[Andrej]

This one gets the all-time "More bizzare iChat problem ever encountered" trophy. (!)

iChat is deleting my buddies! And I can't add new ones! I only have like 5 people in my buddy list. Normally, when I go to add someone, and the person isn't online, the name stays on my list, greyed out.

But now when I go to add someone, the name stays there for 7 seconds, then vanishes off my list! I have "Show Offline Buddies" checked, it's always been checked.

As a test experiment, I deleted a known user from my list (who happened to display an Away message), then added her back on...7 seconds later, the name vanishes!!!!!!!

I can't add anybody, and if I remove them, then I'm screwed!

The solution thus far for me has been to restart iChat after I add someone for the correct buddy list to appear.

(A search on these forums did not help.)

Now I've always had problem with iChat with adding buddies! In 10.2, it was while adding a buddy during a conversation, there were problems with my conversation. In 10.3, my conversations sometimes vanished from my IM window. I never used it enough in 10.4 to have any information. Now, in 10.5, I have to restart iChat!

What is going on??

[Andrew_Campbell]

I have no idea what you're talking about when you said iChat is deleting your buddies...Perhaps I missed something. Unless somebody can come in with the silver bullet answer, I suggest you try Proteus.

[Andrej]

When I say that "iChat is deleting my buddies," I mean that "iChat is processing the removal of listed names from an organized list of user-selected, generally frequented contacts (called buddies)."
You seriously couldn't figure that out?

[Andrew_Campbell]

Originally Posted by Andrej 

When I say that "iChat is deleting my buddies," I mean that "iChat is processing the removal of listed names from an organized list of user-selected, generally frequented contacts (called buddies)."
You seriously couldn't figure that out?

I didn't understand if they were being deleted, or showing up after an iChat restart. I suppose the message was lost in your whiny post, riddled with excessive punctuation.

[Judge_Fire]

Have you tried other software? There could always be something wrong at the AIM backend, causing you grief from version to version, so this would help you debug.

[cybergoober]

Have you tried moving ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ichat.AIM.plist to your Desktop (or some other location) and restarting iChat?

Only other thing I would recommend (as the others have) is using some other IM software like Adium or Proteus.

[Andrej]

Originally Posted by Andrew_Campbell 

I didn't understand if they were being deleted, or showing up after an iChat restart. I suppose the message was lost in your whiny post, riddled with excessive punctuation.

My post was not whiny. Yours is. And mine has appropriate punctuation, while yours does not.

Edit to below post:

[A] How would you feel if your post wasn't? That was the intent. You insult me, I insult you, it's only fair.
[B] See your comment [C]. Instead of commenting on my tone, the problem was well described, focus on that instead!
[C] Yes it does.
[D] Why would I use something other than iChat for a silly problem such as this?

This is ridiculous. When I post my following troubleshooting inquiry, don't talk to me about the tone of my post. That's annoying!

[adamfishercox]

A) His post is punctuated fine.
B) Your post had tons of exclamation points.
C) It doesn't matter.
D) Did you try the stuff you were told, and if so, did it work?

[Efan08]

Im having the same problem with my iChat. It wont let me add anymore of my friends into my buddy list. Im not sure what cybergoober is saying about moving