I can't add emoticons

I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The image
you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another image."
How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This makes no
sense!!!
I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would help but
it doesn't.

I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
Thanks

Hello,

it does make sense. If you add a picture as an emoticon, and this picture is
already an emoticon, it will give this error. Are you sure you chose
different pictures to add these emoticons?

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:BEF59525-C855-45DC-96B6-...
> I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
> Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The image
> you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another image."
> How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This makes
> no
> sense!!!
> I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would help
> but
> it doesn't.
>
> I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
> Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
> Thanks
>

Hello,

Well, perhaps it makes sense to you....
I guess it would make sense to me too if, as you say, I were trying to
create duplicate emoticons although I don't find the logic in that thinking
either.... why would I want two identical emoticons???

Perhaps I should have been more clear..... I'm trying to add an emoticon
that I do NOT have. I only have about 21 emoticons, not counting the ones
that come with messenger, and no, it's not one of the plain emoticons that
come with messenger.
And it's not like I could overlook it because I have so many.

The only thing I can imagine is that for some reason it's not showing up on
my list.
Is that possible?

Greetings,
Puppett


"P. Di Stolfo" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> it does make sense. If you add a picture as an emoticon, and this picture is
> already an emoticon, it will give this error. Are you sure you chose
> different pictures to add these emoticons?
>
> Greetings,
> P. Di Stolfo
>
> "Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:BEF59525-C855-45DC-96B6-...
> > I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
> > Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The image
> > you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another image."
> > How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This makes
> > no
> > sense!!!
> > I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would help
> > but
> > it doesn't.
> >
> > I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
> > Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
> > Thanks
> >

Hello,

you could try the following:
* http://forums.fanatic.net.nz/lofiver...p/t17814.html: The
CacheDeleter.
* if this doesn't work, try
http://forum.mess.be/index.php?showt...6&#entry160606

Please report if any of these worked.

Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:6C90D95E-FC28-44F0-A955-...
>
> Hello,
>
> Well, perhaps it makes sense to you....
> I guess it would make sense to me too if, as you say, I were trying to
> create duplicate emoticons although I don't find the logic in that
> thinking
> either.... why would I want two identical emoticons???
>
> Perhaps I should have been more clear..... I'm trying to add an emoticon
> that I do NOT have. I only have about 21 emoticons, not counting the ones
> that come with messenger, and no, it's not one of the plain emoticons that
> come with messenger.
> And it's not like I could overlook it because I have so many.
>
> The only thing I can imagine is that for some reason it's not showing up
> on
> my list.
> Is that possible?
>
> Greetings,
> Puppett
>
>
> "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> it does make sense. If you add a picture as an emoticon, and this picture
>> is
>> already an emoticon, it will give this error. Are you sure you chose
>> different pictures to add these emoticons?
>>
>> Greetings,
>> P. Di Stolfo
>>
>> "Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> news:BEF59525-C855-45DC-96B6-...
>> > I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
>> > Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The
>> > image
>> > you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another
>> > image."
>> > How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This
>> > makes
>> > no
>> > sense!!!
>> > I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would
>> > help
>> > but
>> > it doesn't.
>> >
>> > I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
>> > Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
>> > Thanks
>> >

This is probably because you didn't name your emoticons and only gave them
shortcuts in a previous version. WLM 8.1 requires emoticons to have
names...the images are still there but just don't show up.

Solution (without loosing any of your emoticons):

1) Make a totally independant temporary folder (eg: C:\myemoticons)
2) Copy every .DAT and .DT2 from the "\Documents and Settings\<windows
accountname>\Application Data\Microsoft\MSN Messenger\<ID number>\" and
"%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Messenger\<.NET
passport>\ObjectStore\CustomEmoticons" directories to that temporary folder
3) Remove both messenger directories (exit WLM first!)
4) Go to your temporary folder with all the copied files and rename every
single file to .PNG
5) remove duplicates images if you have some (check with an image viewer)
6) start Windows Live Messenger and start adding the icons in the proper way
by going to Tools > Emoticons > Create... > Find Image
7) (optional) remove your temporary folder


Note: folders I mentioned might be hidden so make sure you turn on "show
hidden files/folders".

Good Luck,

--

Sunshine,
Windows Live Butterfly
http://SunshineWeb.org


"Puppett" <> wrote in message
news:BEF59525-C855-45DC-96B6-...
> I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
> Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The image
> you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another image."
> How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This makes
> no
> sense!!!
> I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would help
> but
> it doesn't.
>
> I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
> Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
> Thanks
>

Hello P. Di Stolfo,

Well, I already had a strong suspicion of finding my problem in the "dt2"
files but didn't know exactly how to go about fixing it.
I picked one of those files at random and changed it to a "gif" and as luck
would have it that one was not showing on my list either.

At any rate, the people on the forums from the links were experiencing the
same dilemma I had.... so the links you provided were most helpful.
That is where I found my solution, sooo.... I am happy to report that my
problem has been RESOLVED!!!

Thank you very much for your help.

Greetings,
Puppett



"P. Di Stolfo" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> you could try the following:
> * http://forums.fanatic.net.nz/lofiver...p/t17814.html: The
> CacheDeleter.
> * if this doesn't work, try
> http://forum.mess.be/index.php?showt...6&#entry160606
>
> Please report if any of these worked.
>
> Greetings,
> P. Di Stolfo
>
> "Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:6C90D95E-FC28-44F0-A955-...
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > Well, perhaps it makes sense to you....
> > I guess it would make sense to me too if, as you say, I were trying to
> > create duplicate emoticons although I don't find the logic in that
> > thinking
> > either.... why would I want two identical emoticons???
> >
> > Perhaps I should have been more clear..... I'm trying to add an emoticon
> > that I do NOT have. I only have about 21 emoticons, not counting the ones
> > that come with messenger, and no, it's not one of the plain emoticons that
> > come with messenger.
> > And it's not like I could overlook it because I have so many.
> >
> > The only thing I can imagine is that for some reason it's not showing up
> > on
> > my list.
> > Is that possible?
> >
> > Greetings,
> > Puppett
> >
> >
> > "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
> >
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> it does make sense. If you add a picture as an emoticon, and this picture
> >> is
> >> already an emoticon, it will give this error. Are you sure you chose
> >> different pictures to add these emoticons?
> >>
> >> Greetings,
> >> P. Di Stolfo
> >>
> >> "Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> >> news:BEF59525-C855-45DC-96B6-...
> >> > I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
> >> > Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The
> >> > image
> >> > you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another
> >> > image."
> >> > How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This
> >> > makes
> >> > no
> >> > sense!!!
> >> > I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would
> >> > help
> >> > but
> >> > it doesn't.
> >> >
> >> > I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
> >> > Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
> >> > Thanks
> >> >

Since many people don't like reading the whole thread.

The above links solved my problem and proved very useful.

You're welcome!
Greetings,
P. Di Stolfo

"Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:004514E2-7882-4365-A5B3-...
>
> Hello P. Di Stolfo,
>
> Well, I already had a strong suspicion of finding my problem in the "dt2"
> files but didn't know exactly how to go about fixing it.
> I picked one of those files at random and changed it to a "gif" and as
> luck
> would have it that one was not showing on my list either.
>
> At any rate, the people on the forums from the links were experiencing the
> same dilemma I had.... so the links you provided were most helpful.
> That is where I found my solution, sooo.... I am happy to report that my
> problem has been RESOLVED!!!
>
> Thank you very much for your help.
>
> Greetings,
> Puppett
>
>
>
> "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> you could try the following:
>> * http://forums.fanatic.net.nz/lofiver...p/t17814.html: The
>> CacheDeleter.
>> * if this doesn't work, try
>> http://forum.mess.be/index.php?showt...6&#entry160606
>>
>> Please report if any of these worked.
>>
>> Greetings,
>> P. Di Stolfo
>>
>> "Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> news:6C90D95E-FC28-44F0-A955-...
>> >
>> > Hello,
>> >
>> > Well, perhaps it makes sense to you....
>> > I guess it would make sense to me too if, as you say, I were trying to
>> > create duplicate emoticons although I don't find the logic in that
>> > thinking
>> > either.... why would I want two identical emoticons???
>> >
>> > Perhaps I should have been more clear..... I'm trying to add an
>> > emoticon
>> > that I do NOT have. I only have about 21 emoticons, not counting the
>> > ones
>> > that come with messenger, and no, it's not one of the plain emoticons
>> > that
>> > come with messenger.
>> > And it's not like I could overlook it because I have so many.
>> >
>> > The only thing I can imagine is that for some reason it's not showing
>> > up
>> > on
>> > my list.
>> > Is that possible?
>> >
>> > Greetings,
>> > Puppett
>> >
>> >
>> > "P. Di Stolfo" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hello,
>> >>
>> >> it does make sense. If you add a picture as an emoticon, and this
>> >> picture
>> >> is
>> >> already an emoticon, it will give this error. Are you sure you chose
>> >> different pictures to add these emoticons?
>> >>
>> >> Greetings,
>> >> P. Di Stolfo
>> >>
>> >> "Puppett" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
>> >> news:BEF59525-C855-45DC-96B6-...
>> >> > I'm using Windows Live Messenger 8.1.0178.00
>> >> > Every time I try to add an emoticon I get a window telling me: "The
>> >> > image
>> >> > you choose is being used for another emoticon. Please use another
>> >> > image."
>> >> > How can that image ( emoticon ) be used for another emoticon? This
>> >> > makes
>> >> > no
>> >> > sense!!!
>> >> > I tried assigning different keyboard shortcuts to see if that would
>> >> > help
>> >> > but
>> >> > it doesn't.
>> >> >
>> >> > I had been able to add emoticons until 4 days ago.
>> >> > Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be???
>> >> > Thanks
>> >> >