Chax
Chax 3.0.2
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(5) 4.6

Adds enhancements to iChat, now with Snow Leopard support.   Free
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Chax is a collection of minor modifications and additions that make using Apple's iChat more enjoyable. Some major features include:
  • Unified contact list shows all contacts from all accounts in one window
  • Growl notifications for new messages and users changing status
  • Automatically resize the contact list to fit the number of visible users
  • Powerful, searchable log viewer that can also browse images and URLs from past conversations
  • Activity log that displays your contacts' status changes
  • Auto-accept file transfers, AV chats, and screen
What's New
  • (Bug) Fixed a serious crash when that could occur if using groups.
Requirements
Intel, Mac OS X 10.6 or later





MacUpdate - Chax




  • Adium
    +15

  • Jitsi
    +3
Chax User Discussion (Write a Review)
ver. 3.x:
(5)
Your rating: Now say why...
Overall:
(29)

sort: smiles | time
burypromote
+5

+61
Nicolasd commented on 20 Jul 2011
15 months without an update and Lion is here. Any chance of an update?
[Version 3.0.2]

4 Replies

burypromote

Jrhuey replied on 29 Jul 2011
http://www.ksuther.com/contact/
burypromote
+2

+1189
Misha replied on 24 Aug 2011
We pinged the dev before Lion was officially released and have yet to hear back...
burypromote
+1

+2
Kettle replied on 25 Oct 2011
Sometimes life happens - Chax doesn't pay the rent for instance - judging by the amount of effort put in so far I imagine he'll get to it as soon as practical.
burypromote
+1

+16
MacUpdate-Trevor replied on 25 Jan 2013
Chax was just open sourced: http://ksuther.com/2013/01/21/cleaning-up-and-starting-over/
burypromote
+1

+1

Derren reviewed on 30 Mar 2011
Such a useful app full of iChat enhancements that, in many cases, Apple REALLY missed the boat on. Makes iChat SO much more convenient and useable.
[Version 3.0.2]


burypromote

+12
Willcol commented on 08 Mar 2010
I think this application is great for what it does.

I wonder what the possibility in the future is for Chax to have plugins for MSN/AIM/Yahoo! etc.?
[Version 3.0.2]


burypromote

+14
CollinBl commented on 06 Feb 2010
Kent - thanks a bunch for keeping it current, have got to rely on it in the years i have had it.
[Version 3.0]


burypromote
+3
Kent Sutherland (developer) commented on 06 Feb 2010
Chax 3.0 is loaded into iChat automatically again, you don't need to launch a separate application anymore.
[Version 3.0]


burypromote
+1

-133
Iconz113 commented on 06 Feb 2010
does chax still use its own icon? or is it back to the way it used to be where u can just click the ichat icon? I just dont like having to click the chax icon to open ichat
[Version 3.0]


burypromote

+12
Fuhayer commented on 23 Jan 2010
is there a way to text to MSN users ? i use mobileme and need to text to MSN users. can this app make it possible to text ?
[Version 3.0b2]

1 Reply

burypromote

+264
D9 replied on 02 Feb 2010
Adium is probably your best solution unless you need video chat capabilities.
burypromote
+1

+4

Artiarturro reviewed on 16 Jan 2010
Great to have the "plain text to ICQ users" feature back. As a long time Chax user this little software has become absolutely indispensable for me. Thank you!
[Version 3.0b1]

1 Reply

burypromote

Ivan Mascaro replied on 23 Jan 2010
Chax is great!

To chat with MSN contact, use ADIUM, search it over www.macupdate.com!
burypromote

+1
Dbrenz commented on 06 Jan 2010
Wow i chose the right day to reinstall / rediscover this plugin. I forgot I was putting up with iChat's limited room for choice. Thank you for continuing the updates.
[Version 3.0a6]


burypromote
+2

+13
Ovipas commented on 24 Dec 2009
Finally back to the desired configuration that I appreciated in Tiger and Leopard.
Thanks Kevin.
[Version 3.0a5]


burypromote

splashy26 had trouble on 26 Jul 2011
I love that I can use growl now with iChat! I can't seem to figure out how to tailor the notifications though. How can I have the growl notifications only for messages, and not every time someone becomes available or unavailable or idle? I tried changing the iChat preferences, but they are still popping up. Is there a way to change this?
[Version 3.0.2]


burypromote

+114
Cerniuk had trouble on 28 Feb 2011
Having a problem with Chax during network transitions. If I change my Cisco VPN status (worse when connected going to not connected) Chax crashes iChat.

Otherwise it works rather nicely.


Process: iChat [258]
Path: /Applications/iChat.app/Contents/MacOS/iChat
Identifier: com.apple.iChat
Version: 5.0.3 (745)
Build Info: iChat-7450300~8
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [135]

PlugIn Path: /Users/WmCerniuk/Library/ScriptingAdditions/ChaxAddition.osax/Contents/Resources/ChaxLib.bundle/Contents/MacOS/ChaxLib
PlugIn Identifier: com.ksuther.chax.lib
PlugIn Version: 3.0.2 (15)

Date/Time: 2011-02-28 08:27:03.135 -0500
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.6.6 (10J567)
Report Version: 6

[snip]

Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV)
Exception Codes: 0x000000000000000d, 0x0000000000000000
Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
[Version 3.0.2]


burypromote

+101
Alexiusca had trouble on 24 Jun 2010
Help! I have to reinstall Chax after every logout or it doesn't load.

Any suggestions? I'm on 10.6.4
[Version 3.0.2]

1 Reply

burypromote

-4
Eric Cheng replied on 23 Aug 2010
I have the same issue
Any suggestions?
burypromote

Kentzo had trouble on 07 Feb 2010
Problem with ICQ still available :(
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9853/20100208033245.png
[Version 3.0]


burypromote

Thejewishrapper had trouble on 30 Dec 2009
in Snow Leopard the problem i'm having with Chax (any of the SL versions of Chax) is the lack of ability to screen share or video chat (i believe audio also though i haven't tested it out) When Chax is running I cannot vid or screen share. I just get a beach-ball. If I quit or uninstal Chax there is no problem vid or screen sharing. I've had Chax forever and love it! I'm hopeful that this will be an easy fix. g
[Version 3.0a5]


burypromote

+1
Macspresso had trouble on 24 Dec 2009
i did the automatic update on 10.6 minutes ago. it replaced the chax-app with the 'chax 3.0a5 installer'-app itself..
so now i get the choice to reinstall or remove chax everytime i try to run chax.app: same app-name, but different icon, which is the updater-icon.
manual update didn't bring back chax either. i'm still stuck with the updater-app.
[Version 3.0a5]

1 Reply

burypromote
+1

+1
Macspresso replied on 24 Dec 2009
ehm.. okay.. assuming i was running ichat in normal mode, not even noticing that my contactlist has all contacts in 1 window. whoohoo! very nice. did not know that chax is not a stand alone app anymore. finally totally integrated with ichat in 10.6 again. really perfect!
i just needed a coffee to see that. thanx!
burypromote

Tonka2 had trouble on 11 Oct 2009
Do I have to have Growl and Sparkle predownloaded for Chax to open?
[Version 3.0a4]


burypromote
-2

-1
l1quid1ced had trouble on 30 Aug 2009
I love chax and i appreciate how this was quickly updated to snow leopard...

however

I don't like how it has "replaced" ichat on my dock, I much rather it be just another tab in my preferences, i dunno if this is a problem with snow leopard itself or if chax is interfering but i can no longer change my status to "current itunes song"... it just leaves it as available. Everything works like a charm
[Version 3.0a2]

2 Replies

burypromote
+1

+264
D9 replied on 30 Aug 2009
Why don't you uninstall Chax to find out?
burypromote

+105
Walruscp replied on 02 Sep 2009
Chax cannot work as it did in 10.5 because 10.6 no longer allows input manager hacks like Chax to run in 64-bit mode - hence the new implementation. Otherwise, you'd be stuck having to run iChat in 32-bit mode in 10.6.

I actually like the new standalone - maybe it's just perception, but it seems a bit more stable for me. This app remains a must-install for anyone using iChat.
burypromote
-3

+6
MRC had trouble on 30 Aug 2009
Odd, I have an Intel Mac running 10.5.8, but for some reason I get a message that I can't install this version of Chax?! Anyone have any ideas?
[Version 3.0a2]

1 Reply

burypromote
+3

+264
D9 replied on 30 Aug 2009
Take notice the Editor's Note at the top of the description section.
burypromote
+1

+294
thus.spake.z had trouble on 25 May 2009
If, after installing Chax you want to uninstall it, Chax's own uninstaller leaves 7 files behind.
After using Chax's uninstaller I used EasyFind to check for any files remaining. EasyFind found 7.
Don't know whether or not the remaining files might cause any issues but if you no longer need them, why keep them?
[Version 2.2.1]



-3

End_user_guy rated on 20 Jul 2011

[Version 3.0.2]


Downloads:178,034
Version Downloads:20,951
Type:Internet : Chat
License:Free
Date:08 Mar 2010
Platform:Intel 32 / OS X
Price:Free0.00
Overall (Version 3.x):
Features:
Ease of Use:
Value:
Stability:
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Chax is a collection of minor modifications and additions that make using Apple's iChat more enjoyable. Some major features include:
  • Unified contact list shows all contacts from all accounts in one window
  • Growl notifications for new messages and users changing status
  • Automatically resize the contact list to fit the number of visible users
  • Powerful, searchable log viewer that can also browse images and URLs from past conversations
  • Activity log that displays your contacts' status changes
  • Auto-accept file transfers, AV chats, and screen sharing requests
  • Always on top option for contact list, message windows and AV chats
  • Set font of names, status messages, and group separators
  • Option to immediately display new messages, skipping the notification window
  • Show status changes directly in the message window
  • Additional unread message notifications in the Dock
  • Automatically hide chat windows and contact lists when iChat is inactive
  • Toggle text status visibility of users
  • Properly use ICQ accounts without sending text formatting in messages


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