I actually found a way around it...if you create a CuteChatUser object then use the CuteChat.GetInstantMessages method you can determine if there exist offline messages.

However, I'm still running into a bit of a problem.  Let me begin by giving you an idea of what I'm trying to accomplish.  I'd like for members of my site to be able to instant message one another, regardless of whether they're online or not.  If they are online, I would like the message to instantly pop up.  If they are not online, I would like any offline messages to be somehow visible when they do come back online.

I have accomplished the first requirement by using the embedded client inside a div with the "visibility: hidden" style attribute.  This allows messages to pop without the actual IM main interface having to be displayed regardless of whether the user has separately opened the IM main interface.

However, I still can't get to offline messages when someone comes back online, even if I do have the IM main interface open.  If I sign in as a user and message another user that is offline, then log in as that other user I do not see the offline conversation in the conversations list.  The only way I can get to the messages is to view the message history.

I should tell you that I have integrated CuteChat into our existing member database and therefore modified the user retrieval functions as instructed in the help file.  IM sessions between two online users works fine as well.

Maybe it would help if you could tell me how offline messages are supposed to work?  Then, perhaps you can tell me if it's possible via the API to pop the conversation window automatically if a user signs in and there are offline messages for him?

Thanks,
Josh