Issues with vtext meesages

[LarryCRetired]

Just started a couple of days ago.  I received a message from google saying my text messages were either delayed or lost coming from ISY to my iPhone.  I am using a gmail account in the ISY.  Emails are coming fine, it is just the text messages are being delayed. Last night they started again but in many cases hours later. 

I did change to the default option but that did not make any difference.

Anyone else having this issue and if so did you find a solution 

Thanks

 

[MrBill]

You're not the first to complain about vtext lately.  (I can't say I have AT&T which also gets bad from time to time). 

What makes email to text bad, is the spammers that flood the gateways with spam. 

The solution is to move away from SMS as your means of notification.  I can't remember if you have Polisy (or Pi running polyglot), but if you do look at using Jimbo's "Notification" nodeserver instead.  It uses the service called Pushover.  Pushover is a one-time 4.99 fee for the app and no per message charges.

If you don't have Polisy, there is a cloud nodeserver called Push that also works with Pushover.  I've tried both nodeservers and would recommend Jimbo's Notification over the cloud Push choice).

[LarryCRetired]

Mr Bill. Thank you.  I have a free afternoon tomorrow and I will look at this.  I have a RPI 4 and have had great luck with OpenWeather and the Tag NodeServers.

i have come to rely on text messages for a number of critical home issues and can't live for hours of delay

thanks again

 

[MrBill]

1 hour ago, LarryCRetired said:

Mr Bill. Thank you.  I have a free afternoon tomorrow and I will look at this.  I have a RPI 4 and have had great luck with OpenWeather and the Tag NodeServers.

i have come to rely on text messages for a number of critical home issues and can't live for hours of delay

thanks again

 

I'm not going to lie, it's a little complicated getting this going, but once you do you'll have more or less instant notifications.  Here's the big steps that should prevent much of the confusion.

1. Set up an account on pushover.net first on your computer.
2. download the app on your phone and sign into the same account.
3. Now go back to the Pushover.net on the computer. On the page that shows "Your User Key" on the top right corner scroll down to the section titled "Your Applications", click the link that says "(Create an Application/API Token)"  Type a name, "ISY" would be a good choice, No Description needed or you could just type ISY again, No URL needed, check the box at the bottom, then click the Create Application button.

Now when your logged into https://pushover.net/ on the computer you'll always see the USER key on the top right corner of that page, you can get to your application key by scrolling down to the bottom and clicking on "ISY" which will be in the "Your applications" section. You need both during nodeserver setup.   Note it's best to copy and paste those values into the nodeserver.  When you click into the field on the pushover.net webpage it will assume your about to copy the value and select the whole thing for you, type Ctrl-c to copy it, then in the node server click into the empty field and press Ctrl-v to paste it.

The node server readme file is here and there are also on-screen configuration instructions for help setting it up the first time. 

If you run into trouble or have a question just post again...  once you get it going I'm pretty sure you'll be very happy.  It is one of the more complicated nodeservers to set up tho.

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by MrBill

[LarryCRetired]

Mr. Bill. Thank you for getting me started.  Looking forward to working on this tomorrow.  Feel lost without my text messages.

Also thanks in advance if I do post again.   

[LarryCRetired]

Mr Bill

I have the app on my phone and created the ISY application in the Pushover website.

I upgraded Polyglot to the latest version.  I acknowledged per Jimbo's instructions, but I don't know if I should have entered my User Key here below on the configuration page.  But I did.

I have the Node Server showing up in the ISY. 

I created messages in Polyglot Config area for both short Messages and Notify Messages where I did enter both keys but nothing shows up in the ISY. 

However, before I can continue, I am having problems with Polyglot saving my ISY credentials.  It just will not save them. As a result I have lost my Tag values the OpenWeather information because the connection is lost.

Also when opening and closing my ISY Admin Console, I received an error where it was asking me to reenter my credentials and had long system busy when I tried to start the ISY.  I submitted a ticket to help with these two issues. 

But Mr. Bill I wonder if you can answer this question.  I added a short message and a notify message.  Where will I see those show up.  I wrote a program to access those messages but I don't see them in the ISY drop down for the Notification Server.  Note this was before I lost connection to Polyglot.  I have not tried anything yet with the Network Resource.  I need to get my feet wet first before I get to where I really need the Push notification for some variables.

Thanks for your help. 

 

[MrBill]

You should have a pre-formed blocks to save everything, you won't need the custom block like your screenshot shows.

The place that you put your User Key and Application Key looks like this:

For the name blank you can use anything. I used the numbers out of my street address, another idea for name is "Pushover" or anything up to 8 characters that you want to type.

If you don't see those fields look for the "Add Pushover Service Nodes" and click that area and see if it expands.

All the prefilled block appear after you get the "I understand and agree" blank filled in an saved.

Also I can't help with the fact that Polyglot isn't saving your ISY credentials, I'm using a Polisy and you have a Pi.  Only thing I can suggest is have you tried restarting the Pi?  I think that fixed it for me once when I had that problem with the Polisy.  

Anyone else have any suggestions for @LarryCRetired and his Polyglot not saving the ISY credentials?

 

[LarryCRetired]

Mr. Bill. Thank you for getting me started.  I did enter my keys in those places and created a message.  Prior to my credential issue I could see the notification node server in my ISY but could not see any messages when I tried to write a test program   Nothing would show up in the drop down for messages   

Wondering if I skipped a step somewhere either in the ISY to the Polyglot setup.  

Not sure if you can help with such a vague question   I did backup my SD card so I may start over tomorrow   I assume I just delete the node from the ISY to do that

 

thanks again

 

[LarryCRetired]

Mr. Bill. Thank you for getting me started.  I did enter my keys in those places and created a message.  Prior to my credential issue I could see the notification node server in my ISY but could not see any messages when I tried to write a test program   Nothing would show up in the drop down for messages   

Wondering if I skipped a step somewhere either in the ISY to the Polyglot setup.  

Not sure if you can help with such a vague question   I did backup my SD card so I may start over tomorrow   I assume I just delete the node from the ISY to do that

 

thanks again  btw  I did restart the Pi but no change

[LarryCRetired]

Mr. Bill. 

I reverted back to Polyglot 2.2.3 and was able to add the notification node server.  I created a notify message in the Config and I can see it in the ISY.  

I will play with this tomorrow and see how I can create a program to push a message to my phone  I realize I am using an old version of Polyglot and this node server may not work but at least it saves my credentials so my other nodes are working for tonight.

appreciate your help   I may have a question tomorrow   Just wonder why my credentials will not save in the latest Polyglot 

utimately I may have to purchase a Polisy  

 

[MrBill]

I do see where @Jimbo states in the requirements that > 2.2.6 I have no idea tho what won't work correctly because you're using 2.2.3.  I also have no idea what's wrong after you upgrade where it won't save your ISY's credentials.  When it comes to how polyglot works under the hood, I really have no idea.

[LarryCRetired]

Mr. Bill I noticed that too and I started over with a clean sd card without the notification node server.  I upgraded to 2.2.11 with I think no issues.  However I cannot get the node sever to show up in the ISY.  I have asked Jimbo for some help and sent him the log.

However, I do have a basic question which I am not clear on.  (I probably have read the instructions 7 times.)  Do I create my messages (actual text) in Polyglot in the config panel and then call those nodes in a program in the ISY.  So instead of an email or text message in the ISY, all my messages are in Polyglot? 

Thanks again for your help for a 72 year old trying to know more than my grandson and nephews.

 

[MrBill]

there are 3 ways to compose messages in the notification nodeserver....

1) Short messages.  Link

2) Notify Nodes. Link

3) creating Network Resources on the ISY and sending them to the nodesever.  Link.

Short messages could be "Good Morning" or any repetitive text.  Personally I didn't find much use for them.

The notify nodes are good a couple of ways, they can actually be added to a scene and send a message anytime the scene turns on or off.  That could be good with a door sensor for example BUT ONLY IF you always want to know when the door opens and closes, for me that doesn't work out because I only want to know if a door opens or closes when another variable = 1 (or true).

So then you could use that same notify node in a program, and set the messages and fire it from the program.

The method I use most often is 3) which is alot like i used to do it when i was using Pushover strictly from Network Resources.   It's a little easier to create the Network resources needed for the nodesever tho.  without the nodesever the strings you need are a bit complicated and unforgiving... with the node server there's less formating required.    This is also the method that can be used to send data... such as variables or temperatures.  Because you can include any of the substitutions.   Most of my notifications are this type "Kitchen Refrigerator 36.2F" or "Kitchen Freezer Low battery 2.56V"  I also like adding a timestamp to my messages even tho I don't really need to but I just want to know especially back when i was using Text messages so most of my notifications end in "[${sys.time12} ${sys.date}]" on it's own line so i know when the notification left the ISY and how long it took to get to me.

I did warn you this was probably one of the more complicated nodeservers to get going.... but if you understand wireless tags (and I know you do) you've got the ability for sure.  BTW... I'm a little bit younger than you but not too much...

 

[LarryCRetired]

Thank you Mr. Bill.  I will look this over.  What you are doing is exactly what I was doing with text messages.  Since those have not worked for the past few days, i am lost. 

Still working with Jimbo to find a reason why I cannot install 2.2.11 successfully and save my credentials.  Also cannot get the notification server to show up in the ISY.

Not been a joyous day today.

[MrBill]

@LarryCRetired Let me know when you have more questions.