Communicator Help: Using Instant Messenger<sup><font size=-1>TM</font></sup> for AOL<sup><font size=-2>®</font></sup> Communicator

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Using Instant Messenger for AOL Communicator

Using the Buddy List® Window

The Buddy List Window
Setting Up Buddies and Groups
Using the Recent Buddies Group
Setting Alerts
Getting Buddy Information
Using Away Messages

Related topic:
Buddy List Settings & Preferences

The Buddy List® Window

When you sign on to the Instant Messenger or ICQ service, your Buddy List window appears. Folders for three groups are automatically created for you: Buddies, Family, and Co-Workers.

Buddy List® information is stored on a server rather than on your computer. You can open your Buddy List window from any online computer, whenever you sign on.

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Setting Up Buddies and Groups

It's easy to add buddies and groups and move them around:

- To add a buddy or group while you are viewing the Buddy List window, open the Actions menu and choose Add Buddy or Add Group.
- To move a buddy or group to a different location in the Buddy List window, click and drag it to the desired location.
- To move, add, delete, rename, or sort buddies and groups, click Setup.

Related topics:

Buddy List Setup

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Using the Recent Buddies Group

When you exchange instant messages with people you haven't already added to your Buddy List window, their names automatically show up under Recent Buddies. This special group, located just above Offline buddies at the bottom of the list, makes it easy to see who you've been communicating with recently.

People who are already listed in any of your other Buddy List® groups aren't added to the Recent Buddies group.

To move one of your Recent Buddies permanently to another group, just drag the buddy's name to the group you want.

You cannot move or rename the Recent Buddies group, or add buddies to it manually. You can delete individual buddies from the list.

To stop or start adding Recent Buddies automatically:

1. From the Buddy List window, open the MyIM menu and choose Preferences.
2. In the Buddy List® category, look at the option labeled:
   Add people I exchange IMs with to my Recent Buddies Group
   When this option is not selected, any names under Recent Buddies will remain on the list, but new names will not be added.
   When this option is selected, buddies with whom you exchange instant messages will be added to the list automatically.
3. Click OK to confirm your choice.

Deleting the Recent Buddies group has the same effect as deselecting the Recent Buddies option.

Related topic:

Setting Up Buddies and Groups

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Setting Alerts

Instant Messenger for AOL Communicator can notify you every time one of your buddies signs on, returns after being away from his or her computer, or becomes available again after not using the Instant Messenger software for a while. This kind of notification is called an alert.

Simple Alerts

The easiest way to set an alert is to select a name in the Buddy List window and click the Alert button near the bottom of the list (or open the Actions menu and choose Set Buddy Alert):

Alternatively, right-click a buddy (or the currently selected buddies) and choose Set Buddy Alert.

After you set an alert, the alert bell icon appears beside the buddy's name if the buddy is offline or idle or has set an Away Message.

An alert set in this manner includes all alert options:

- You will be alerted when the buddy does any of the following:

- Signs on to the Instant Messenger service.
- Starts using the service after having been idle.
- Dismisses his or her Away Message after returning to the computer.

- You will be alerted in two ways:

- An alert window will pop up.
- A sound will play (unless your computer's volume is turned down or muted).

When the alert window pops up, it includes this checkbox:

- Always alert for this buddy:
  If this checkbox is selected, the alert will be triggered every time the buddy becomes available.
  If this checkbox is not selected, the alert will not be triggered the next time the buddy becomes available.

Custom Alerts

If you want to limit actions by this buddy that trigger an alert, limit the way you will be alerted, or select the sound used for this buddy's alerts, follow these steps:

1. Select the buddy's name and click the Info button near the bottom of the list (or open the Actions menu and choose View Buddy Info):

2. Click the Alerts tab.
3. Set the characteristics of the alert. For details, see Buddy Info.

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Getting Buddy Information

To get information about a buddy, select the buddy's name in the Buddy List window and click the Info button (or open the Actions menu and choose View Buddy Info):

The Buddy Info window for that buddy opens. It displays the time the buddy has been signed on or idle, and the buddy's warning level, if any. Click the tabs for more details, or click the Help button.

If the buddy isn't signed on, no information is available.

Related topic:

Setting Alerts (below) describes how to use the Alerts tab.

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Using Away Messages

If you're going to be away from your computer briefly, you can turn on an Away Message that will be displayed whenever anyone attempts to send you an instant message.

To set, edit, or add an Away Message, click the Away Message button near the bottom of the Buddy List window and choose an item from the menu:

- Default Away Message: Choose this to trigger the current default Away Message.
- Other Away Messages: Other Away Messages that you may have created also appear in this list. Choose the one you want.
- Edit Away Message: Choose this to open the Away Message Preference Panel, where you can add and edit alternative Away Messages for different situations.

Related topics

Away Message Preferences

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Last Updated September 16, 2003