Using the Log Viewer
The Extreme Messenger Log Viewer is a fairly simple window that allows
you to view, print, and resave your IM and chat room conversations.
Re-saving
your logs is an easy two-step process - Click Save As... from the File
menu, and find a place to save it.
Printing
your Logs
If you
want to print your logs, make sure a few things are in place before
you do so: First, make sure your printer is turned on and paper is loaded.
Second, note that you must have a color printer for the HTML colored logs
to appear in color. Easy enough. :)
The Log
viewer also has a feature called "Always On Top". This feature
when enabled will allow the log viewer to float above all other windows.
Using the Enhanced IM Window
Extreme Messenger enhances your AIM Instant Messages by adding new,
powerful features not included in your standard AIM software. One of
the first things you'll notice when you send or receive an IM is the enhanced
window that your IM is in. When using the enhanced IM window, each IM
has its own tab with the screen name or nickname (if assigned)
as the text.
Also, when you receive a new IM and the tab is not selected, the arrow will
turn yellow (or the tab will change color.. you can choose which in the General
Options). Want to switch over to another IM? Click the IM tab
with your mouse or press the tab button on your keyboard!
The IM
Options Menu
IM Color Fader On/Off - This menu option allows you to turn the IM
fader option on and off. When its on, the text you type in the chat
room will automatically be faded using whatever color blend you have selected.
You can choose from a pre-made list of color blends or create your own.
For more information on using the fader and creating your own fades, click
here: Using the FaderUsingTheFader
Away Message - From here, you have quick access to your away
messages. No more searching for your buddy list®
to turn a message on when you step away - now you can do it all from one
window!
Show Options - This will load the Extreme Messenger main options window.
For more help with the options, click here: General OptionsGeneralOptions
View your IM Logs - This option will automatically show your IM logs
and files. For more help with logs, click here: Logging OptionsLoggingOptions
Log your IMs - When checked, your chat room conversations will automatically
be recorded.
Send Buddy Chat - Sends a chat room invitation to all of the people
you are currently talking to.
Always On Top - When checked, the Enhanced Chat window will float on
top of all your other windows.
New IM: - Want to send someone an IM? Simply type their screen
name here or select it from the drop down list and press enter. A new
IM will automatically be opened and addressed to the person you typed!
About... - Shows your Extreme Messenger version info. and if you are
a registeredHowToRegister user or
not.
Messenger Help - Shows this Help file. :)
Features
Bar
The Features Bar is located near the bottom of the window. From here
you can load the Options window, turn on/off the IM fader, and tell your friends
about Extreme Messenger.
Options - Loads the Extreme Messenger Options window.
Fader - If you press down on the "Fader" text, you can quickly
and easily enable and disable the IM fader. If you want to show the
Fade Designer, click the small arrow right next to the text and you will be
given the option to Show the Fade Designer.
Advertise - Lets you easily tell your friends about Extreme Messenger.
Close IM - Closes the IM that you are currently viewing.
News in your IM Window
With Extreme Messenger, you can easily view all of the latest late-breaking
news... right from your enhanced IM window!
Using the AIM News Ticker feature, Extreme Messenger grabs the ticker and
drops it right below your IM conversations. You can turn this feature
on and off by clicking the "News" button near the bottom of the window.
Send Files to Friends Easier
Extreme Messenger makes it easier than ever to send files to your friends
or co-workers. Now, instead of having to click the menu and send
a file, then locate it on your computer, Extreme Messenger lets you drag
and drop files right to the IM tab! Simply click and hold on the
file you want to send someone, drag it over their IM tab, and release!
Extreme Messenger will automatically create a file send with the file path
already set!
Using the Chat Window
Extreme Messenger enhances the AIM chat room by adding new, powerful
features not included in your standard AIM software. One of the first
things you'll notice when you enter a chat room is the enhanced window that
your chat room is in. Each room that you enter is assigned its own tab
with the chat room name as the tab text. If you ever decide to enter
more than one room at once, you will have one tab for each chat room.
Want to view the conversation in another room? Click the chat tab or
press the tab button on your keyboard!
The Chat
Room Menu
Extreme Messenger enhances the chat room menu. Not only do we add colorful
icons to the original menus, but we add an entire new menu:
Options. From the chat room Options menu, you have quick access
to a multitude of features only found in Extreme Messenger.
Chat Fader On/Off - This menu option allows you to turn the chat room
fader option on and off. When its on, the text you type in the chat
room will automatically be faded using whatever color blend you have selected.
You can choose from a pre-made list of color blends or create your own.
For more information on using the fader and creating your own fades, click
here: Using the FaderUsingTheFader
Away Message - From here, you have quick access to your away
messages. No more searching for your buddy list®
to turn a message on when you step away - now you can do it all from one
window!
Show Options - This will load the Extreme Messenger main options window.
For more help with the options, click here:
General Options
View Chat Logs - This option will automatically show your chat room
logs and files. For more help with logs, click here:
Logging Options
Log your Chat - When checked, your chat room conversations will automatically
be recorded.
Always On Top - When checked, the Enhanced Chat window will float on
top of all your other windows.
New IM: - Want to send someone an IM? Simply type their screen
name here or select it from the drop down list and press enter. A new
IM will automatically be opened and addressed to the person you typed!
About... - Shows your Extreme Messenger version info. and if you are
a registered user or
not.
Messenger Help - Shows this Help file. :)
Features
Bar
The Features Bar is located near the bottom of the window. From here
you can load the Options window, turn on/off the chat room fader, and tell
your friends about Extreme Messenger.
Options - Loads the Extreme Messenger Options window.
Chat Fader - If you press down on the "Chat Fader" text, you
can quickly and easily enable and disable the chat room fader. If you
want to show the Fade Designer, click the small arrow right next to the text
and you will be given the option to Show the Fade Designer.
Chat Logs - Automatically opens your chat room logs window.
Advertise - Lets you easily tell your friends about Extreme Messenger.
Exit Chat Room - Exits the chat room that you are currently viewing.
The "Extreme Messenger" Banner
When you load Extreme Messenger and sign on to AIM, you'll notice that the
advertisements on the buddy list® are gone, and near the top where the big
ad used to be sits an Extreme Messenger banner instead. This is not
an advertisement for our own program - Instead we have put the normally
useless space (unless you enjoy the advertisements) to good use by making
most of Extreme Messenger's features easily accessible by clicking the banner.
Try it out - click the Extreme Messenger banner and you'll notice an
elegant menu with a multitude of Options only found in Extreme Messenger!
Banner
Menu Options
When you click the Extreme Messenger banner on your buddy list®,
you'll notice that many of Extreme Messenger's features can be accessed
from right there. Here is a run-down of what each option does:
Show Options - This displays the main Extreme Messenger Options window
and displays the "General" options tab.
Register Online! - This menu option (hidden after you
register
Extreme Messenger) will allow you to purchase Extreme Messenger online.
Hide AIM Ads - Allows you to either hide or display the ads built
in to the AIM buddy list®.
Fade Designer - Loads the Extreme Messenger Fade Designer where
you can edit, save, and select fades to use in your chat room and IM conversations.
Manage Logs - Opens the Extreme Messenger options window and selects
the logging tab for you.
Change Banner - Opens the Extreme Messenger options window and selects
the banner options tab for you.
Manage Nicknames - Opens the Extreme Messenger options window and selects
the Nickname options tab for you.
Check for Updates - Connects to the IgniteSoft.com web site to see
if there is a newer version of Extreme Messenger than the one you are currently
using.
Visit us Online! - Automatically takes you to our home page!
Messenger Help - Loads the Extreme Messenger help file (what you're
reading now).
About... - Gives you version and registration information about Extreme
Messenger.
Exit - Allows you to Exit the Extreme Messenger program.
Don't like
the Extreme Messenger banner?
You can select from several others that come installed with the program to
suit a variety of different tastes. Don't like the banners that are
already made? Create your own! That's right, you can create
your own custom banners to suit your tastes. Got a good one you want
to share with the world? E-mail it to IgniteSoftware@aol.com and it
may just make it in a new release of Extreme Messenger! :)
Creating New Banners
Creating
your Own Banner
It is possible to create your own banners and use them as your buddy list®
banner in Extreme Messenger. Simply create an image that is 25 x
138 pixels in size. Make sure that you create or convert the image
to BMP, JPG, or GIF format. Once complete, copy the image to the
Program Files\Extreme Messenger\Banners directory. Start up Extreme
Messenger and load the banner options. Your image will then be loaded
along with any others that are in the Banners directory.
Would
you like to share your custom banner with the world? E-mail your custom
banner to IgniteSoftware@aol.com and your creation may just make it into the
next release of Extreme Messenger! :)
Hide/Show AIM Ads
Extreme Messenger gives you the ability to display or hide the
advertisements on the Buddy List®.
Hiding the ads is useful if you want a little more buddy list®
space, and/or don't like the ads that AIM displays.
Hiding/Showing
the Ads
You can hide or show the ads in two ways. The first (and fastest) way
is to click the Extreme Messenger Banner on your buddy list® and check or uncheck
the Hide AIM Ads menu option. The second way you can hide the
buddy list® ads is by loading the Extreme Messenger options, selecting the
"General" tab, and under preferences, check or uncheck the "Hide
Buddy List Ads" option.
Checking for Updates
Extreme Messenger makes it easy to see if there is a newer version
of itself online. This option will automatically connect to the IgniteSoft.com
web site to see if there is a newer version of Extreme Messenger than the
one you are using.
Running
the Update Checker
To run the Extreme Messenger update checker, click the Extreme Messenger banner
on your buddy list® and select "Check for Updates". A new window
will open and will automatically check IgniteSoft.com for an updated version
of Extreme Messenger. If a new version is available, you will be notified
as such, and the Update button will take you to a web page where you
can download the updated version.
Exiting Extreme Messenger
If you want to exit Extreme Messenger (for example to install an updated
version), there are two ways to do so. The first way is to click the
Extreme Messenger banner on your buddy list®
and choose the Exit option from the menu.
The second way to exit is to right-click on the Extreme
Messenger icon in your system tray and select "Exit Extreme Messenger"
from the menu. For those that don't know, the system tray is the area
next to your computers clock, and the Extreme Messenger icon looks like a
yellow diamond.
Using
the Fader
Using the IM and chat room fader in Extreme Messenger is as easy as
turning it on and typing! While you won't see the effects while you are typing, Extreme
Messenger fades your IM and chat text when you go to send the text, so it
will appear as faded when you see it appear in the IM and chat room.
By accessing
the fade designer, you can select a preset
fade, create your own fade,
and edit
existing ones. Click any one of these topics for more information on
the fader:
Turning
the Fader On/Off
Selecting
a Preset Fade
Creating
and Editing Fades
Turning
the Fader On/Off
Extreme Messenger makes it easy to turn your IM and chat room fader on and
off with one click! On the IM window toolbar, near the bottom of the
window, there is a button labeled "Fader". Clicking this button
either presses the button down or raises it back up. When pressed down,
your IM Fader is on. Otherwise, its off.
The chat room
has a similar button labeled "Chat Fader" near the bottom of the enhanced
window. You can press this down to turn your chat room fader on and
off.
The "Options" menu in both the enhanced IM window and the enhanced
chat contain an option to turn the fader for the respective window on and
off.
Finally, the third way to turn on/off the IM and chat fader is while
using the Fade Designer. Click the "Options" button in the fade
designer, and you will be able to enable and disable the IM and chat room
faders.
Selecting
a Preset Fade
Extreme Messenger comes loaded with many unique color blends that you
can use in your IMs and chat room conversations. To view the many color
presets that come with Extreme Messenger, simply load up the Fade Designer.
You can do this in one of two ways:
In both the chat room and IM windows, there is a button labeled "Fader"
that has a drop down menu that will let you open the designer. You can
also load the designer by clicking on the Extreme Messenger
banner on your buddy list® and selecting the "Fade Designer" option.
Once the Fade Designer is open, all of the preset fades are loaded
into the box at the top-left of the window. Clicking the box will drop
down a list of fades that you can then use in your IM and chat room conversations.
You can easily browse through them to see what your fade will look like.
Near the middle of the window, a colorful preview will appear as you browse
through the fades.
Creating
and Editing Fades
Extreme Messenger allows you to not only choose from a preset list of fades
to use, but you can also create your own! With up to 16 million different
colors to choose from for each color in the fade, the possible color combinations
become endless!
Creating
a New Fade
To create a new fade, you must first load the fade designer. This is
done from either of the "Fade" buttons in the enhanced IM or chat room,
or from the Extreme Messenger banner on your buddy list®.
Once the Fade Designer is open, click the Options button and select the "Create
New Fade..." option. You will then be asked to input a fade name.
Type in what you want to call this fade and press the "Create Fade!" button.
If successful, you will then be asked to input a number (1-99). This
is the number of colors that will appear in your fade scheme.
Once the fade is created, you can edit the colors to your liking - remember
to hit the Save button to save your changes once you've edited it.
Modifying
a Fade
You can modify a fade in one of two ways. First, you can change the
number of colors in the fade by changing the number in the blue box and pressing
enter. Second, to modify the colors, use the scroll bar to view the
various colors in the current fade. Then click the color box to choose
a new color. Once complete, be sure to hit the Save button to save your
work. You can either save it as a new fade (in which case you will be
prompted to enter a new name for it) or save the changes to the current fade.
Acknowledgments
I would like to extend a huge thanks to everyone that has tried Extreme Messenger,
registered with us, and then told a friend about us. You are the ones
that keep us motivated and the product releases going! Thank you for
all your support.
Below
are a few people that assisted in some way to the creation of Extreme Messenger.
Sarah
- Thank you for (AGAIN!) coming up with a good name for this program,
creating most of the Extreme Messenger banners, and for being my #1 cheerleader
throughout the development process. Love ya lots!! :)
The Beta
Testers
- Lots of Beta testers for this one!! I sent test versions to nearly
everyone on campus, so I guess you could say that this bug-free version is
a product of the USF education system!!! Hahaha well.. I wouldn't go that
far ;)
A very
special thanks goes out to Sarah, Matt, Tom, Brett, Misha, Erin, Tyler, Cristy,
Brian, Terry, Ren, and everyone that I sent a test version to. Thanks
for finding all those annoying little buggers that no one will ever see because
of your help. :)
I would
also like to thank my family for their support and just about everything else.
Thank you all! :)
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Ignite Software. All Rights Reserved.
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AOL, AIM, and BUDDY LIST are registered trademarks owned by
America Online, Inc. INSTANT MESSENGER and AOL INSTANT
MESSENGER are trademarks owned by America Online, Inc.
America Online, Inc. does not endorse and is not affiliated
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