** Note: This page is available for archival purposes only. The web part won't work with current versions of Messenger. 

This sample demonstrates one method of integrating Windows Messenger  with a digital dashboard or website.

This sample contains a script that allows someone not on your contact list to chat with you and is perfect for online support or customer service departments. This works with version 4.0 and up of Windows Messenger.

As an added bonus, if you are offline (or are using appear offline) when visiting the page, you can send email to DigidashLive instead.

Features of this webpart include auto-refreshing as your contact's status changes and the ability to hide or show contact status groups. Variables in the code allow you to easily customize it to meet your needs.

Try it out - "DigidashLive" (a passport account created solely to test this webpart) is signed into Windows Messenger on a rarely accessed but always on system and may reply with a canned script (if it is working correctly), and on very rare occasions, a real person might answer back too. Change your status to Offline or Appear Offline and send email. Pretty Cool.

Thanks to Sig Weber of CDOlive.com for providing this code sample. Contact Sig if you are interested in using the latest version of this webpart.

Privacy Dialog Settings:

The ability to chat with someone without adding them to the contact list is controlled by the privacy settings dialog. If Tools | Options | Privacy, My Allow List contains the All other users group, you can chat with anyone. If All other users is in the My Block List, the user needs to add the contact to their contact list first. This is controlled by the user, the website has no control over this setting.

The website should allow all All other users.

A checkbox on the dialog controls whether or not the user is alerted if they are added to a contacts list. The Windows Messenger used by the website should leave this unchecked or you'll receive a popup dialog each time someone adds you to their list. (Which can be a lot if the site is busy.) You can see who has added the website account at anytime, using the view button.