Pidgin plugin for windows 8 toast notifications using console-toast-8. Toast notifications contain the senders alias, avatar and leading message content.

Firstly, big thanks to forward2mobile for the their install instructions (this script is based off their script too).

Secondly, this project displays toasts by invoking console-toast-8 via the console, so you will need to clone and build that too.

1. Install a flavour of Perl for Windows if you don't have it already:
   • Strawberry Perl 5.10.1.5 - Pidgin 2.9.x can only work with Strawberry Perl version 5.10.x.
   • ActivePerl 5.10.1.1007 (google search) - Again Pidgin 2.9.x can only work with ActivePerl version 5.10.x (32bit).
2. Restart Pidgin and go to Help:Build Information in the menu. Scroll to the bottom and check for "Perl: Enabled". If Perl is disabled, restart and/or reinstall Pidgin or reinstall Perl until it is enabled.
3. Save the .pl script under C:\Users\your_user\AppData\Roaming\.purple\plugins (plugins dir might not exist yet).
4. Save pidgin.ico in C:\Program Files (x86)\Pidgin (this is used as the application icon which appears on the toast).
5. Clone and build console-toast-8, then add \bin\Release to your PATH.
6. Restart pidgin.
7. Check that the script is enabled under Tools->Plugins.
8. Optionally you can unpin the pidgin-toast-8 shortcut from your start screen, just don't delete the physical shortcut (this is required for toasts to work).
9. Optionally you can edit the call to console-toast-8 to make notifications silent or remove avatars for more text (check the readme for options).

GNU GPL v2 (as required by Pidgin).