New Android App for IMMEDIATE ALERTING from Vera.

Apps & Remote Access VeraAlerts
#21

@ ragmondo

hmm… do you know if this should work with Android 2.2.1? I tried with my MyTouch4G and it doesn’t appear to be working. It could be something that I did wrong. I’ll try again later tonight. Do you know if the phone has to be connected within the same network or does this also work remotely?

#22

definitely works with 2.2 and above. email me your “alert id” and I’ll take a look - richardagreen on gmail.com

#23

For followers of the alerting app, you can now view your historical alerts using a url of the form :

http://vera-alert.appspot.com/list?recipient=xxxxxx

where xxxx is obviously your alert ID. These will be flushed from time to time but I intend to keep at least one month of alerts for all users. Obviously I am working on security etc etc but this may help you see alerts in the past.

Usual “freemium” rules will probably apply, ie for free you get 1 week of alerts, for $$$ you’ll get a year or whatever it works out to be. EDIT: Sorry this applies just for ALERT HISTORY, not alerts in general.

I’ll be updating the app over the next few days so these will be visible from the “main” screen in that too.

#24

@ ragmondo

just an update, this is indeed working and WOW! I don’t know how you did it but WOW, this is uber fast at Alerting. MUCH faster then the alert or notifications from Mios. Thank you so much!!!

#25

thanks for sharing-

I plan to play when i get some time at home.
:slight_smile:

#26

NEW UPDATE **** FOR USERS OF ANDROID < 2.2 (and also just google talk users in general - no phone needed!)

I have made an update to the server side so that you do not need a later version of android, or in fact any phone at all.

When setting up the Vera Alert virtual device, you just put your google email address as the “ALERT ID” recipient instead of the alert ID generated by the app.

The message is sent via the “google talk” protocol, so the first time you will be invited that “VeraAlert@vera-alert.appspotchat.com” wants to talk to you - you MUST accept this or you won’t receive any messages.

From then on , messages will be sent as if someone is talking to you

Happy messaging !!

#27

I was going to wait until tomorrow but I just couldn’t - it is installed and working - as I open the door I’m getting the alert - extremely fast! This is wonderful - thank you.

#28

@ragmondo

Thank you so much for creating this very wonderful, extremely fast, alerting plugin for Vera. This is awesome, you’ve now made my Vera able to chat with me. hehe. Keep up the good work!!!

;D

#29

@ragmondo

Sorry, I don’t know how to
2) Install a “virtual device” in your vera software using files from the link above (the 2nd link down). There will be 4 of them, “D_VeraAlert.xml, I_VeraAlert.xml, S_VeraAlert.xml and D_VeraAlert.json”. Upload all of them to you vera !!

#30

gave it a try
Very nice.
It did take me a minute to figure out that to get the event to trigger I had to go to the Advance tab of the new scene, pick a device, add it select toggle state.

#31

[quote=“aschwalb, post:29, topic:167861”]@ragmondo

Sorry, I don’t know how to
2) Install a “virtual device” in your vera software using files from the link above (the 2nd link down). There will be 4 of them, “D_VeraAlert.xml, I_VeraAlert.xml, S_VeraAlert.xml and D_VeraAlert.json”. Upload all of them to you vera !![/quote]

Have you downloaded those 4 files ? Go into your vera / development window (normally the top row). Get hold of me - richardagreen (funny a symbol) gmail.com and I’ll help you through it. Maybe time to do a youtube install video ??

Richard.

#32

[quote=“ragmondo, post:3, topic:167861”]I didn’t know there was a 20 text limit…

It works via using a server which is running 24/7 which vera talks to, sending the alert id ( ie the phone ) and the alert message (which can be pretty much any length I think).

I am going to enhance it so there are several alert levels - ie “info, warning and GET OUT OF BED NOW” kind of alerts - as well as maybe a few user set ones so that you can have the phone remain silent, or flash flash BLEEP BLEEP etc etc if you’re on holiday and suddenly you find your back door is open.

I’m also toying with the idea of the sensors feeding the server details so you can graph stuff online too - but (unfortunately) I’m not getting much feedback on the app so far :-([/quote]

I havent tried this yet, but I use the SMTP Luup code to send a note to my droid, and I use Handsent SMS and change the FROM address for each message. Then in Handcent I can setup different notifications on differnt contacts, so I have a contact for DoorUnlock@… that beeps 2X, turns the LED Red, DoorLock@…has the Locked message, and beeps and plays a Lock sound, then turns the LED Green to signify OK.

If your app can change the “fron” address for each message, you can give more flexibility to the users this way if they use Handcent…

#33

GREAT little app (or plugin?)

couple things for suggestion

  • obviously would be nice if the boxes for id and message on the vera were labeled.
  • I’m using the googletalk function. For ID can is it possible to put multiple gmail’s like “user1@gmail.com; user2@gmail.com” so that multiple people can get an alert for the same event?

I experimented and for others who care you CAN just make a second device (vera alert2 as an example) and then it will send 2 messages by google talk.

#34

one question-

with the google talk version- does that go through the server or straight from the vera to google’s server?

mostly curious.

#35

[quote=“michaelk, post:34, topic:167861”]one question-

with the google talk version- does that go through the server or straight from the vera to google’s server?

mostly curious.[/quote]

All events go [ Your Vera ] — > [ vera-alert.appspot.com ] < – > [ google talk ] or [ android ]

Vera can’t talk xmpp - well it probably can - but I use a common account to talk to all gtalk recipients for simplicity. The recipient ID is looked at in a very basic fashion - if it contains an “@” then it presumes its a google talk address, if not, then it must be an android phone.

Technically, it would be possible that you could actually “chat” back to your vera via google talk, but I think that opens up too greater possibility of a breach if people used their vera as an intrusion alarm. Perhaps if there is enough interest then there could be certain allowed functions depending… Anyway - let me know !

#36

[quote=“ragmondo, post:35, topic:167861”][quote=“michaelk, post:34, topic:167861”]one question-

with the google talk version- does that go through the server or straight from the vera to google’s server?

mostly curious.[/quote]

All events go [ Your Vera ] — > [ vera-alert.appspot.com ] < – > [ google talk ] or [ android ]

Vera can’t talk xmpp - well it probably can - but I use a common account to talk to all gtalk recipients for simplicity. The recipient ID is looked at in a very basic fashion - if it contains an “@” then it presumes its a google talk address, if not, then it must be an android phone.

Technically, it would be possible that you could actually “chat” back to your vera via google talk, but I think that opens up too greater possibility of a breach if people used their vera as an intrusion alarm. Perhaps if there is enough interest then there could be certain allowed functions depending… Anyway - let me know ![/quote]

hmmm- interesting thought about “talking” back to vera and triggering commands that way. Maybe your on to a whole better way to do remote control. Both Home Buddy and the smartphone interface have something of a lag (I think to refresh?) before you get status. Maybe the “big boys” have something to learn from you. ;D

Also- maybe you should cross post this to another section of the forum. I have android stuff so i saw it- but i decided to to use the gtalk so it would ding my pc’s too. But with the gtalk bits it works for anyone i’d guess (I think there’s also googletalk for iphone plus the obvious PC use like i have setup)

#37

not sure if it’s on my end of something on the server end-

installed 2 instances of the device.

I can set a scene to trigger vera alert 1 and vera alert 2.

If I put my gmail in either or both I get teh google talk messages.

But I can’t seem to get my wifes gmail to work for either.

I tried my email first- is it possible that the server only likes the first gmail address you give it?

#38

Started using it yesterday (using Andori notification) and it works very well!

Would like to see the different notification sounds for different messages i.e. a doorbell sound when some approaches the front of the house.

Toby

#39

[quote=“michaelk, post:37, topic:167861”]not sure if it’s on my end of something on the server end-

installed 2 instances of the device.

I can set a scene to trigger vera alert 1 and vera alert 2.

If I put my gmail in either or both I get teh google talk messages.

But I can’t seem to get my wifes gmail to work for either.

I tried my email first- is it possible that the server only likes the first gmail address you give it?[/quote]

Ok - your wife is not accepting the initial talk request - this is a mandatory step that google have implemented to prevent people using chat for spam messages (ie people could just set up a fake chat account and spam loads of people various web site links) … so… it appears as if she’s ignored it. At this point, google won’t allow the server to talk to your wife. What she will need to do is initiate a conversation on google talk to the chat address and all will be well !

#40

[quote=“VeraUser, post:38, topic:167861”]Started using it yesterday (using Andori notification) and it works very well!

Would like to see the different notification sounds for different messages i.e. a doorbell sound when some approaches the front of the house.

Toby[/quote]

Yes I am working on a number of alert levels. I hadn’t thought of a door bell noise though. Keep the ideas coming !!