How to make two devices with Tasker talk to each other?

[Steer]

I have a setup with two phones, both running Tasker, where I send
automated messages between them using email (I have flat fee on data
but I pay for SMS). Mainly for sharing location such as “leaving from
work”, “at home”, “picking up kids at school”,...

I simply put comma separated variables in the email subject which are
being parsed by the other phone. It works fine and the delay using
email is good enough. I use K9 mail with push so it’s probably less
than a minute. It’s also robust in the sense that in case one of the
phones is offline it will still get the message when it comes back
online.

Now I would like to use these phones as remote controls for an Anroid
tablet which I will use as kitchen radio (and more). For this purpose
I would like a solution that is quicker than email. If I press “Play”
or “Pause” the effect should be close to instant. In this scenario I
can assume that the Tablet always is on.

I guess the best solution would be to run a server at the Tablet? I
have looked at PAW webserver for Android but I’m not so familiar with
webservers and I’m not a programmer.

I’m thinking that I could send a HTTP Post from the phone to the
Tablet webserver. But I don’t know what to run on the webserver and
how to get it in as a trigger to Tasker. Any ideas?

[Will]

I am not a programmer and I have never setup a server, so this is just
a guess.

(this is assuming you have your tablet on your places wifi)
Set up your tablet so it has a fixed ip address, then just use the
http commands(I believe it would 'HTTP Post') in tasker to send info
strait to it using your tablets ip address has the url. I don't know
how the tablet would receive that, though... I have never messed the
http post...I just searched the market for servers, it looks like you
could have a server running on the tablet. Without actually attempting
your idea, I don't know how you would get the info from a server app
to Tasker...

If you figure it out, you should post I how you did it. This is
something I could see being useful.

This the app I found in the market

https://market.android.com/details?id=org.swiftp


Cheers

[Will]

Oh crap, I swear I read post, I swear. I feel so stupid, I just
suggested what you said what you already said you were thinking of...

[Will]

Sorry about the tripe post. I decided to try to redeem myself by
figuring out how to do it. so
1. I am working on it.(that's, like, so reassuring isn't it?

2. As I was looking into the how to use the app I linked to above, I
found out that it was abandonment by it's dev(said he did not have
time for it anymore).So if anyone is thinking about using it, you
should know that. I am currently looking for another app to use. I
should probably wait to post this until I do, but wanted to stop
anyone from using swiftp without knowing it's abandoned. So sorry if I
quad post if I figure this out before anyone else posts.

[Steer]

Thanks for your reply Will! Good to know that you also are interested
in a solution like this.

Yes, I guess the trick is to find out how to trigger an event in
Tasker. At one point I was thinking of sending a file to an FTP server
and use the Tasker File features as a trigger. Would that work? Does
not feel like an optimal solution but would it work? I don't think
Tasker can trigger on a new file? But maybe if a file could be
modified via FTP?
No, hold on. (thinking while writing...) Maybe a cleaner solution
would be to run a script on the webserver which updates a file when
the HTTP Post is received from the client?

[Will]

Your last thought is what I am trying to do, the problem is in order
to carry that out, one would need to be able to program that. I am
emailing with the PAW dev to see if might be able to lend a hand. I
did not communicate what I am trying to do clear enough in my first
email, so I am sending another. Hopefully he can help us get it
working.

[Cptnodegard]

Newest update to joaomgcd's AutoRemote has device-device communication

On Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:58:13 PM UTC+2, Sam wrote:

Hey there.  What you should do, if you are open to making some significant changes, is use Google Voice for text.  It provides free unlimited texting, and it works well with Tasker.  You will also need to download the Google Voice Locale Plugin from Google Play (Locale Plugins work with Tasker).  Then you can trigger an action when text is received (which is kind of tricky - make it triggered when you get a specified notification from the Google Voice App rather than when you get a specified SMS) and then execute the action of sending and SMS with the Google Voice Plugin.  It's a bit of a headache if you have not done it before, but once you do it you will understand it better.  If you need help email me or post it here (though keep in mind unless it emails me when you post I am unlikely to see it for quite some time since I do not check often).

Using this method, you can automatically send a text based on context, and have the other phone automatically respond.  You could essentially play text "ping pong" like this.

The drawback to using Google Voice is that it gives you a new number (unless you port it to your old one, which causes the contract to be renewed and in some cases a change in pricing/features of your current plan do to policy changes from your carrier since the last renewal).  That was not a big deal for me, as now I use my GV number for everything, and will use it forever, or until Google goes out of business.  But it may be for you so I thought it would be important to mention.  Hope this helps.

[Vladimir Oz]

set up SSHD on tablet  for the full control. (QuickSSHD, DigiSSHD)

then set up Run Shell with "ssh user@tablet -c command"

command - can be as simple as "echo 'tune station X' >  /sdcard/remotecontrol"

so, tasker watches for changes in file or it's appearance and parses it. 

[Cptnodegard]

To elaborate on the AutoRemote option, in case its simplicity was lost in my brief message: It's a Tasker plugin that has the ability for one Tasker-enabled device to communicate with (and trigger tasks on) another Tasker-enabled device, all through the use of normal contexts and actions. 

[joaomgcd]

I'm sorry to chime in, but this thread just seems made for AutoRemote! :)

Like Cpt said, it allows you to do exactly what you said: device to device messaging and reacting to those messages in Tasker.

More, you can send messages from Tasker itself, so you have full bi-directional messaging.

As an added bonus, you can also send messages from any web browser, so any PC or even iPhone can remote control Tasker. :)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.joaomgcd.autoremote

Hope you like it!

[baudi]

How about from Tasker to PC? Is that possible?

[Andreas Ødegård]

yes, using Remote Notifier

http://www.pocketables.com/2012/06/quick-review-remote-notifier-for-android.html

[Cptnodegard]

Remote notifier also allows you to run command line commands on your PC. Pair it with something like nircmd and you can do a lot. I use that combo to allow tasker to turn on and off my PC monitors

On Wednesday, August 1, 2012 5:14:43 AM UTC+2, Cptnodegard wrote:

yes, using Remote Notifier

http://www.pocketables.com/2012/06/quick-review-remote-notifier-for-android.html