SMS Messaging Application - Send SMS's to your Display

[Gnarmstr]

Welcome to my SMS Messaging App V3.6 for all to use.

UPDATED 19 Nov 19 - To Version 3.6.

V3.5.2 Updated to work with the latest Vixen Builds and Vixen 3.6 when released.

V3.5 - This update has only been changed to work with the upcoming release of Vixen 3.5. If you are still using Vixen 3.4 then Download the Messaging App Version 3.4, if you plan on using Vixen 3.5 then download Messaging Version 3.5

V3.4.1 - Added a Bulk SMS message box so you can send an SMS to all users that have SMS'ed a message to the display (useful to thank them and to ask them to vote). Added a check so if a bad word is detected when using the Blacklist it will then check the White list to see if its in there and if so then display. Added inbuilt Scheduler to turn the Messaging App on and off.

30 Jul 17 - To V3.4 - Added new Display Message Form and moved the Display messages to this form. Also added a message textbox so you can add unlimited number of messages to display (randomly), each new line will be a separate message.

I want to make it clear that no matter what Software you sequence your lights with you can still use this application with a simple install of Vixen in the background and this application running in the foreground. So you can continue to use xlights as your main and have Vixen installed to use my app. I have included a video that shows how to set up Vixen for just this use.

Quick look at my Matrix Message Board in action (its a P10 7 x 1 panels)


Setup Vixen and Message demo.


- You will need a Twilio Account a get a mobile phone number off them. It's only $6 per month so I just buy one for Nov and Dec, so it doesn't cost that much.
- Works with Vixen 3.3u2 and above.
- Can change text settings.
- Can send an instant message to your Display.
- Can send a countdown to a specified date message to your Display.
- If there are any issues installing it then please see below as you may need to add an exception in your virus software.

Download 64bit Version

Version 3.6 64bit link

Version 3.5 64bit link

Version 3.4.1 64bit link

Download 32bit Version

Version 3.6 32bit link

Version 3.5 32bit link

Version 3.4.1 32bit Link

Videos

Demo
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mkurn960dx6s9so/Vixen Messaging Demo.mp4?dl=0

Setup Twilio
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p8qnogrjqn...wilio.mp4?dl=0

Control Messaging App from a Vixen Sequence
https://www.dropbox.com/s/28egjk9qmxmo8fd/Control Messaging From Vixen.mp4?dl=0

Main Features:
- Audience can SMS Messages to be displayed on your Matrix/Megatree
- SMS with Twilio account.
- Start and Stop retrieving messages from within your own Vixen 3 Sequence using a Command Control. This is the best way to use the app if you don't have a dedicated Matrix for this as you can start the Messaging app when you Matrix is not in use with your Sequences.
- Customise the Text message with Font, direction, Position, line number and colour for each line of Text (including Random colour selection)
- Add multiple matrix/mega trees and direct local messages to selected matrix for display.
- Display a Countdown (for example: number of days to Christmas or to any date entered)
- Use Vixen 3 Sequences
- Filter messages with a Whitelist or Blacklist to ensure no profanities are displayed.

Firstly the following application is NOT supported by the Vixen Dev team so please do not create tickets or contact them for issues and information, please PM myself if you have any questions.

The software enables the audience to SMS (as long as you have an account with Twilio to SMS with mobile number) a message to be displayed on your Vixen 3 Matrix or Megatree with various effects..

All the audience will do is send an SMS to the Twilio phone number that was provided to you add the text to the display within only a few seconds. There is also the option to use a Blacklist or Whitelist to ensure dirty words are not displayed.

Vixen Messaging can also add sequences that you created in Vixen for the Matrix and can be used while no SMS messages are being sent from the audience.

There is also many options for the Text to be displayed such as Font, direction, speed and position.

Important Notes before installation:
I have Trend Virus software and it thinks Vixen Messaging contains a virus. This is not the case however you may need to add the "Install file", the "Program Files\Vixen Messaging folder" and the "c:\users\xxxxx\appdata\roaming\Vixen Messaging folder" to the exclusion list of your Virus program.

One user posted this in another thread and it will save you some cash.

Recommend you do the following.

As Geoff mentioned, deleting the messages you don't want to send an auto reply to does stop these from occuring. I did notice an annoying auto reply message that comes up from Twilio each time a text is sent and this is deducted off your credit each time. The message is something like "Thanks for the message. Configure your number's SMS URL to change this message..........."

I got rid of it by doing the following:
1. Log into your Twilio account
2. That should bring up "Console Dashboard", if not select it on the left of the screen.
3. Look down the page and you will see "# Phone Numbers". Click on "Phone Numbers"
4. Find your phone number in red (+61 4xx xxx xxx) on the left and click on that.
5. Scroll down the page until you see "Messaging" Under that you will see "A Message comes in". On the right of that you will see https://demo.twilio.com/welcome/sms/reply/. Delete the reply/ from the end so it should read https://demo.twilio.com/welcome/sms/
6. Click on "Save" at the bottom.

This will stop the annoying auto reply message and will not affected any of the auto replying coming from the Messaging software.

Cheers and I hope you enjoy.

A few screen shots:

[Popo-B-Trippin]

Thanks for creating this... now I have to make a matrix!

[covewi]

Okay! This is too cool.
I just started using Vixen 3 the other day - set up a matrix preview window - installed Vixen Messaging - and I actually got it to work.
I am hooked and need to build the real matrix asap.
One question - how do I use the "local messages" and get them to show?

Thanks

[covewi]

Under the text settings there is an option to change the color of the text - "single" color - I cant click and edit it.

[Gnarmstr]

Okay! This is too cool.
I just started using Vixen 3 the other day - set up a matrix preview window - installed Vixen Messaging - and I actually got it to work.
I am hooked and need to build the real matrix asap.
One question - how do I use the "local messages" and get them to show?

Thanks

On the main tab there is a drop box called play mode you can select in there. This has changed a bit in the latest one, as of 20min ago and now Twilio can be used for SMS's.

For your colour question on the text page deselect the random colour option.

[covewi]

I am new to this and need a little help. So I have set up the Email / SMS to matrix system and it works with emails. But to have anyone text a message
to my matrix they need to do it through a SMS service? Which basically sends their text message to my matrix's gmail account?

How do I go about setting this up and what services do you use and trust?

Thanks
Covewi

[Gnarmstr]

I have sent you a PM however for everyone I have updated my App to include and provide support for SMS's using a Twilio account. This is a paid service but is very cheap and could be setup in Nov and cancelled in Jan.

It is very easy to setup and works really well.

Download the latest version from original links.

I have also added a feature that you can make settings changes from an emai.

New videos have been added and another one will be added today that shows how to start and stop my application from within your Vixen Sequences, this allow you to only have the software running when your matrix is not in use. Very nice feature of Vixen that one of the guys pointed out.

Thanks.

Geoff

[covewi]

I set up a google voice phone number.
The voice account is setup to forward all text's from that number to the gmail account.
The google voice number does forward the text to the gmail email.
The email does not get to the matrix.

I am almost there but need a little tuneup.
Any suggestions?

Covewi

[Gnarmstr]

When you look at the email in gmail from the SMS what is in the subject line? It should be a header with the phone number of the person that sent it.

Enter the start of the Header exactly without the phone number into the Messaging page under SMS Header.

Geoff

[covewi]

Switched to a Trail Twilo account. It works great. Thanks for all the help.
Now I have to wait for the group buy on pixels and warm weather to build a matrix.