Can not display anything on incoming QQ messages for 2.5.0

[memoryjar]

The incoming messages are all displayed as:

(NULL)

Regardless if it is Chinese or English. However, the QQ buddy list can display can display Chinese characters.

[csyfek]

If you are running pidgin in windoze, this problem mainly has someting to do with the gtk-runtime installed by pidgin. May be there is a problem in the iconv library. You can uninstall that gtk-runtime and reinstall a gtk-runtime of version 2.12 or others. You can find many useful message by searching "pidgin 2.5.0 QQ null" on the internet.

[bwsmith7]

Any tips for users who are technologically retarded? I have been to GTK website to try and install a new version, but that's about as far as I was able to get. When I try to search for GTK on my computer, all I get is a "Theme Selector" program. Where is the location to uninstall/install GTK versions?

For those of us who aren't too computer-savvy, do you mind giving a quick step-by-step to fix this problem? Pidgin is a great program, and there are a growing number of expats here in China who are wanting to use Pidgin to connect with QQ (QQ stand-alone is a nightmare). I hope future releases can get this problem fixed. Again, thanks for any help.

[bwsmith7]

Sorry, forgot to add that all names on my buddy list are also displayed as "(NULL)", as are incoming messages.

[csyfek]

please see pictures above. one shows the NULL problem, the other shows QQ plugin runs without any problem. try it following my instructions: 1, *UNINSTALL* the gtk+ runtime which was insalled by pidgin 2.5.0 or 2.5.1, whose version is '2.12.8 Rev a'. 2, download gtk-2.10.11-win32-1.exe and install instead. for your reference, you may find it here: http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/download.sourceforge.net/pub/sourceforge/g/gl/gladewin32/gtk-2.10.11-win32-1.exe 3, go to this directory '[your drive]:\Documents and Settings\[your username]\Application Data\.purple', rename blist.xml to blist.xml.org. 4, run pidgin again to see the magic :P

[bwsmith7]

Installed GTK, ruined character support.

[bwsmith7]

Thanks for your help, csyfek. I tried to follow your instructions as best I could. GTK 2.12.8 Rev a was uninstalled. I downloaded GTK 2.10 using the link you provided, and installed it. However, I could not locate a blist.xml file, or even an Application Data folder. I am using Windows Vista, maybe the directory is different, although I tried searching for blist.xml and was unable to locate any file by that name.

I ran Pidgin again. The good news is that the most of the (NULL)s are gone. Messages are sent fine, whether in English, Thai, or Chinese. The bad news is that all Thai and Chinese characters in the Buddy List window are not showing anymore. Please see the attached screenshot above. Any further ideas? Thanks for the help!

[bwsmith7]

QQ Buddy List and Chat Windows, Chinese in BL Not Supported.

[bwsmith7]

The second attached screenshot above shows chat windows as well as the buddy list, and the difference in character support between the two.

[csyfek]

bwsmith7, can you re-upload your images? I can't see them or even download them. maybe you should upload files without blanks in its name, for example, change 'QQ Screenshot1.jpg' to 'screenshot1.jpg'.

i'm not using vista, which is a monster for my PIII 866MHz... i think there would be some other friends in the forum who can help you!

[bwsmith7]

Chat windows OK, but Chinese/Thai in Buddy List not supported.

[bwsmith7]

Ok csyfek, I re-attached my screenshot. It is showing fine now. The admin can delete the first two attachments, they show nothing.

Thanks again for your help, hopefully some Vista users have some tips!

[lonicerae]

hmm...what language is your vista currently using? as you can see, i use the Simplified Chinese version. i've never used a windows of which Thai is the default language. mmm... you can set a 'LANGUAGE' variable in the system environment. please look at my picture and try it.

those 'NULL' group cannot be removed until you find out the blist.xml. :P

[bwsmith7]

Thanks lonicerae, my language is currently set to English. Thai is displayed in my Buddy List because I have a lot of Thai friends who use Thai in their names/statuses.

I finally managed to find blist.xml (my apologies for taking to long), and changed the name to blist.xml.org per csyfek's instructions. This changed nothing. English, Thai, and Chinese still appear fine went sent in chat windows, but Thai and Chinese are blocked out in the buddy list (see attachment QQScreenshot2.jpg a few posts up).

Thanks again for all the suggestions.