I'd autolog all chats to a file of the same name somewhere (after turning it on in each chat window). Then even if it crashes I have a record. Also show logs link (like with the inventory) and a way to clear and review each one individually. Allow copying to clipboard from within steam. That would be real handy.

And hopefully you can add a non-indexed search (I wouldn't care about speed since this would initially be small) including for user names that were in the room. For experimentation purposes start out with private chats first. If it works expand that to all steam groups. For added fun, a timeline/track for eveyone who enters the room, clickable so you can view their profile, even if they only said hello and left immediatly or didn't say a word.

Of course you may want an upper total limit and max days option on Steam's settings dialog box with yet another option to blow away all chat logs(stored in whatever format you like).

Really don't understand why there's no chat log - I would really appreciate it especially as I have a terrible memory. It's a real pain having to copy & paste important convos.

Originally posted by DarkCrystalMethod:

I'd autolog all chats to a file of the same name somewhere (after turning it on in each chat window). Then even if it crashes I have a record. Also show logs link (like with the inventory) and a way to clear and review each one individually.

Why do that when Steam can implement native chat log support? It really ISN'T hard.

I'm going to copy/paste a response to a forum post asking for the same thing:

I'm learning Visual Basic (Sorta like C++'s much younger, easier to understand brother) and even I can make a program to create a .txt and write things to it (Read from the file however...). Adding this feature should be very simple, not even a week of programming, imo. I don't mind if doesn't have a way to load saved logs to the chat, if it stores the data client-side only (I assume it would, actually), bare bones is what I expect for try #1

Just for those programmers and admins, I'm going to elaborate on the steps needed for a bare-boned, super-simplistic version of this to work (that I know of):

• Create a new folder in the program... let's call it "Logs"
  
• Create a new program option to automatically log chat when it's closed, with a default value of False
  
• Create a new chat option to log chat on close, with a default value equal to the program option above (which can be displayed in the menu on the down-arrow on the upper-right)
  
• Add an event handler or add to a preexisting one to do the following when the chat tab (not window) closes:
  
• If the chat option to log chat is true, then create a new .txt in /Logs with a simple-formatted name like <Chat participants>_<Date>_<Start Time>.txt
  
• Write the contents of the chat down into the .txt (Mostly just the contents of the chat's main textbox), complete with timestamps if at all possible.
  
• Save changes, done.

Well, yes, Sarisha, it is simple. No-one is denying that.

But with all kinds of things bouncing around the offices at Valve, the Steam Team do not have time to implement everything, regardless of the length of time it'd take to do. And when, I'm sure, the vast majority of users do not care for chat logs they are probably focussing their efforts elsewhere.

That's not to say they'll never do chatlogs, but it could be a fair old while yet.

I agree. Chat logging is needed.

Valve really needs to put this in

I'd like chat logging to be implemented, too.

Would be nice, I mostly forget what I say to someone the next day, especially when I've been drinking

I'm going to guess that they don't have it implemented simply because it would take up valuable hard drive real estate - unless it was ALL entirely stored client-side of course. I would like to see it myself, though, as I have difficulty remembering what i've discussed with whom so I frequently have to make my own logs to refer to.

I believe there is something somewhat to this effect that has already been implemented, as if you open a new chat with someone with whom you have chatted before, you will see what was said on the last day you talked shown at the top.

Of course it is not as fully fledged as people here would like. I personally use Skype to chat more often, as it pretty much logs everything said. (Skype text chat that is)

Originally posted by I AM SHODAN!:

I'm going to guess that they don't have it implemented simply because it would take up valuable hard drive real estate - unless it was ALL entirely stored client-side of course. I would like to see it myself, though, as I have difficulty remembering what i've discussed with whom so I frequently have to make my own logs to refer to.

Well, of course it'd be client side chat logs. Why would it be server side? That'd be really bad :P. Client-side chat logs are great and aren't difficult at all to implement, so I don't see why Valve hasn't added this.