Big Sur - Messages cannot open iChat files

[tillsbury]

Eeek, I have messages going back several years (and sometimes it's easiest to search for them using the Finder in the message archive). Previously I could just double-click on them and they'd open up in a Message window. Suddenly Big Sur doesn't know how to open these files, and forcing it to use Messages doesn't achieve anything -- that just opens the Messages window.

Anyone know of any way to open iChat files on Big Sur?

 

[applCore]

Have yo reported this as a regression via Feedback Assistant.app? At this point this entire OS release feels like a regression!!!

 

[tillsbury]

I haven't, no, because I don't have that app (I stopped being on the beta program a while back)

 

[hifismith]

Did you ever find a workaround? I have a bunch of files I need to open and Messages is no longer compatible

Edit: I found "Past for iChat" works well

‎Past for iChat

‎Past for iChat is a little application to open and view old chat log files created by Apple's iChat application (.ichat and .chat files) on macOS Big Sur, Monterey and later. iChat was the predecessor of the new and improved Messages app. Starting with macOS Big Sur the refreshed Messages...

apps.apple.com