Learning EspoCRM and Design

[esforim]

In my country router is starting to use "SimCard" as a backup solution should the wired internet goes down, but none of the admin/dashboard setting ever have SMS capability.

[telecastg]

Some interesting links, the first is a youtube video showing how to use and arduino card and a gsm card to make calls and send sms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAvZ3SSQR74 and the second is an article describing how to use javascript to control an arduino board https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/contro...ng-javascript/

It seems to me at first glance that this could be one way to integrate EspoCRM with an inexpensive SMS sending hardware solution, however this implies having a local node.js server running javascript not the browser.

[telecastg]

Just adding some options: Most usb internet keys have SMS capability in their management pages. Here I can get them used for as low as 3€. Another idea is to run commands on android phones on device or over USB cable like this: adb shell service call isms 7 i32 0 s16 "com.android.mms.service" s16 "+1234567890" s16 "null" s16 "Example\ SMS\ from\ Android\ !" s16 "null" s16 "null"

Hello tothewine I am completely ignorant about usb internet keys or Android commands but would love to learn more. Could you provide some links that I can check ?

[tothewine]

Just adding some options: Most usb internet keys have SMS capability in their management pages. Here I can get them used for as low as 3€. Another idea is to run commands on android phones on device or over USB cable like this: adb shell service call isms 7 i32 0 s16 "com.android.mms.service" s16 "+1234567890" s16 "null" s16 "Example\ SMS\ from\ Android\ !" s16 "null" s16 "null"

[telecastg]

Yes with TextMyMail you could do both, forward incoming emails as sms and emailing sms received.

[esforim]

One of the VOIP extensions support Belgium services I believe.

[esforim]

Thanks. I did considered an Email to SMS but it rely on external services or server. But that is a nice way to log outgoing SMS, but no way to log incoming SMS is it?

[esforim]

Buying additional hardware that have no experience and learning it out of my goal at the moment. Might be something to look or work toward to but right now a simple solution is what I want. I don't need to plan out hundreds of SMS a day or an hour which is what all these powerful service offer. It more to log data and to make it more convenient (typing).

I recently tried a couple of the SMS Gateway app that is still alive, couldn't get it to work properly so I went to use a "SMS from PC" solution which most failed. Found a software call MyPhoneExplorer which is really good compared to the other App.

Still trying to need how to API gateway it. MyPhoneExplorer don't seem to have that capability.

[item]

Hello,
smseagle = only sms... no call !

openvox = asterisk and basic sms (http get) .. limited 160char so if someone send a sms with longText.. you receive .. first end of text and then the begin

zycoo = no sms support

the problem is .. if someone call the number ?

in belgium, spryng.be is a sms provider with a special phoneNumber in 4char.. if you send a sms to this number, the sms recome to you i have not teste to call it.. but i imagine that i will talk to me
and restriction in belgium :
you can't hide gsm phoneNumber with sms
you can redirect call to another phoneNumber
you can't redirect sms

Regards

[telecastg]

Here's a hardware solution https://www.smseagle.eu/store/en/12-devices they are also sold in the USA https://www.amazon.com/SMSEagle-NXS-.../dp/B0743DCBSW

[telecastg]

I used an app on my Android phone that would convert an email to a text and send it, so I set a dummy email account with Google and emailed my messages to that account which was linked to the app called TextMyMail and my phone would send the messages, the app hasn't been updated since 2018 and my new phone doesn't like it but perhaps this is another alternative.

Here's the link in case it might help. https://apkpure.com/textmymail/com.makin.textmymail

[tothewine]

About sms gateway I think an android app that checks a feed url populated by espo for sms to be sent and marks them as sent on success sounds pretty straightforward... Also a more practical solution may be to use some prototyping board, ethernet and cellular module to build an actual gateway server. Or buy one...

[esforim]

Found this. It seem to still need to rely on their website/account system but it is an start: https://smsgateway.me

And it another dead app. Good documentation and seem alive but without the apps I can't test it.


---

A more complete tutorial into turning your phone here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb45b121px8

Last github update is 2018 though, so might be another dead project but the tutorial showing promised.

---

This one seem more alive: https://codecanyon.net/item/mobile-s...teway/25323362

Self host so that is perfect. Screenshot showing that it support API too, good looking interface and have an App that is alive. They linked an APK from their own server instead of Google Play Store (which is a good and a bad thing).

I might register for a demo. If that is a single payment of $50 that seem like a pretty good deal as there is no ongoing cost.

[esforim]

#sms _sms <-- I add this _sms because EspoCRM forum can't search for 3 letter words, from now on whenever it is 3 letter, I advise you to add _ prefix or suffix. Thank you.

Too long didn't read (TLDR)? See Guide part to jump straight to tutorial.

Below is just my insight and learning progress.
On the 7th of July 2020 I have finally made one success attempt, I been searching for software and guide but never though of "hey why not try youtube". Decided to try today expecting another failure I have finally made progress. The full guide can be found below, this will be my useful tool until I learn a bit more to making more seamless.

As with the current gateway, it is a pay to use feature (both for the extensions and for usage per message). This gateway system is good and useful if we send mass message or frequent message. But for general use, I rather use my PC (and in a way have my SMS logged on EspoCRM), then to type on my Android phone the message on phone, not to mention I can't use Template, and formula, etc, have to retype (until the community release a Phone App).

Anyway this solution is not by any chance perfect and it quite bare minimum, further more have a few restriction and limitation but that can slowly be solve at a later stage, a SMS system has been over 2-4 years desire feature of mine (from using an older CRM system, to using Desktop software and "mirror screen").

Enjoy with the joy and here is how I did it.

--- Guide Part (note you need WiFi/network and Android phone)
1. Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qopwd259Aas
2. Use whichever tools needed to download the GSM Modem (SMS) App. You might also need to download the GSM Helper Tool too: https://github.com/sadiqodho/GSM-Helper-Tool
3. Install and Open the App
4. Click the big red button so it "On" and Green color.
5. Create a user (for example test 123)
6. Go on to your Desktop or PC or whichever tool you want. Refer to JSON Examples for the URL link
7. For example: http://192.168.1.100:8090/SendSMS?use...e=hello%0Atest

192.168.1.100 (is my android phone IP). Note you might want to set your phone to static IP.
username and password is what you create in step 5. I used test and 123
Phone number is the number you want to send your message to;
Message here is a bit more interesting, my first test I instantly notice, "How do I get a second line, paragraph or line break in here?" Did a quick search and the secret is to use "%0A", with this unicode(?) it will create next line, making my message look like this:
hello
test

8. Next I would create a formula with these above detail, then if I want to send a message I can just click on this special URL or copy/paste it in my web browser.

END Guide.



And that the end of the tutorial. I will post back once I learn how to integrate more (such as Reading response SMS and getting it to the EspoCRM system). Looking forward to seeing how you guys use it.

I'm planning to set up a spare android phone that is always on and available, that way I don't need to use my phone. But then I won't get message response to my mobile so need to rely on CRM or find a way to "copy/paste" message over.


--- Additional Resources and Reading:
https://sindhitutorials.com/blog/sen...-free-sms-php/

------- Formula and Template (Print2PDF)
After playing with the formula for about 30 minutes now, so many error I still make when it come to do Template. Here is the code I come up with, copy/paste it in <> code view.

<p></p><a href="http://192.168.15.7:8090/SendSMS?username=user&amp;password=111&amp;phone={{#each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}{{/each}}&amp;message=hello%0Atest" target="_blank">http://192.168.15.7:8090/SendSMS?username=user&amp;password=111&amp;phone={{#each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}{{/each}}&amp;message=hello%0Atest</a><p><a href="http://192.168.15.7:8090/SendSMS?username=user&amp;password=111&amp;phone={{#each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}{{/each}}&amp;message=hello%0Atest" target="_blank">test</a></p><p>http://192.168.15.7:8090/SendSMS?username=user&amp;password=111&amp;phone={{#each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}{{/each}}&amp;message=hello%0Atest<br></p>

And an more readable format:

http://192.168.15.7:8090/SendSMS?username=user&password=111&phone={{#each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}{{/each}}&message=hello%0Atest

test

http://192.168.15.7:8090/SendSMS?username=user&password=111&phone={{#each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}{{/each}}&message=hello%0Atest


To explain: for Contact I pull their primary phone using {{each contacts}}{{phoneNumber}}, for message you can change this to your message field, for demo I left it as Hello Test, you can probably change it to {{{description}}} or {{name}} and these field will get filled out.

To make it "look more pretty", I also tested if it possible to do this using URL, and it work, I change the URL to display "test" but clicking on it will open the SMS link which will send SMS to your contact.

Next I need to tweak a bit more, I like using Template because it easier to modify than Formula. I might still use formula for simple thing though.

---
My old post:
All SMS I see is through some API and website portal. Any one ever tried a 'self-hosted' solution to this issue?

Currently doing research and looking for anyone who want to learn with me.

Seem like it is possible relatively (easy?) to do, this apps died but their website is still up: https://www.codeproject.com/articles...-android-phone
Without the apps, I can't turn my phone into the "gateway". This is a start, then we need to figure out how to get EspoCRM to use an API to send those request.

[esforim]

Will do in the future but I currently don't want to burden further a (probably) already long list of plans/roadmap in queue.