My SMS/Text Message Journey

Posted on
Sun May 02, 2021 10:47 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

My SMS/Text Message Journey

My SMS/Text Message Saga.

When I first started with Indigo several years ago, Google Voice was the best option for sending out SMS Text message from Indigo. I got a phone number from Google Voice, gave the Indigo plugin my Google login info, and the plugin did the rest….until Google started messing things up and it just stopped working altogether.

My next solution was to simply sign up for a 2nd iCloud account that I would use with the computer running Indigo Server, and send text messages to my cell phone that way. This solution worked really well for me as my Indigo Server was a headless MacMini. I never used it for much of anything else but Indigo, and I could manage 95% of what I needed to do in Indigo from the Indigo Client running on a separate desktop computer.

This lasted for quite some time until I decided to move my Indigo Server to an iMac. This would give me the benefit of being able to address any and all issues with Indigo without having to VNC to a headless Mac. I could more easily download plugin updates and install them, and I continued to use my 2nd Apple ID to send out SMS/Text messages to my phone.

But, because I was logged into my 2nd Apple ID, I lost the ability for this iMac to access all the docs and stuff my regular desktop does when logged into my primary Apple ID. And you can’t be logged in to 2 Apple ID’s at the same time.

So I came up with a solution which others may find useful.

The iMac running the Indigo server automatically logs in as the Indigo User and starts the Indigo app when its re-started. So basically, Indigo runs in its own user space with my 2nd Apple ID. It can send out SMS/Text messages to my cell phone. As always, it works great.

Then I added a 2nd user… “Me”, and logged into my primary Apple ID account in that user space. With Fast User Switching, I can be keep both user spaces active, allowing Indigo to send text messages to my cell phone, AND simultaneously have access to all my “stuff” on the same computer. I can also use Indigo as a Client in the “Me” user space to access the server running in the “Indigo” user space. (I know this isn’t exactly correct, but its a good way for me to visualize how it works)

The only issue I see will be some files I have Indigo using are in the Indigo user space, but I’m sure I can just move them to the main Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation folder, and have access to them from both user spaces. And although I haven’t tried, I’m thinking I’ll be able to download and install plugin updates from either user space.

Sending out text message has been a challenge over the years, and I’ve always found a solution that worked for me. I actually setup the Prowl plugin to mirror my current text messages, and it worked really well… Prowl notifications usually arrived a few seconds before the same message would arrive via SMS/Text. My only problem with Prowl was while in the car and connected via CarPlay, Prowl messages came in silently…. No audible or visual notifications, which kind of defeats the purpose of getting messages that may be urgent. I’d love it if Prowl could be made to alert me thru CarPlay, but I don’t see an easy way for that to happen at the moment.

Although I’m probably not the first person to set things up this way, for me its been a journey to arrive at this solution, so my gyrations may help others.

Posted on
Sun May 02, 2021 12:51 pm
FlyingDiver offline
User avatar
Posts: 7189
Joined: Jun 07, 2014
Location: Southwest Florida, USA

Re: My SMS/Text Message Journey

If you're willing to pay a couple bucks a month to feed your SMS habit, then Twilio is a very good solution to the problem. Inbound and outbound SMS for less than a penny each (plus a buck for the phone number).

https://www.twilio.com/sms/pricing/us

joe (aka FlyingDiver)
my plugins: http://forums.indigodomo.com/viewforum.php?f=177

Posted on
Sun May 02, 2021 6:37 pm
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: My SMS/Text Message Journey

I may check it out. It's only been a few days and I've found out that I cannot install /update plugins from my main user space to the indigo user space... but trivial to switch back and forth... at least so far.. :)

Thanks for the tip!

Posted on
Mon May 10, 2021 7:18 am
mundmc offline
User avatar
Posts: 1060
Joined: Sep 14, 2012

Re: My SMS/Text Message Journey

I set up Twilio for mms messaging of “front door pics” to family a couple years ago. I JUST started using it for texting with Indigo after a losing battle with multiple icloud accounts. It is rock stable and fast. If i text Indigo, i get a response text in under 3 seconds. Might be worth investigating (thanks FlyingDiver).

Posted on
Tue May 11, 2021 2:01 pm
JaceJenkins offline
Posts: 51
Joined: Oct 16, 2015

Re: My SMS/Text Message Journey

I had a similar problem with iMessage.

From Indigo I leverage a wrapper around Apple Script to send messages when Apple Script support was depreciated.

What I do on the Mac OS Side, is login with my User Creds and run indigo with my creds, but authenticate to iMessage with a Family Account.

That way Indigo Files and iCloud backups are all under my name and only messaging comes from this 2nd account.

PS I like iMessage better then SMS since I can send Group Messages. When my house tells my wife and I that the garage was left open, I can reply to the group thread I got it vs sending her a direct message. Also like seeing what messages the house is sending her vs me.

Posted on
Thu May 05, 2022 1:01 pm
Wallaceres offline

Re: My SMS/Text Message Journey

I have been using this service for over a year for my business. I can recommend this service. It sends only correct mail delivery reports. Other programs often send fakes.

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