Received Text event not working, read everything, tried everything

[jaxpr3394]

Hey all,

I have combed through this forum as well as used Google to search for an answer, but to no avail.  

The Received Text event context will not work for me.  I have tested the profile itself using the play button from within Tasker and everything works just fine, but when I try to do a real-world test run, it does not work.  I have inspected %SMSRB after receiving a text to make sure that this variable is being set correctly, and it is, but my profile still does not get triggered.  I have even set my own global variable to the contents of %SMSRB and tried to pass my variable in, but no luck.  I have also used Titanium Backup to freeze Go SMS Pro as well as uninstalled Go SMS Pro and used to stock Messaging app, but nothing.

Any advice?  Thanks in advance for everyone's time.

[TomL]

Go into Tasker prefs, make sure you've *not* in Beginner Mode.  Long click on the profile, make sure to give it a name ("MySmsProfile", whatever).  Long click the profile, select Export as Description to Clipboard (*not* as XML!).

Paste that Description here in a reply to the group, let us see how you've defined your profile.

Tom

[jaxpr3394]

Profile: Test (93)
Event: Received Text [ Type:Any Sender:* Content:test ]
Enter: Test (94)
A1: Secure Settings [ Configuration:Set Password Package:com.intangibleobject.securesettings.plugin Name:Secure Settings ]
A2: Secure Settings [ Configuration:Lock Device Package:com.intangibleobject.securesettings.plugin Name:Secure Settings ]
A3: Notification Pulse [ Set:Off ]
A4: Display Brightness [ Level:0 Disable Safeguard:Off Ignore Current Level:Off Immediate Effect:On ]
A5: Silent Mode [ Mode:On ]
A6: Media Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ]
A7: Notification Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ]
A8: Ringer Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ]
A9: System Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ]
A10: Sound Effects [ Set:Off ]

[jaxpr3394]

Thank you for the quick reply, here is how I have it set up.

[Pent]

Thank you for the quick reply, here is how I have it set up.

Try removing the Content paramater details so you're not filtering.

Also: Received Text doesn't work on an MIUI ROM (mentioning just in case)

Pent

[sunil kolambkar]

Do you have any other SMS app like Go SMS or Handcent.

If yes, there is parameter within those apps to allow other App (like tasker) to take priority in sensing the SMS received. Use it.

[jaxpr3394]

I have tried removing it, but no luck. I will try again just to double check, though.

As for the Rom, I'm running JellyBeans.

[jaxpr3394]

I have tried this as well and no luck. :-(

[jaxpr3394]

Yep, still nothing even after deleting the content field.

[TomL]

How are you testing this profile? Do you have the profile enabled? Are you sending yourself a text message? What all are you using to send the text msg?

[jaxpr3394]

Yes, it's enabled; I am testing it by sending myself a text message with the specified content (I've tried both blank and with a specific word); and I have used Go SMS Pro as well as the stock SMS app.  I have also uninstalled Go SMS Pro to see if that would help, but it did not.  Like I said, I've tried everything I can think of :P

The weird thing is that when I test it using the play button from within the task, it works just fine.

Basically, this series of tasks allows me to send a phrase via text to my phone in the event that it's stolen, then it replies asking for a verification password and once verified, it displays the menu of options for me to choose from.  All of this occurs through text messaging.  I can trigger everything from authenticating the password to running all of the commands.  It's just the initial phrase won't trigger the beginning of the series of tasks, but like I said, once I manually start it from within tasker, I can do everything, including texting myself the commands.  That's why I'm so confused because clearly my phone is recognizing the received text since I can interact with the menu and whatnot, but it's just not initiating it with the startup phrase...even when the content field is left blank.

[TomL]

Is Tasker itself enabled?

[jaxpr3394]

It is, I have tasks running as we speak. :)

On Saturday, July 20, 2013 10:52:30 AM UTC-5, TomL wrote:

Is Tasker itself enabled?

[Rich D]

> It is, I have tasks running as we speak. :)

What Is the run log showing?

Have you tried starting with the basics..

New profile..

Context:  Event / text received
Task :
1. Flash " it works"

Then try adding you other task,  or the actions from your York other task one at a time?

[jaxpr3394]

I'm not familiar with the run log, to be honest.

I have, however, already tried what you said.  Tasker wouldn't flash anything when I received a text message.

[Rich D]

> I'm not familiar with the run log, to be honest.

It does not sound like it will show anything as the context is not firing, but to check, It is under Menu / More / run log

>
> I have, however, already tried what you said.  Tasker wouldn't flash anything when I received a text message.

Hmmm, have you tried a wild card in the filter? "*"

[jaxpr3394]

I just tried it and no luck.  It's frustrating, but thank you for your help.  The run log is empty, as you suggested.

[Rich D]

> I just tried it and no luck.  It's frustrating, but thank you for your help.  The run log is empty, as you suggested.

Arrrgg.... hopefully pent will have more suggestions.....

[Rich D]

I did not notice you mentioning having done a recent reboot.. 

[Pent]

> I just tried it and no luck.  It's frustrating, but thank you for your help.  The run log is empty, as you suggested.

Arrrgg.... hopefully pent will have more suggestions.....

It's almost certainly the ROM handled texts in a non-standard way.

Pent

[jaxpr3394]

Tom, I have tried that add well; Pent, the ROM I am running is JellyBeans stock ROM, so I don't think it should have that problem, should it?

Also, once initially fired up manually, tasker recognizes and handles the rest of the received text commands for the series off tasks, which further leads me to believe it isn't the ROM, unless I'm missing something?

[jaxpr3394]

Nothing, I assume?

[Pent]

Tom, I have tried that add well; Pent, the ROM I am running is JellyBeans stock ROM, so I don't think it should have that problem, should it?

Ah, perhaps mean Android 'Jellybean' (note the missing s).

That should work OK, yes.
 

Also, once initially fired up manually, tasker recognizes and handles the rest of the received text commands for the series off tasks, which further leads me to believe it isn't the ROM, unless I'm missing something?

That just shows it's not a problem with the task, it's a problem with detecting the SMS.

I would double check that by enabling Menu / More / Run Log, then go and see if there are new entries there after receiving a text.

Pent

[Pent]

Also enable Menu / Prefs / More / Popup Errors/Warnings.

Pent

[jaxpr3394]

It's a Rom I'm running called JellyBeans Rom. It's a stock Jelly bean Rom.

Nothing about received text shows up in the run log, and no errors occurred upon receiving a text, either. :-(

[jaxpr3394]

Not to be repetitive, but to clarify, after pressing the "play" button to initialize the starting task, I can text myself the commands for my anti theft program and Tasker receives them just fine. It's just having trouble receiving the initial text command on its own.

[Rich D]

Unfortunately,  this is not clear to me at all.

> Not to be repetitive, but to clarify, after pressing the "play" button to initialize the starting task,

This is the task "Test" you listed above correct?

I can text myself the commands for my anti theft program and Tasker receives them just fine.

Do you mean the context "Text received " works and the profile "Test" fires?

It's just having trouble receiving the initial text command on its own.

So if it works after manually running the task when does it stop working?

I must be getting something all wrong here....  :(

[TomL]

even though it's a rom based on the stock rom, it's still a custom rom. my guess, it's the rom's fault.

try it with a stock rom, not a custom rom.

[jaxpr3394]

I have a series of tasks, modeled like the "Test" task above.  There is a starting task that triggers with the "Received Text" event and branches off to other tasks with this same trigger.  This starting task does not get triggered like it is supposed to when my phone receives the text that is supposed to trigger it.  However, when I am inside Tasker and I press the play button, the task runs fine and allows me to branch off to the other tasks by sending their specified text messages.  It is only the starting task trigger that does not work, which in turn makes the rest of the subsequent tasks inaccessible.

I hope that is a clearer explanation for anyone following this thread.  I apologize for any ambiguity.

[jaxpr3394]

This is true, perhaps that is the issue.  Although as I just stated in Rich D's reply, subsequent tasks with the Received Text context are triggered as they are supposed to if I manually trigger the initial task.

*bangs head against wall*

[Scott Miller]

Something is wrong with the event configuration you are using in the profile to trigger. Look at the properties of the Received Text event. Completely clear the content value, including any spaces, and add only the single character *. Save and test. If it continues to fail, then your ROM is not presenting received text events in a standard way that Tasker understands. When you launch the initial "task", which is not the same as the profile detecting the event, you are bypassing the detection logic. You might also want to export the entire project again, just so that everyone knows the current state of what is being investigated.

Scott

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tasker" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tasker+un...@googlegroups.com.
> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tasker.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>  
>  

[Rob Rogers]

Looking back at your task description from 2 days ago, it looks like you're trigger is looking for the content "test". Have you double checked that the content you are looking for and the sent text are an EXACT match? Most keyboards will add a space at the end when you click on the predicted words. 

e.g. If your task is looking for "test" and your text actually sends "test ", you will not get a match. The converse is also true, looking for "test " and receiving "test" will not get a match.

Maybe try setting the content match to "*test*"?

--

[jaxpr3394]

I have tried wild cards in every field as well as before and after the Received Text content field.  I'm assuming it's the ROM, then.  That's disappointing.  I have also quadruple checked to make sure I was typing everything exactly as Tasker is needing.

I will export everything I have so you all can see it.  Give me a few.

[jaxpr3394]

Attached you will find the entire project xml...I edited out personal information, hopefully I caught it all.

On Friday, July 19, 2013 10:58:21 AM UTC-5, jaxpr3394 wrote:

Hey all,

I have combed through this forum as well as used Google to search for an answer, but to no avail.  

The Received Text event context will not work for me.  I have tested the profile itself using the play button from within Tasker and everything works just fine, but when I try to do a real-world test run, it does not work.  I have inspected %SMSRB after receiving a text to make sure that this variable is being set correctly, and it is, but my profile still does not get triggered.  I have even set my own global variable to the contents of %SMSRB and tried to pass my variable in, but no luck.  I have also used Titanium Backup to freeze Go SMS Pro as well as uninstalled Go SMS Pro and used to stock Messaging app, but nothing.

Any advice?  Thanks in advance for everyone's time.

[Ivelin]

Another thing you could try is make a new profile that triggers on ANY text (so leave the Sender and Content fields empty), then just long flash or notify with %SMSRB. I know you already tried something like this, but with just a simple flash in the task you make sure there isn't some problem in the task itself

Profile: Test (93)
        Event: Received Text [ Type:Any Sender: Content: ]
Enter: Test (94)
        A1: Flash [ %SMSRB Long: on ]

If you see the message pop up, then Tasker does receive texts and there is a problem with the actual message and/or matching in your profile and/or the entry task

[jaxpr3394]

Tried that, but it doesn't work.  :(  No flash appears.

[TomL]

try again, that attachment doesnn't look like a project xml file, more like a logcat dump.

[jaxpr3394]

Odd, it shows up as raw xml on my end. I won't be able to do anything that extensive until later today, add I am at work now. :-(

You could always import the file into Tasker and view it that way? Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Brandon Horwath]

Sorry to jump in this so late, once I read you were using Titanium Backup I KNEW you were using a custom Rom based of a stock Rom.

So, that said I would say perhaps your trigger is not initializing due to being set at a lower launch priority.

Or, try this... create a test sending a message with your own device through your own device, using tasker and see if tasker recognizes that. i.e. using %PNUM to define a send SMS, then seeing if %SMSRF changes to your devices phone number. If it works, it may be possible to get tasker to integrate recognition. If it doesn't, guaranteed it's most likely a Rom issue.

sorry...

[john carrasquillo]

Well isn't that something. I put %PNUM as the sender and made it flash a message upon receiving a text from pnum and it worked. That's definitely a step in the right direction.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "Tasker" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tasker/8EqswQOTddg/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to tasker+un...@googlegroups.com.

[Brandon Horwath]

Now, are values for %PNUM AND %SMSRF the same?

[john carrasquillo]

Yes sir, they are. Hopefully creeping toward a solution here.

On Jul 21, 2013 2:48 PM, "Brandon Horwath" <brandon...@gmail.com> wrote:

Now, are values for %PNUM AND %SMSRF the same?

[Brandon Horwath]

Possibly, though maybe not the easiest.

Is a value for %SMSRB present?

What we need to do now is create a profile that will alert to a change in variable values for %SMSRF and %SMSRB (assuming a value is present)

Anyone else want to chime in???

... I haven't perfected my profiles for those yet.

But, I will continue to work on them...

[jaxpr3394]

I got it working. Thank you all for the input and time taken to respond.

I did what Brandon suggested using %PNUM and it worked, so I copied the task list over to the new profile and it worked! Finally. For what it's worth, it seems that using "/", "&", and "." Interfered with the Received Text context. By taking the special characters out and copying the desired task list to the new %PNUM profile that Brandon suggested, it all worked.

Thanks again.

[Brandon Horwath]

Glad tasker is now recognizing an event: SMS received.

IF you decide to modify the context in the future i.e. received from: use , (comma) to separate the received from contact.

example: Wife,Friend,Co-Worker

[john carrasquillo]

I well keep that in mind. Thank you all again. And feel free to use the xml I uploaded got your own use. :-)

[Pent]

 

Finally. For what it's worth, it seems that using "/", "&", and "." Interfered with the Received Text context. By taking the special characters out

Where exactly had you put the special characters in ?

Pent

[jaxpr3394]

I had them in the content field of the Received Text context that way it would be harder for someone to randomly send me the phrase to start the task.  For example,  $ ./scriptname& woudn't work because of the "$", ".", "/" and the "&", but by just having the phrase scriptname would work.

I tried a bunch of different combinations of special characters for the Received Text content field and none of them worked.

[Rob Rogers]

/ means OR in Tasker pattern matching. I believe the other special characters you are using should work...

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tasker" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tasker+un...@googlegroups.com.

[john carrasquillo]

Ah, I was not aware of this. Is there any sort of escape character to be able to use the pattern matching characters as a normal character?

You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "Tasker" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tasker/8EqswQOTddg/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to tasker+un...@googlegroups.com.

[TomL]

Wait wait wait.  You had posted this as your profile:

Profile: Test (93)
        Event: Received Text [ Type:Any Sender:* Content:test ]
Enter: Test (94)
        A1: Secure Settings [ Configuration:Set Password Package:com.intangibleobject.securesettings.plugin Name:Secure Settings ] 
        A2: Secure Settings [ Configuration:Lock Device Package:com.intangibleobject.securesettings.plugin Name:Secure Settings ] 
        A3: Notification Pulse [ Set:Off ] 
        A4: Display Brightness [ Level:0 Disable Safeguard:Off Ignore Current Level:Off Immediate Effect:On ] 
        A5: Silent Mode [ Mode:On ] 
        A6: Media Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ] 
        A7: Notification Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ] 
        A8: Ringer Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ] 
        A9: System Volume [ Level:0 Display:Off Sound:Off ] 
        A10: Sound Effects [ Set:Off ] 

Are you saying that this above wasn't what you were trying to make work?  Instead, you had Content: "% ./something something &" instead?

Tom

[john carrasquillo]

Initially, what I posted is what I was trying to get work, and it wouldn't work for some reason.

Then, doing what Brandon suggested with %PNUM worked. Once it worked, I tried to change the Received Text content field to include special characters like that and it broke it so I changed it back to something without special characters. I was just posting my findings on here for everyone else. :-)

--

[TomL]

Ah, ok.  Cheers. :)

Tom

[Rob Rogers]

Not that I'm aware of, but I could be wrong.

The one option that comes to mind is to remove the matching from the profile and instead do it in the first step of the task instead. There are more matching options in tasks, including regex.

http://tasker.dinglisch.net/userguide/en/matching.html

[Brandon Horwath]

Only thing I know for escape character is \

For example:

Variable set: %pnum ~ \%PNUM sets %pnum to %PNUM, NOT the VALUE OF %PNUM.

You can escape this by proceeding it with another \

[John Carrasquillo]

That was precisely my thinking as well.  Just like some programming languages.  I'll give it a shot.

Thank you,

John Carrasquillo
jaxp...@gmail.com
jaxp...@yahoo.com
jsu0...@jsu.edu

[Brandon Horwath]

Or, you can do specific matching for content by default.

Regression matching is achieved by using *

I use that for content matching operat* for work. It alerts me specifically for an operate, operating, and operation request.

Hope this helps!

[John Carrasquillo]

Thank you for all of your knowledge.  I plan on delving further into Tasker as time permits.  Between classes, work, and real life, my progress isn't as fast as I'd like, but in due time.  :)

Thank you,

John Carrasquillo
jaxp...@gmail.com
jaxp...@yahoo.com
jsu0...@jsu.edu

[DouglasCaixeta]

No solution for this? I have the same problem.

Using Moto X 1st generation, kitkat 4.4.4. Who handles SMS is the default stock app, not Hangouts.

I tried the text: gps, *gps, *gps*

None of them works.

[frattozze pagliai]

Another cause of Tasker's fail in intercepting text messages is third party sms apps. Removed Textra and returned to jb stock app and everything go in the right way! I've Wasted 2 hours and 20 test sms to understand! Ciao

[Michael E Fracher]

How to create Profile ,, using  looking for PNUM?

EVENT,  STATE, etc.

SMS * does not work

 

SMSBR is loaded with currrent data,  just need to "trip"  SMS *

[Ari Cooper-Davis]

`Event -> Variables -> Variable Set` is the workaround that works for me. I watch the `%SMSRB` variable and the task gets triggered when it changes, even though the task doesn't get triggered on receiving a text message.