Yahoo Messenger v6 "The All New Yahoo! Messenger" Display Images ( Pictures & Avatars)

"Display Images"... kind of a hefty subject as it covers Pictures and Avatars, both of which have been introduced to us in "The All New Yahoo! Messenger" (v6)... pretty cool :)

While both Pictures and Avatars are pretty self explanatory we've been getting a few questions about what the differences are and how to use them so we're going to touch on both briefly, although it doesn't look that brief *blush*

When you open a new message window in v6 one of the first things you'll notice (bottom right hand side) is the new Display Image icon and a space that's been allocated for the your Display Image, which can be either a Picture or an Avatar. You can also access your Display Image settings via Messenger > Change My Display Image but for this tutorial we're accessing it via your messenger window...

Now it does get a little confusing as to whether a "display image" and a "display picture" (you'll hear ppl talking about both) are in fact the same thing... they're not....
Basically a "Display Image" is used to describe the image (be that a Picture or an Avatar) that you are going to use to represent yourself online where as...
"(Display) Picture" is the actual picture (often a photo) that you use as a Display Image...
and then there are the Avatars (which are also used as a Display Image) which, thank the gods doesn't have a "display" kind of name but if you wanted to add more confusion to the puddle you could call it a Display Avatar ;) but for simplicity sake we're going to talk about...
Display Images which are
- (Display) Pictures
and
- Avatars
now fair warning, if you trot off Yahoo!'s Help Pages every now and then you'll see them talking about "Icons", you may also notice some of your friends talking about their avatars and pictures as "icons" which adds to the confusion, but from Yahoo's point of view it seems that "icons" are basically used to describe your display pictures (not image), in fact if you do a bit of poking around your computer you're going to stumble across an "icon" cache at C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\cache\Icon which houses some of your friends (display) pictures you've viewed recently, unlike C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\cache\Avatars which houses your friends Avatars.... but unless you run into trouble viewing (Display) Pictures of Avatars you wont have to worry about this at all so for now forget about "icons" and lets get back to (Display) Pictures and Avatars...

(Display) Picture	Avatar
Kinda cooll how we have been given 2 choices :)

Whether you opt for a Picture or an Avatarsthe initial selection process is the same so click on the down arrow below "Change Display Image", you're then presented with the best place to start... the beginning ;)
If you don't already have a display image showing you're only given 3 choices...
- Share Display Image
- Change Display Image
( - Size is not an option because you have no select yet)
- Close

The option you need is "Change Display Image", once selected you'll be presented with the Display Image window (as shown at the very top right hand side of this page).

From here you can decide which you would like to set up first, a Pictures or an Avatars. For more information on those options you can check out our tutorials WackyB.co.nz - Yahoo Messenger v6 (Display) Pictures or WackyB.co.nz - Yahoo Messenger v6 Avatars

For now we're going to assume you have either a (Display) Pictures or an Avatars and that you want to do some fine tuning...

Size...
Sometimes having your display image showing can be a right royal pain the rear end especially if you're stuck for space so if your text is feeling a little claustrophobic don't forget to use your Display Image icon (or Ctl+K) to open and close your display image, as this will turn your messenger window from...

this....

to this...

giving you a lot more text space, ditto for your friends space, if their (display) picture is cramping your style or you've just had enough of looking at it simply track down the exact same Display Image icon up by their display image and use it toggle their image on / off (Ctrl+J which will do the same thing as the icon) .

now if your text is cramped but you dont want to loose the entire picture or avatar there is a Size option available from the menu (shown below).

Picture Sizes
small...	large...

Avatar Sizes
small...	large...

Sharing your Display Image...
This is kind of important especially if you're using a personal photo of yourself as your Picture, if you want everyone to see it then more power to you, if you prefer to keep it personal for only a select few then perhaps this section is for you but regardless of Picture or Avatar you have the option to share your image on a per friend basis or make it available to everyone.

If you've attracted a nutter (as you know we all do at some point or another) don't hesistate to dump your display picture... if in doubt kill it off. You can do this quickly by accessing the drop down menu beneath your display image, Share Display Image will be selected (as shown the pic to the right), simply click on this again to prevent your image being shared. When sharing has been disabled you'll see that image has gone and display area has returned to the default blank "change display image" image.
Note: Using the Display Image icon (or Ctl+K) to "hide" the image will not stop that person being able to see your image, all that does is hide it from you view so just because you can't see it doesn't mean that they can't.

Sharing (or not) per friend or per everyone ;)
this is really cool and well thought through, huge ^5 to Yahoo for providing this option. Some friends you may want to share your Picture with, some your Avatar and some you may prefer to have no access to either... and all of those options are available to us. We can make picture and avatar settings for individual friends or we can turn it into a one a one stop shop and make either Picture, Avatar (or no display image) available right across our list.. how cool is that!

From the Display Image drop down menu select Change Display Picture, up pops the Display Image selection window (as shown at the very top of this page).
Beneath "When I talk to this Person..." you can select from
• Dont share a display image
- this will prevent this person from viewing your display picture and it only applies to this particular friend unless you also check "use this selection for everyone" in which case no display images will be available to anyone on your list
• Share my Picture
- this allows your friend to see your Picture (of course *g*)
• Share my Avatar
- this allows your friend to see your Avatar (again, of course *g*)

so use the above to make have individual settings per friend or if your not fussed about sharing your images when once you have selected from either Picture or Avatar, scoot down to "Use this selection for everyone" and click inside the box, this will then make the picture or avatar available to all on your friends list, no hassle and no fuss with individual settings etc.

The last setting is of course Show my Yahoo! Avatar in other people's Messenger list and what this does is exactly as the image to the right shows you.. it place a mini pic of your avatar to the left of your name on the friends list.. if you aren't sharing your Avatar with all your friends it may pay to disable this option.

Links:
WackyB.co.nz - Yahoo Messenger v6 (Display) Pictures
WackyB.co.nz - Yahoo Messenger v6 Avatars

Yahoo! Messenger Display Imagine Help (being Avatars, Pictures, Display Image Options and Troubleshooting)

Need Help? Can Help? at our WackyB.com forum (for Instant Messenger Help, Support, Smileys & Plonking) you'll find a section dedicated to Yahoo Messenger related questions and information... if you have an Yahoo Messenger problem please don't hesitate to register and post your question there. Equally so.. if you're a bit of a whizz on Yahoo Messenger we're always on the look out for members to chip in and lend a hand around the place.. and it's always greatly apprecicated and you'll be rewarded with loads of warm fuzzies ;)