Receiving and sending a simple SMS

[SteveJG]

@pdecaro as far as I know GoogleVoiceEnabled cannot be used any more. To Text you need to use Companion and a real Android cell phone.

I'm working on an example. It is working on a Samsung A13 (Android 13) to receive texts from others just fine.

I'll post an aia as soon as I can; probably sometime tomorrow.

Regards,
Steve

[Taifun]

@pdecaro

android.permission.RECEIVE.SMS" is already inserted in the manifest.xml

Yes
But you have to additionally use the AskForPermission method from the Screen drawer to ask for that permission
To only have the permission in the manifest is not sufficient

Taifun

[pdecaro]

Hi Tafun and thanks again for your availability, I did as you asked, but it doesn't work. I always receive text messages with the standard Samsung app and not with my application. I'm desperate, help me. Thanks I have a Samsung A23 with Android version 14. here is the current block. Help

[Taifun]

@pdecaro

. I always receive text messages with the standard Samsung app and not with my application.

Yes, you always will receive the sms with the standard Samsung app, but if you test correctly, then additionally you will receive it in your app

@Taifun

Build your app, install it and open the app, then receive an SMS to test

Taifun

[SteveJG]

@pdecaro

it doesn't work.

But this code does work. on my Samsung. It should work on your samsung.

This is a test application to show the Texting component works for both sms sending and receiving.

The app must be compiled to test. Live testing with Companion 2.74u spawns errors.

Sending SMS

• it needs probably android.permission.SEND_SMS and android.permission.RECEIVE_SMS in the Screen1.Initialize.
• The Buttons that control ReceivingEnabled work while the app is active (yes you can change behavior, at least on my hardware.) The ALWAYS Button is there in the aia Project; just set to visible
• the demo app is simple. The user has to key in (type) the phone number he/she wants to Text to. Another way to specify a phone number is to include a PhoneNumberPicker component, to let the users select a phone numbers from the ones stored in the the phone’s contacts.
• after typing both the phone number AND message the Send Text button will send the text to its intended destination.

Receiving SMS

• if ReceivingEnabled is NOT 1, it will display texts sent to you. It will show the text from phone number and the message (see the largest red star)
• ReceivingEnabled must be set to 2 or 3 to display incoming sms messages in the app.
• if ReceivingEnabled is 2 or 3 it will display texts you receive as described in the MIT documentation.
• Unfortunately, receiving no longer works with Google Voice in Tablets due to changes introduced in Google Voice App indicated in the control's documentation. This means receiving sms will not work on a Tablet that does not have phone capability. It will only send text on my older Samsung Tab A if I install GV.
• the app also will not work with an emulator.
• any Receiving message will overwrite the message currently in received message Label. You can code that.
• When used in Foreground mode and a text message arrives, a notification pops up briefly and the MessageReceived block posts the phone number and message to the Label in the app (show the arriving SMS message). If the phone receives a text message when the app is not in the foreground, the phone will show a notification in the notification bar. Selecting the notification will bring up the app ( didn't test if selecting works. I did not spend time with ALWAYS).

Error Control

• this example is simple. Very little code was provided to prevent a user from sending incomplete messages. The code tries to make sure there is a phone number entered and a message to use as a text etc. If you don't provide error control, the app can crash. That need not happen. You can fix that with if..then statements and other coding.
• the app works ONLY when compiled. When using Companion 2.74u it spawns an unable to create GVhelper I/O error message.
• I tested on an Android 13 cell an Android 8.1 tablet. The Android 13 cell works fine. However I don't have GV installed on the tablet which is required to send messages over wifi . GV must be installed and the user has to have a GV account so I couldn't test to send messages on the tablet.
• to get the SendMessageDirect coding block visible in your Project Design screen you have to use Companion 2.74u version. Using this block add "dangerous permissions" that will require additional approval if your app is submitted to the Google Play Store. The SMD block is necessary to be able to send a direct message.
• the code contains code to help ensure using a proper phone number and that there is a message available to send.

smsSendReceiveSimple.aia (5.0 KB)

Regards,
Steve

[Taifun]

@SteveJG

If the phone receives a text message when the app is not in the foreground, the phone will show a notification in the notification bar.

For this to work on devices >= Android 14, you additionally have to ask for post notification permission.
The MelonNotification extension offers a method for that and also adds the corresponding permission into the manifest

Taifun

[pdecaro]

Hi Steve and thanks again. I coded a simple program simplifying it a bit.
So SEND sms is ok, but reception is not, it always happens with the standard mode of the phone. I attach my app. In my opinion there is something to enable for direct reception of the sms. but what?

[pdecaro]

I also tried with your program as is and it doesn't work the same.

[Taifun]

@pdecaro

reception is not, it always happens with the standard mode of the phone

Yes
As already explained earlier

@Taifun

you always will receive the sms with the standard Samsung app, but if you test correctly, then additionally you will receive it in your app

@Taifun

Build your app, install it and open the app, then receive an SMS to test

Taifun

[SteveJG]

@pdecaro

ried with your program as is and it doesn't work the same

I do not understand what you mean

What version of Android are you using? This will work with Android 13 and lower for receive if you use an Android cell lower than 14 If you have an Android 14, use Taifun's advice.

@Taifun

For this to work on devices >= Android 14, you additionally have to ask for post notification permission. I can't test Android 14+.

The MelonNotification extension offers a method for that and also adds the corresponding permission into the manifest

• did you make the apk and use it to test the app I posted?

[pdecaro]

Good morning Steve and Taifun, and thank you for your precious availability. So I loaded Steve's app and I'll show you a photo, I repeat my Samsung has a version of android 14.
I set the app in "Foreground" as you can see, but I can't view text messages. I didn't understand Taifun's steps to set the app to post notifications. Taifun could you kindly take some photos of how to do it. Thanks to everyone in advance, I think that perhaps with your help we

are close to the solution.

[pdecaro]

Can you kindly tell me how to set up MelonNotification extension. Thanks

[SteveJG]

This is a version of the app using Melon.

The circled Block loads Kumaraswamy's MelonNotificatiion which I dragged into Extensions.

It runs on Android 13 and might work on your #14 cellphone

smsSendReceiveSimple1plus.aia (119.1 KB)

• Download the aia
• build the app apk
• install it to your phone
• try it (use another phone to send a text to your Android phone
• it might work; it runs in my Samsung A13 and it might work.
• does it receive the text?

You should see a notification at the top of the screen. Clicking on the notification will bring up the device's messaging program. However the message should also post in the app.

• does it work? Sorry I cannot test this on an Android 14 but you can.
  .

[pdecaro]

Hi Steve, I downloaded your latest app with MelonNotification, but it still doesn't work, I also followed Taifun's instructions, but I don't see the post notifications item. However, now from settings, apps, smssendreceive3pllus, now the notifications are allowed, everything should be fine, but it doesn't work.

[Taifun]

Steve's last example app works fine for me (foreground mode) after following these steps on Samsung Galaxy A54 running Android 14

• Download the aia
• build the app apk
• install it to your phone
• try it (use another phone to send a text to your Android phone

the app must be up and running to receive messages

what is not working is to receive a notification while the app is in the background

The bug report is here Posting a notification in case app is in background does not work for Texting component

Note: for Steve's example project I moved the AskPermission method from the Melon Notification into its own button click event to get the dialog message from the screenshot

Taifun

[SteveJG]

@Taifun

receive a message while the app is in the background

Did you enable Button6 (set it to visible with code) and set the app to Always? Currently

that is disabled in the code. I expect you tried that. Just checking

[Taifun]

@SteveJG

Did you enable Button6

yes I did

also I moved the AskPermission method from the Melon Notification into its own button click event to get the dialog message from the screenshot

however it does not work because as it looks like the notification channel has not been created (see logcat output from the bug report)

Taifun

[pdecaro]

Hi Taifun I did everything perfectly to the letter as you indicated. I repeat sending sms from the app works, instead receiving sms from the app does not appear. I repeat setting set in foreground. If you can take a photo of your android settings on the phone so I can look for the differences. I thank you very much and I feel that we are close to solving the problem for android 14.

[Taifun]

@pdecaro

receiving sms from the app does not appear.

Are you saying, you receive the message in the default sms app but not in the App Inventor test app while the App Inventor test app is up and running?

Taifun

[pdecaro]

Hi Taifun, yes I confirm, I receive sms in the default samsung messages app, but it does not appear in the app inventor app.