Pidgin - Microsoft Office Communicator

Update: 11/15/10 - Added ICONV.DLL, LIBXML2.DLL work-around for Windows.
Update: 05/01/10 - SIPE 1.10 is out. Tutorial updated.
Update: 01/27/10 - SIPE 1.7.1 is out. Download it here.
Update: 08/20/09 - SIPE 1.6.0 seems to be available, so I've updated this article with some 1.6.0 comments in red below.

Steps:

1. Downloading and installing the latest Pidgin for your platform.
   
   - Windows: For first time users, the installer will require GTK to be installed.
   - Windows: Recommended: Install automatic spell-check (Aspell) for your language, which needs to be selected during install. (Requires a connection to the internet).
   
   
2. Download and install the latest SIPE (SImple Protocol Exchange) for your platform.
   
   - Windows: The plugin will come bundled as a zip file with a MSI installer. Run the MSI installer. This will install the plugin to "Program Files\Pidgin"
   - Linux: If a precompiled version (usually ".DEB" or ".RPM" is not available for your distribution of Linux, download the source in "tar.gz" format. Follow standard compilation instructions for your platform. (Experienced users: 15 minutes, Inexperienced users: 2 hours)
   - PidginPortable: After installing the MSI, copy the contents of "Program Files\Pidgin\" to the "Program Files\PidginPortable\app\Pidgin" folder.  The folder names "plugins", "pixmaps" should match. Click "yes" when prompted to overwrite.
   
3. WINDOWS USERS:
   The new version of Pidgin for Windows is incompatible with SIPE unless you copy two files to your Program Files\Pidgin\ directory.
   CLICK TO DOWNLOAD ICONV.DLL
   CLICK DOWNLOAD LIBXML2.DLL
   Save both of these files in Program Files\Pidgin, (PortablePidgin would use the "Program Files\PidginPortable\app\Pidgin" folder instead)
   
   
4. If open, close Pidgin from the system tray and reopen.
   
5. From the top menu bar, click "Accounts", "Manage Accounts"
6. Click the "Add" button
   
7. Click the "Protocol" drop-down and select "Office Communicator"
   *Note:  If the icon for Office Communicator is missing, read Step 3 above.
   
   
   
8. Username: (Email Address)
   Example: tres.finocchiaro@mycompany.org
   
   *Note: Don't use exchange at your organization? Contact your system administrator for what this value SHOULD be.
   
   Login: (Active Directory/Windows Login)
   Example: AD\tfino
   
   Password: (Active Directory/Windows Password)
   Example: ******
9. Click the "Advanced" tab
   
   
   
10. Server:[Port]
    Example: exchange-pool1.mycompany.org
    Example: exchange-pool1.mycompany.org:5061
    
    Connection type (Encryption, protocol, etc):
    Example: SSL/TLS
    
    User Agent: (Pidgin client version)
    Example: Purple/2.6.6
    
    Calendar Source: (Optional. For availability status. Change to None if your server type is not listed.)
    Example: Exchange 2007/2010
    
    Leave the default and click "Add".
    

OLD TUTORIAL


On Windows (and Linux), there's a -- slightly buggy -- plug-in called "SIPE" or "Microsoft LCS/OCS" that can be installed separately to connect Pidgin instant messenger client to Microsoft Office Communicator. And... by "buggy", I mean mostly on initial setup. See "buggy" section below for details.

I had three main problems getting mine working:

Finding a version of it pre-compiled for my platform [link]


Keeping it from crashing when I saved settings

Getting the settings correct so I wouldn't get the message "Unable to Connect" [link]

In this example, the version of Pidgin I'm using is Pidgin 2.5.8 (portable) and the plugin is Pidgin SIPE 1.5.0 (1.6.0 binaries are now listed under this mirror. Use them, they're better!), compiled for Windows XP 32-bit. (Called pidgin-sipe-1.5.0-win32-bin.zip. Linux users should be able to find RPM and DEB installers if you search around).

Non-windows users, here are the site instructions for Ubuntu from sipe.sourceforge.net: [link]:

Ubuntu repository (Jaunty) unofficial

Add this in your /etc/apt/sources.list

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/aavelar/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/aavelar/ppa/ubuntu jaunty main

*Note: I highly suggest using Add/Remove Packages before manually editing your sources.list file -Tres

**Note: This works fine for x86_64 systems as well with one minor tweak. By default, the installer puts the sipe files in /usr/lib/pidgin, but they should be in /usr/lib64/pidgin, so it's just a matter of copying them (or linking them) to the right location -Frank

If you continue with the Windows install, follow the install instructions included in your SIPE readme by copying the folders to their appropriate locations (this varies by system, but should be near the pidgin install or plug-ins directory). I used the zipped version because Portable Pidgin is in a non-standard location. The msi installer will likely work just fine for "vanilla" Pidgin installs. If you can't figure it out, feel free to email me fatbuttlarry$gmail$com.

You'll know the plugin installed correctly if you have a new Protocol listed under your Pidgin Account Types. To check, open Pidgin and click Accounts --> Manage Accounts --> Add. Try adapting the settings below to work in your environment (thanks to this slightly out-dated Ubuntu thread):

Protocol: Microsoft LCS/OCS
Username: tfino@my-fake-company.com
Login: SOMETHING\tfino
Password: ******
Local Alias: Tres (LCS)

Use proxy: Yes *removed in version 1.6.0
Proxy Server: fake-company-pool1.something.my-fake-company.com *renamed to "server" in version 1.6.0
Use non-standard port: No
Connection Type: SSL/TLS
User Agent: [leave default]
Use Kerberos: No
Use Single Sign-On: No
Proxy type: No proxy

I have to admit, we were quite stumped with the "Use proxy" and "Proxy Server" fields. Initially we thought they were part of an internet proxy address. They were definitely needed to get the plug-in working correctly, so ignore the names used and put your Microsoft Communicator Pool address there instead. Note: Proxy has been renamed to "server" in version 1.6.0.

If the plug-in seems to cause Pidgin to continually crash, make sure to fill in both "Username" and "Login" in the correct format. My Pidgin kept crashing until I had them both filled in, and when it crashes, it WON'T save your settings.

"If you are facing problem connecting to the server, use the 'netstat' command to find exact server, as mentioned in http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=626540" -Saif

I've provided some screenshots of my setup:

*Note: Usernames, server names, etc have been made "anonymous" for security reasons.


*Note: Usernames, server names, etc have been made "anonymous" for security reasons.

Hope this helps some frustrated users. I now have Microsoft Communicator working in Pidgin.

Buggy:

These items have been buggy for me with version 1.5.0 of SIPE:

• On first run, my default buddy group did not show, so each buddy authorization request also asked what group to put it in. Restarting Pidign fixed this. Still exists in version 1.6.0
• Buddy authorizations come through multiple times if not answered. I'd get the same invite from "John Smith" 5 times in a row. I just kept clicking accept. Still exists in version 1.6.0
• Buddy names showed with the phrase "_DisplayName" after them. For example: John Smith would be "John Smith_DisplayName" Getting mixed results in version 1.6.0. Most names now come through with Quotes surrounding them, such as '"John Smith"'
  

-Tres