This replaces the bracketed names in non-numbered channels and some status messages, based on player/officer notes. If guildmate "Mainname" has an alt called "Altname", then instead of
- [Altname] has come online.
- [Guild] [Altname]: Anybody for a random?
- [Guild] [Altname]: Nobody? Screw you guys!
- Altname has left the guild.
you will see instead
- [Altname (Mainname)] has come online.
- [Guild] [Altname (Mainname)]: Anybody for a random?
- [Guild] [Altname (Mainname)]: Nobody? Screw you guys!
- Altname (Mainname) has left the guild.
(colors here assuming that Altname is a paladin because, well, everydamnbody has a pally alt).
If a main leaves the guild, alts are noted:
- Mainname has been kicked out of the guild by Tiredguildmaster. List of alts remaining in guild: Altthree, Yetanotheralt
In Cataclysm, Blizzard added a list of "guild crafters" for known professions. (From the guild roster, select Professions and "View All", then choose a recipe and click the "View Crafters" button at the bottom.) This addon extends names of alts in that list in the same way it changes chat messages (image).
Clicking a name in the guild roster will pop out an additional window beyond the usual details, if that player is the main of other alts (image). Credit for inspiration for that feature goes to Harroth/Idril, with thanks!
The addon plays well with optional Blizzard features like timestamps, Remote Chat, and class-based chat coloring. It plays well with Prat as far as I've been able to test it: if Prat's alt-names-changing module is in use, then this addon tells Prat what it needs to know in order for that module to work (Prat has limited support for how to detect alts and match up the names), and this addon turns itself off.
The goal of the addon was to be small and direct, changing as little as possible. The only existing chat addons we could find that would do this were also very large, memory-intensive, and included features that could not be selectively disabled.
Some basic configuration possible via "/oga" or the usual Interface menu. Some features, like adding tags based on guild rank and debugging your match patterns, are only described in the configuration window. Additional instructions are in the HOWTO.txt file included with the addon. If you find any bugs or have any questions, please contact me via email (address in HOWTO.txt) or file a ticket by following the "Development Site" link above.
If you have downloaded this addon from anywhere other than directly from Curse or WoWInterface, then it is outdated at best and infected with viruses at worst. Clone sites not only leech bandwidth, lately they've been adding malware as well. Get your addons from safe sites with a good reputation!
Localization
If you're a reasonably proficient speaker of non-English languages, any translations you can do would be welcome! Just make changes at http://www.wowace.com/addons/ouro-guild-alts/localization/ and then send me a PM to notify me. I can offer nothing in return except public credit, my appreciation, and a beverage of your choice if you're ever in town.