Hi, Guys.
I know this isn’t strictly about SmartThings integration, but that’s what I am using this particular IFTTT channel for in this scenario. So, please be kind
Also, I know I could probably figure out how to do this with Tasker or something else instead, but I’m really just trying to work on IFTTT things at the moment, and want to see this one through (i.e. I may indeed go a different route later anyway, but right now, I’m exploring IFTTT, specifically).
I want to set up an automation in which the following happens…
receive text message from any of a few different phone numbers
use IFTTT’s SmartThings channel to turn on a virtual switch (which then gets acted on by rules, etc, to do other stuff).
e.g. of ‘other stuff’…
Right now, I have it turning on a light to a certain color for so many seconds, and speaking a message via LANnouncer in my wall-mounted SmartTiles control panels (and to my phone).
I have this all working except for the part about watching for MULTIPLE phone numbers. As far as I can see, IFTTT’s Android SMS channel can only watch for text messages coming in from a single phone number / per recipe.
Does anybody know how to get IFTTT’s Android SMS channel to watch for texts coming in from multiple phone numbers (within the same recipe)?
I know I can just create multiple recipes (one for each phone number), but that seems like way too much to do just to simply get notified a certain way whenever, say, any family member attempts to text me.
I’d rather be able to include all of the desired phone numbers inside of a single recipe.
If I understand your question, the IFT TT incoming channel doesn’t care what number is texting it. It just cares that it received a text at the special number that is assigned to your IFTTT account. (That’s not your regular phone number, it’s one assigned by the IFTTT service). You can also use a hashtag to filter the incoming texts.
You just need to set up your recipe to use the SMS channel, not the android phone channel.
Actually, I was using the ‘Android SMS’ channel. I didn’t even know about the non-Android SMS channel. I will definitely check it out.
As for the Android SMS channel, not quite correct. It definitely does care what number is texting me. In fact, with that particular channel, and with the ‘trigger’ options available, it’s impossible to even create a trigger without specifying a phone number.
The idea is, I want to know when such-n-such number texts me.
However, with that channel, I, apparently (and that’s why I was asking) can’t specify more than one phone number.
I will check out the other channel that you pointed out, and report back…
p.s. props to you AGAIN for all you do here to help us out.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear, that’s why I said the IFTTT incoming channel doesn’t care. That’s the SMS channel, not the android SMS. Android SMS does let you distinguish one caller from another.
For what you’re asking, you might need to set up one recipe for each incoming number using android SMS channel.
OK, I just went and checked on that other channel that you pointed out.
When I attempt to create a recipe using that channel, I only see the following two trigger options…
Send IFTTT any SMS
This Trigger fires every time you send any SMS to your IFTTT phone number.
Send IFTTT an SMS tagged
Send IFTTT a tagged SMS by adding a hashtag symbol anywhere in the message (e.g. #IFTTT).
At first glance, it’s not obvious to me how to set up what I’m trying to do here. So, I will need to come back to this, probably tomorrow.
Thanks again, and I will report back on whatever I come up with (…or don’t).
Um…to be more clear about what I’m trying to do…
Mom texts me, OR Wife texts me, OR Dad texts me, OR Brother texts me, OR some other Family Member (numbers that I will provide, of course) texts me, DO THIS.
I got the DO THIS part already.
It’s the IF ANY OF THESE TEXT ME part that I’m working on here.
right…and that’s what I have created already.
This thread is just me trying to find out if there is any way of lumping them all together in the same recipe.
For the SMS channel (not the android SMS channel) instead of having them text your phone, you have them text the special phone number that IFTTT assigned to your account. They can send you any text that you like, and they can use a hashtag if you want to sort them out brother from mother etc.
OK, so that incoming text becomes your if.
Now for your that you can have one recipe that turns on the light or whatever you were doing.
You can have another recipe for that exact same incoming text that sends you a notification that you received a text.
If you just want to know that you got a text from someone, anyone, in that family group you just to have them all text your IFTTT number and you’ll get notified. What distinguishes them from other people is that they are texting to your special secret IFTTT number
If you want to sort out specifically which of them texted you, then you have to start doing the other things.
I’m definitely NOT going the route of handing out yet another phone number for people to have to use for texting me. So, I guess that channel won’t work for what I’m trying to do here.
Does the phone number of the sender of the text message matter? I created a simple Recipe that says if SMS arrives from phone number x tagged with xyz then turn a light on. It works every time from my iphone. But when I send it from another iphone in the family it never works. Part of the Recipe says “… from phone number x” and I updated the phone number there with the other family member’s number, and that does not work. Ironically it works every time when sent from my iphone, even tho my “from number x” is not the number listed! : confused:
IFTTT changed the way their SMS applets worked sometime in the last 12 months and now many of them will only work with your own phone or with your IFTTT number. You Used to be able to use all kinds of different numbers and multiple numbers but now those just don’t work as you’ve noticed. If you have an android phone, you may be able to do something with Tasker, but it does get more complicated.
Ah, thanks. No Android here. I want a family member to be able to turn a LIFX light on and off from their phone, without giving them access to my LIFX or ST account and using the native apps, because there’s too much stuff they can accidentally mess up with full access to LIFX or ST. So as what I thought would be an easy work around, I thought they could just text #on or #off to turn the light on or off. And they can’t physically turn the light off, because then its automation routine will not run later. Any ideas on how to handle this cleanly? Thanks!
