The current set of features is probably what will be going into a final version. Expect a more completed beta with an installer soon.This build is not to be posted on MacUpdate, VersionTracker, or other software update sites.

Changes:

• Log viewer has been rewritten
• Added “View Logs” contextual menu item to contact list
• Fixed scrolling in the contact lists
• Improved display of status change messages in chat windows
• Buddy icon dock notification option has been readded
• Readded auto-accept text messages option, separate from the Auto Accept AppleScript
• Fixed a bug in iChat where using the Auto Accept AppleScript would cause new windows to float above all others

Note: SIMBL or PlugSuit are required to use Chax.

The last build had a problem where preferences could not be saved if the Chax preferences file did not already exist. This build should fix that problem. Growl notifications would also not work due to this bug, so they should work better now. In the way of features, the activity window is back as well as status changes in conversations. A new feature, albeit minor, is the ability to use the scroll wheel to switch through tabs. Next up, I hope, is the return of dock notification options.Again, download SIMBL or PlugSuit and put Chax in ~/Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins.This build is not to be posted on MacUpdate, VersionTracker, or other software update sites.Additions:

• Activity window
• Show status changes in messages
• Scroll wheel over the chat list when using tabs switches between chats
• ICQ bug should be fixed now

It seems that a lot of people can’t wait to get some of the more basic features back from Chax, so I’m posting a very, very early build of Chax that will work on 10.5. There is no installer yet, the download simply contains a SIMBL bundle that should be put in ~/Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins. PlugSuit or SIMBL is required to load Chax into iChat 4.As it stands, the following features have been reimplemented:

• Auto-resizing contact list
• Customizable contact list fonts (except for group headers, which probably won’t be coming back)
• Growl notifications
• Log viewer (about 90% functional)
• Possibly fixed the ICQ/HTML bug (unconfirmed)

Please, please, please don’t take this to mean that I can reimplement every little feature that is missing from Chax in 10.4 immediately. Features will be added as I’m able to do so and I’ll be posting newer builds as I go.This build is not meant to be posted on MacUpdate, VersionTracker, or other software update sites.