Send an email button disappeared

[nwradu]

Hi everyone!

A few days ago I noticed the Send an email button is missing from the Y messenger window. It was right below the contacts list. In Messenger > Show/Hide I only have Status Chooser and Yahoo Search Bar selected, the Email button was in this Yahoo Search Bar, but now it's gone. I was very useful because it automatically opened a browser windows to Yahoo Mail. I remember a third button being there, plus a text box for searching the net with Yahoo, now I only have the text box and the Yahoo button which opens their site.

It's not too much trouble to open the mail myself, of use the Actions menu for that, but why is it missing? I didn't chage any settings, I'm using version 7,0,0,437 and MyYahoo Module 6,0,0,600. I checked the other areas (People Tabs, Toolbar, Content Tabs) and it's not there either. I'm attaching an image to make it more clear (click on the thumbnail to see it full size). The Email button was right next to that Y! button on the bottom.

So my questions are: am I the only one? Did I accidently deactivated that button, and if so, from where? Did others notice this as well? Did Yahoo remove that option via the auto update facility or something?

Thanks in advance!

What yahoo version are you using? Currently I'm using the beta and the Y by the search bar has a drop down menu where I can access my yahoo mail. Try doing a full uninstall and reinstall it again. If that doesn't work, the other option I can think of is displaying content tabs, and make sure one of them is yahoo overview, then you can access your mail there. Best of luck.

[Eagle_Kiwi]

Excellent post, NW - great detail

You have me very puzzled too .... may I suggest you grab the latest Beta anyway (7.5.0.333) - they MAY have fixed the problem, and even if not you'll be on the "latest" to compare notes with some others of us.

I look forward with interest to seeing a resolution.

"If it's broke, then THAT's the time to fiddle with it!"

[nwradu]

Thanks guys! I already found the solution, I'm going to post it here in case someone gets into the same trouble.
I completely uninstalled Yahoo and put vers 7 back in, didn't solve anything. Didn't try the 7.5 beta, I have beta-fobia

I noticed some .swf files in my Yahoo directory. You have them too. They are Flash files, you can run them in a flash player (load them in your browser to see them). One of them is that Emoticon that sleeps and then wakes up and smiles when you connect to Yahoo (the Signing in screen), another one is that animated toolbar that I was posting about. So it seemed the problem was Flash related... Funny, since I had the latest version of Flash Player installed (8.0.22 at this moment). I'm also using Firefox 1.5 as my browser. I unistalled and reinstalled the flash player from the Macromedia site, I even tried a flash player version 7, didn't change anything with Yahoo Messenger's issue.

I also noticed that my audibles weren't working. When I clicked on the audible button, a message would pop up saying I don't have the latest flash player instaled, and it would take me to the Macromedia site. Since I already had the latest version, I started thinking that maybe Yahoo just doesn't see it.

Anyway, here's the solution: it seems Yahoo doesn't use the Flash Player that's installed in Firefox. It uses the flash player made for Internet Explorer (version 6 for me). And while I had the latest version of Flash for Firefox (basically when you click install on the Macromedia website, it automatically detects your browser and gives you the proper version), I didn't have any flash installed in IE, and it seems Flash isn't a system-wide program, you have to install it separately for each browser you might be using. So I used IE to go to the Macromedia website, installed the Flash Player again, and that was it. Now the sleeping emoticon shows up in the sign in screen in Y! (failed to notice earlier that I didn't show up there either), I have that animation in the lower toolbar, and all the buttons, and the audibles work again.

Should anyone run into similar problems, remember that Yahoo uses Flash Player, the one made for Internet Explorer, not just any flash player. Even if you're not using IE anymore, it seems it might be a good idea to have the usual plugins installed in it, because you can never know which program also uses them.


As a side note, Yahoo kinda sucks when it comes to helping you solve any problems. Their Messenger Help section doesn't even have an uninstall section (not to mention a "how to do a complete uninstall and clean install" section), they have a small note somewhere saying that Flash is required (doesn't say for what exactly, and doesn't say which Flash), and their feedback page is version 5.6 old I think... Cheers for forums like this one where people can discuss problems and post answers!

[Eagle_Kiwi]

AMEN to that last bit, NW! Yeah, Yahoo Help is usually my LAST port of call... places like BBB are for "real" help, to the point, and useful

Anyway, another MARVELLOUS post there. I am fascinated by your findings - which may explain a LOT of the mysterious problems some people have with YM. It's seemed to me for some months that people either have NO problems or they have plenty, and I've never been able to figure why.
Well now, perhaps it's those (many!) who run Firefox that have the problems.

Personally I choose NOT to use Firefox, as do 90% of my friends, and none of US ever seem to have issues with YM - so - I reckon you've hit on a big one!

Comments from other Firefox/YM users ? :-)

Wow I would not have thought of that. Excellent post nwradu. Thanks for posting a solution here. I'm sure others will benefit from it as well!

[Jeff]

Excellent post, nwradu! (reps up...)

I use Firefox more and more, but I also use IE and that's still configured as my "default" browser, so I haven't had a problem. But that's a very good point and it may impact other systems as well. I know that AIM (pre-Triton) also uses IE for the AIM Today window and some of the other features, so it could also be a "victim" if you've moved on to other non-IE-based browsers.