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Hopper is a Messenger Plus! plugin designed by Mnjul. It has several commands of Messenger's notifications, aka toasts. Now navigate the readme file from the list on the left!

Quick Start

Run /xhop now to give your contacts a toast!
Run /xhopto Your message to use a toast to notify your contacts with your message!

Links

• The latest version of Hopper is: (works if you are connected to internet)
• The official thread of Hopper
• Messenger Plus!
• Messenger Plus! Forums
• MSN Messenger
• Windows Messenger

Introduction

Hopper is a plug-in for Messenger Plus!. Its /xhop command series are as easy to use as /hop in mIRC and provide extended feature for Plus!. Hopper appears the user offline and then goes online, or block and unblock a contact in a row. It is used to catch contacts' attention. Please do not flood:)

Features

• Full integration with Messenger Plus!, the best and the most popular Messenger add-on.

• Flood protection.

• Ability to appear different status after appearing offline and going online.

• Ability to operate up to three times once.

• Ability to hop "on" only certain contacts by blocking/unblocking them.

• Ability to replace nickanames with custom toast messages.

• Ability to dealy a certain period of time between appearing offline/going online or blocking/unblocking people.

Compatibility

Hopper 2 requires Messenger Plus! 2.50.66 or above in order to operate correctly.

Hopper 2 is not compatible with Windows Messenger 5 due to Messenger Plus!' compatibility. The main issues are that Hopper can't change your status back automatically and that Plus! can't change your display name.

Thanks

Thanks the following testers: Ke11ett, KnightieBoy, KoalaBlue, Lareamond, Ranicx, Segosa, Surfichris

Thanks the following contributors: Segosa, Huuf

Licence

Owing to the fact that the version you own is a beta version, you are not encouraged to redistribute the package. You are not allowed to de-compile or de-assemble the file either.

Installation

Note for users updating from all previous versions: Please close all of your running Messengers(MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger) before running the installer.

Please extract all of the files, and run Installer.exe. You'll need VB 6 Runtime to run the installer, so if you get a error message when you run the installer, you probably don't have VB 6 Runtime. Hence, please download it here.

The Installation is completely automatic. If you get any message box of "Error!" after you click "Go!", please post about it on the forums (read here). Meanwhile, you can try to install the plug-in manually.

Uninstallation

The Uninstallation is completely automatic too. If you want to uninstall Hopper, simply close all your running Messenger sessions and run Uninstaller.exe. If you get any message box of "Error!" after you click "Go!", please post about it on the forums (read here). Meanwhile, you can try to uninstall the plug-in manually.

/xhop command series

/xhop commands make Messenger appear offline and go online in a row. They create notifications for all people that have added you into their contact lists. You are allowed to use /xhop and /xhopto only once in every five minutes. I.e., if you run /xhop 3, in the next five minutes you can't run any of the /xhop commands nor /xhopto commands, excluding /xhop about, /xhop ad, /xhop options or /xhopto about.

Note that whenever you run one of the /xhop command series excluding /xhop ad, /xhop options or /xhop(to)(dl) about, you will lose all of your special actions with your contacts, such as file transfer, launch site games, voice/video conversation...etc. You will also quit any conversations that have multiple participants.

Using /xhop

/xhop creates simple toasts, which have your nickname inside. You can run /xhop about in a conversation windows to get basic information.

Arguments:

Command	Does...
/xhop	Simply makes Messenger appear offline and then go online.
/xhop number	Makes Messenger appear offline and then go online number times. Number has a maximum limitation of 3..
/xhop busy	Makes Messenger appear offline and then appear Busy.
/xhop brb	Makes Messenger appear offline and then appear Be Right Back.
/xhop away	Makes Messenger appear offline and then appear Away. It also pops up Plus!'s Personalised Status Window.
/xhop onphone	Makes Messenger appear offline and then appear On The Phone.
/xhop lunch	Makes Messenger appear offline and then appear Out To Lunch.
/xhop persostat	Makes Messenger appear offline and then pops up Personalised Status Window.

Using /xhopto

/xhopto creates toasts, which have your custom messages. You can run /xhopto about in a conversation windows to get basic information.

Arguments:
(Note if no custom messages are specified, /xhopto simply runs /xhop)

Command	Does...
/xhopto Your message /xhopto1 Your message	Changes your nickname to Your message, hops with /xhop once, and changes your nickname back.
/xhopto2 Your message	Changes your nickname to Your message, hops with /xhop twice, and changes your nickname back.
/xhopto3 Your message	Changes your nickname to Your message, hops with /xhop three times, and changes your nickname back.

Using /xhopdl

/xhopdl creates simple toasts, but lets you to specify a delay between appearing offline and going online. You can run /xhopdl about in a conversation windows to get basic information.

Arguments:
(Note if no delay time is specified, /xhopdl simply runs /xhop)

Command	Does...
/xhopdl [seconds]	Makes Messenger appear offline, and go online after [seconds].

/xhopon command series

/xhopon commands block and unblock specified contact(s) in a row. They create notifications for the contact(s). You are allowed to use /xhopon and /xhoponto only once in every three minutes. I.e., if you run /xhopon, in the next three minutes you can't run any of the /xhopon commands nor /xhoponto commands, excluding /xhopon about or /xhoponto about.

Note that whenever you run one of the /xhopon command series excluding /xhopon(to)(dl) about, you will lose all of your special actions with your contact, such as file transfer, launch site games, voice/video conversation...etc.

Using /xhopon

When you run /xhopon in a conversation windows, it blocks and unblocks all the other people participating in the conversation. Hence, it creates a toast, which has your name inside, for the contacts. You can run /xhopon about in a conversation windows to get basic information.

Arguments:

Command	Does...
/xhopon	Simply makes Messenger block the people you are talking to and then unblock them.

Using /xhoponto

/xhoponto creates toasts, which have your custom message inside, for all the other people participateing in the coversation with the following steps: Changes your nickname -> Blocks people -> Unblocks people -> Changes your nickname back. You can run /xhoponto about in a conversation windows to get basic information.

Arguments:
(Note if no custom messages are specified, /xhoponto simply runs /xhopon)

Command	Does...
/xhoponto Your message	Changes your nickname to Your message, hops "on" the contacts with /xhopon once, and changes your nickname back.

Using /xhopondl

/xhopondl blocks all the other people participating in the conversation, and unblocks them after the specified delay time.

Important: If contact X has been blocked by /xhopondl in Conversation A and expected to be unblocked after 10 seconds, but during the 10 seconds a /xhopon is run in Conversation B where contact X participates in too, contact X is unblocked right after /xhopon takes effect.

Arguments:
(Note if no delay time is specified, /xhopondl simply runs /xhopon)

Command	Does...
/xhopondl [seconds]	Makes Messenger block the people you are talking to, and unblock them after [seconds].

/xhopsend command

/xhopsend command sends a Messenger Plus! toast to your contacts. If you don't want to lose special actions with your contact, such as file transfer, launch site games, voice/video conversation...etc, you can use /xhopsend to catch your contact's attention.

Note that in order to receive toasts made with Plus!, your contacts must have Messenger Plus! 2.50.66 and Hopper 2.0.77 or above..

Using /xhoponsend

When you run /xhoponsend in a conversation windows, it creates a Messenger Plus! toast for your contacts, or does some other operations related to /xhopsend (see the table below).

Arguments:

Command	Does...
/xhopsend Your message	Send a Messenger Plus! toast to the people you are talking to. Your message is shown in the toast and the conversation window.
/xhopsend hpr_verreq	Send a Hopper Version Request to the person you are talking to in order to make sure that he or she is able to receive toasts sent with Hopper 2. You can send a request to only one contact at the same time.
/xhopsend hpr_info	View the list of the (saved) version request results for the people you are talking to.
/xhopsend hpr_block on/off	Block/Unblock the toasts sent with Hopper from the contact(s) you are talking to.
/xhopsend hpr_blockall on/off	Block/Unblock all the toasts sent with Hopper from other people.

Other usages

• Advertisement for Hopper: You can run /xhop ad to show your Hopper version and advertise for it. A short advertisement passage is automatically sent to the people you are talking to in the conversation window.

• Messenger's Options Page: You can run /xhop options to bring up Messenger's Tools\Options\General page. If you are flooded by other's toasts, you can turn the toasts off in the page.

• /xhopondl can be used as a timered blocker too. For example, if one of your contacts is very annoying and you want to block him/her for 5 minutes, simply run /xhopondl 300 in a conversation window to him/her.

Changelog

• Post-Final Beta 2.0 Build 77, released on 2003/11/7
  • This is an untested unstable beta version.
  • /xhopsend commands added.
  • The only-one-call limitation of /xhopondl has been removed.
  • Code improvements about system timers.


• 2.0 Build 62, released on 2003/11/1
  • Fixed the bug that in Windows Messenger 4, "has signed in" text remains visible in the toasts called with /xhop(on)to.
  • Code improvements.


• 2.0 Build 60, released on 2003/10/28
  • Some code improvements and bug fixes.
  • Re-written HTML readme.


• Private Beta 2.0 Build 57, released on 2003/10/12
  • Core code improvements.
  • Some bug fixes.
  • Flood protection duration time reduced to 5 (for /xhop) and 3 (for /xhopon) minutes.


• Mnjul Private Beta 2.0 Build 51
  • /xhopon command series added: allows you to block/unblock a contact in a row. That way, only the contact can see the toast.


• Mnjul Private Beta 1.2 Build 36
  • Flood protection improved.
  • /xhop options.
  • Included an uninstaller.


• Mnjul Private Beta 1.1 Build 34
  • /xhop ad added.


• 1.1 Build 32, released on 2003/10/04
  • Fix the glitch that /xhopdl about may return an error.
  • Compatibility with polygamy-like programs improved.


• 1.1 Build 29, released on 2003/10/03
  • A small bug that you get a message box stating The name you chose is incorrect. if you use /xhopto only is fixed.
  • /xhopdl added.


• 1.1 Build 26, released on 2003/09/27
  • /xhopto added: In 1.1.26 and above, you can specify your message in the toast when you hop!


• 1.0 Build 18, released on 2003/09/21
  • Some miscellaneous code improvements.


• 1.0 Build 16, released on 2003/08/01
  • You can now specify hop times through /xhop [number]. However, the number has a limitation of 3.
  • You are allowed to use /xhop commands only once in every ten minutes.


• 1.0 Build 10, released on 2003/07/29
  • The first public release.


• Private Beta 0.1 Build 7, released on 2003/07/29
  • The first release.

p.s. Private Beta is a version that is released to some testers selected by me. Mnjul Private Beta is a remarkable but unstable release, and is never released to others. Versions without the two labels are public stable releases.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is there any way to bypass flood protection?
  No, there is not.

• Sometimes, /xhopto and /xhoponto doesn't change my nickname to custom messages when hopping.
  Hopper uses a timer to run /xhopto and /xhoponto to command; if your CPU is high-loaded or your net connection bandwidth is highly-occupied, there may be the following situations:
  1. Your nick hasn't been changed to custom messages when Hopper makes Messenger go online/unblock people.
  2. Your nick has been changed back from custom messages when Hopper makes Messenger go goline/unblock people.
  Both result in the problem that toasts are seen with your original nickname.

• My contact says he/she doesn't see my custom messages.
  If you contact uses MSN Messenger 6's View contacts by email function or Messenger Plus!'s Custom names feature, he/she can't see your custom toast messages, which are actually your nickname.

• Hopper doesn't seem to work with Windows Messenger 5 or polygamy-like programs.
  Due to the fact that Messenger Plus!, which provides platform for Hopper to run under, is not fully compatible with Windows Messenger 5 or polygamy-like programs, Hopper may not work well with them..

Can't find your question here? Head for Feedback to get to know how to contact me!

Bug reports, Suggestions or Other Feedbacks

I hadn't programmed anything for two months when the first version of Hopper was released. Not designed by a professional programmer, it surely needs some improvements. If you have found any problem of or have got some any ideas for Hopper, please post about it on the official thread (registration needed), or post about it on my forums.