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MSN - Auto-logon as 'Appear Offline'

1914 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by GazmanAus, Dec 26, 2002

theMusicMan

Discussion Starter · Dec 23, 2002

Hi All

Is this possible? Whenever I log into my XP HE PC, I have no objection to MSN auto-logging me in, but then I am 'seen' by all my contacts as online, and hey, they then contact me.

Now sometimes this is really nice

but not all the time

- you see, I run a Brass Musicians Discussion forum that is really starting to pick up significant numbers of visitors and membership is growing (nothing compared to TSG I hasten to add!!) and I don't really have the time to talk to everyone all the time - as I'm sure Mike here knows all too well...!!!

So, whilst I don't mind being logged into MSN when I go to my PC, and I do enjoy 'chatting' to my members, I would like to be auto logged in as 'Appear Offline' - does anyone know if is this possible please...?

Ta in advance...

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$teve

· #2 · Dec 23, 2002

i may be wrong but i dont think its possible john........its annoying though innit?

what i do is right click and disable before im logged on....thats if i dont wanna be disturbed.
merry xmas mate

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theMusicMan

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 23, 2002

Hey Steve - thanks for the reply.... never mind, it was worth a try. I suppose I could block ALL my members - but that's not what I want to do really...

Thanks anyway...

Happy Christmas to you all at 25 miles from Manchester from all of us here 11 miles East of Cardiff...

John

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Mtn-Billy

· #4 · Dec 24, 2002

IM's can be worse then the phone

I don't allow any of the IM auto log me in on start up. Only time I will bring up the IM's is when I am free to talk.

I know Yahoo will let you log in under the invisible mode ... not really sure about window messager. If I can't talk I just don't bring them up

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pvc9

· #5 · Dec 25, 2002

Had similar problems...well having similar problems with MSN Messenger

I also use Yahoo Messenger which supports chatting when logged in 'invisible mode'. If you really want to be invisible and chat with a few, use Yahoo Messenger.

Just my 2 humble pennies.

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Huon

· #6 · Dec 25, 2002

Click your name at the top of the main window, and then click Appear Offline.
You'll appear to other users to be offline, and they won't be able to communicate with you. In actuality, you'll be signed in and able to see which contacts on your list are online. Although you can see your contacts' online status, you cannot send them instant messages, have voice conversations, or page them.

Note

To appear online again, click your name at the top of the window, and then click Online.

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$teve

· #7 · Dec 25, 2002

thats right huon,but the next time you log-on it reverts to online as defaut.......in fact sometimes it puts you back on-line in the middle of a session without you knowing

i just have auto log-in disabled.

cheers

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stu37

· #8 · Dec 26, 2002

hi John, if i understand you right you want to disable msn messenger at startup. Try this: just go to start, then run, type in
msconfig, then click on startup and uncheck msnmessenger box and that should do it. Good luck
Bob

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Mosaic1

· #9 · Dec 26, 2002

John V Burns,

I know what you mean. Signing in invisible would be a perfect option sometimes. Messenger is not set up to do this. I tried all the tricks I could think of. Changing Registry keys, trying to add various switches in the Messenger startup command. Nothing allowed it to start invisible. The program must be started and online before it can be set it to invisible.

But I did manage to write a simple VBS script. It starts Messenger and waits to give the program a little time to load. Next it sends keypresses to the program to set your status to Appear Offline. Then it sends keypresses to tell the program to minimize in the tray. This leaves you visible for only a few seconds.

The thing is, if you are having trouble connecting, and the program doesn't load within the time I have set aside to wait, the keypress messages are sent before the program loads. As a result you are not set to appear offline.

I am attaching the file as messenger.txt

Download it and rename it as messenger.vbs Put it in your Quick Launch Toolbar.

After you are connectd to the internet click on it to start Messenger etc.

I also assumed your Messenger has been installed in
C:\program Files\Messenger
If not, edit the script to reflect the path to MSMSGS.EXE.

Here's the line to change in the event you need more time to connect to the service:

PHP:

WScript.Sleep 8000

Increase the number if you need more time. Decrease it if you need less time to connect. If the timing doesn't work once in a while, just execute the file again and it will make the already loaded Messenger invisible.

See less See more

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GazmanAus

· #10 · Dec 26, 2002

I use Trillian (with accounts for Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, mirc & Messenger) instead of all the different IM apps available and I know that that remembers status at disconnect and when you reconnect, it does so with the status that you last used.

Seems strange that Messenger doesn't have that functionality.

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Status: Not open for further replies.

MSN - Auto-logon as 'Appear Offline'

theMusicMan

$teve

theMusicMan

Mtn-Billy

pvc9

Huon

$teve

stu37

Mosaic1

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GazmanAus

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