how could I have ISY send a text that has a button..

[someguy]

I'd like to have my IoX (Polisy) send me a text message that I can click on the link in it (or a button would be more slick) to accomplish something.  how could I do that?  I was thinking the old REST system might accomplish this but I'm not sure if it still works as I haven't used it or heard mention of it for years.  

[Guy Lavoie]

The REST functionality is alive and well. If you can get your text message to send a http GET request to your Polisy, that should work. the hard part will be getting the text message response to your local network and interpreted.

[rick.curl]

I wonder if Pushover might be the solution.  Look here: https://pushover.net 

I am using it to send me text messages from Eisy when my  generator is running.

 

-Rick

[someguy]

@rick.curl have pushover but I’m not sure how to use it to send me a button (or link).  How would I do that?

 

@Guy Lavoie do you (or does anyone) know where there is a tutorial that shows how to make a “get” http message? I think it’ll need a password and I think I recall that browsers often block those.  

[Phil G]

 

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but I thought it might be interesting to run this through Grok, so I queried someguy's original post. Here is the output:

To have your IoX (Polisy) send a clickable link or button in a text message, you’ll need to integrate a few components: crafting the SMS with a clickable URL, sending it via IoX, and ensuring it works on the recipient’s device. The old REST system you mentioned could still be relevant, as IoX supports RESTful commands for automation, but let’s break this down step-by-step to ensure it’s practical and functional as of today, March 17, 2025.

Step 1: Understand IoX Capabilities

IoX (running on Polisy) is a powerful home automation platform from Universal Devices. It supports sending notifications, including SMS, through its Notification system, often via email-to-SMS gateways or third-party services like IFTTT, Pushover, or Twilio (if integrated). The key is to send a text message containing a clickable URL. IoX itself doesn’t natively render buttons in SMS, but you can include a URL that looks like a button or leads to a page with a button.

Step 2: Craft the Clickable Link

SMS messages can include URLs that most modern smartphones (iOS, Android) automatically turn into clickable links. For example:

• Plain URL: https://example.com/do-something
• Shortened URL (recommended for SMS brevity): Use a service like Bitly or TinyURL to shorten it, e.g., https://bit.ly/3xyz.

To make it "button-like," you can’t embed actual HTML buttons in SMS (since SMS is plain text), but you can style the link text to suggest action, e.g., "Click Here: https://bit.ly/3xyz". Alternatively, the URL can point to a simple webpage with a button that triggers your desired action.

Step 3: Define the Action

Decide what "accomplish something" means. For example:

• Control a device: Use IoX’s REST API to toggle a light, lock a door, etc.
• Run a program: Trigger an IoX program via a REST command.
• External action: Link to a third-party service or webpage.

If it’s an IoX action, you’ll use the REST API. The Polisy REST system is still functional as of 2025 (no official deprecation has been noted), allowing you to send commands like:

• http://<polisy-ip>/rest/nodes/<node-id>/cmd/DON (turns a device on). You’d embed such a URL in the SMS, and clicking it would execute the command (assuming proper authentication).

Step 4: Send the SMS from IoX

IoX doesn’t send SMS directly but can use email-to-SMS gateways or integrations. Here’s how:

Option 1: Email-to-SMS Gateway

1. Set up a notification in IoX Admin Console:
   • Go to "Notifications" > "Add Notification".
   • Recipient: Use your carrier’s email-to-SMS gateway (e.g., for Verizon: yournumber@vtext.com, for AT&T: yournumber@txt.att.net).
   • Content: Include your URL, e.g., "Turn on lights: http://<polisy-ip>/rest/nodes/<node-id>/cmd/DON".
2. Trigger it: Link the notification to a program or event (e.g., "If motion detected, send SMS").

Option 2: Third-Party Service (e.g., Twilio)

1. Integrate Twilio with IoX:
   • Use a Network Resource in IoX to call Twilio’s REST API.
   • Example HTTP POST:
      

     POST https://api.twilio.com/2010-04-01/Accounts/<AccountSID>/Messages.json
     To=+1234567890&From=+0987654321&Body=Click to act: https://bit.ly/3xyz

   • Authenticate with your Twilio SID and token.
2. Trigger via Program: Create an IoX program to send this request when needed.

Step 5: Secure the REST Link (Important!)

If using IoX’s REST API in the SMS:

• Authentication: Polisy requires a username/password for REST calls. You can append them to the URL (e.g., http://admin:password@<polisy-ip>/rest/...), but this exposes credentials in plain text—not ideal for SMS.
• Workaround: Use a proxy service (e.g., a simple Node-RED instance or a custom script on a server) to hide credentials and shorten the URL. The SMS would then contain something like https://myproxy.com/light-on, which redirects to the authenticated REST call.

Step 6: Test and Refine

• Send a test SMS with the URL.
• Ensure it’s clickable on your phone (most SMS apps auto-link http:// or https:// URLs).
• Verify the action works when clicked. If it’s a REST command, test it in a browser first.

Example Program in IoX

 

If
   Time is 7:00 PM
Then
   Send Notification "Click to turn on lights: https://bit.ly/light-on" to "1234567890@vtext.com"
Else
   - No Actions -

Does REST Still Work?

Yes, the IoX REST system remains a core feature for automation as of 2025. Universal Devices continues to support it for controlling nodes, running programs, and querying states. You can confirm this by testing a REST command (e.g., curl http://<polisy-ip>/rest/status with auth) from your network.

Final Thoughts

For a "slick button," the closest you’ll get in SMS is a short, descriptive URL (e.g., "Tap: https://bit.ly/do-it"). If you want a true button, host a tiny webpage with a button that triggers the REST call—then link to that page in the SMS. Either way, this setup leverages IoX’s existing tools effectively. Let me know if you need help with specifics like your Polisy IP or node IDs!

 

DeepSearch

Learn about Twilio integration

Explore IFTTT for automation

 

 

[Guy Lavoie]

On 3/14/2025 at 12:04 PM, someguy said:

@rick.curl have pushover but I’m not sure how to use it to send me a button (or link).  How would I do that?

 

@Guy Lavoie do you (or does anyone) know where there is a tutorial that shows how to make a “get” http message? I think it’ll need a password and I think I recall that browsers often block those.  

The command format is well documented:

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/ISY_Developers:API:REST_Interface

The hard part is generating it with whatever you want to use to send it. The easiest is from a browser on a PC. Sending it from an app on a phone (which I haven't done myself) will be more work.