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Thread: Skype Desktop API

  1. #1
    Automated Home Ninja Viv's Avatar
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    Default Skype Desktop API

    Microsoft have stated they no longer support the Skype Desktop API,
    preferring to support mobile and Windows Metro interfaces.
    They also say from September the Skype Desktop API will no longer work.
    This mean third party applications such as Cortex will no longer be
    able to use Skype to make or receive calls or send SMS messages.

    Skype will only offer a URI API.
    This does not appear to allow the contacts list to be found.
    Neither does it allow sending SMS messages.

    Not sure it will help but those who use Skype within Cortex might
    like to turn off automatic updates in Skype - Options | Advance | Automatic updates
    to prevent the downgrade.

    Viv.

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    Thanks for the warning Viv. This functionality is critical to the security set up for my house so security will be compromised without it to say the least. Are you aware of any other mechanism to allow Cortex to send SMS that I could try?

    Doug

  3. #3
    Automated Home Ninja Viv's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Are you aware of any other mechanism to allow Cortex to send SMS that I could try?

    Doug[/QUOTE]

    Looking into it !

    Viv

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    This is why I am keen on open source and avoid windows! I have been trying to circumvent the Skype issue in my own set up, but unfortuantely, time is a major issue for me. I hate the Skype app on my android - although it works great fro Skype, I cannot limit it to wifi only nor have multiple accounts - I don't like my personal Skype account being active all the time, and use a separate account for the house, so that we get calls on both my wife's and my androids.

    Viv - have you thought about using a SIP stack - for example PJSIP (http://www.pjsip.org/) ? This will allow communication with a myriad of operating systems and devices as there is huge support for SIP. Not entirely sure if there is a SIP to SMS gateway - a quick google seems to suggest a large number of possibilities - not checked them yet. I believe there are SIP to Skype gateways as well, at least, the last time I looked for a totally SIP solution for our needs. Some of these links may help:

    http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Skype+Gateways
    http://siptoskype.com/

    Windows XP will not get security updates from next April, and I really do not want to upgrade my current XP box running Cortex to a behemoth of an operating system. Perhaps time again to look at a linux based solution? There are tools available to convert Delphi code to linux. Perhaps Cortex can be divided into say 3 or 4 components:
    1. low-level communication and logic (free / low-cost) - this would be extremely resource light and could run on a raspberry pi and be housed in a IPS-002. Perhaps a http interface to save configuration files, etc.
    2. graphic set up and interface - keep this as a Delphi or convert to C#/mono - the generated file would be the configuration file into (1) above. Firmware updates and tweaking etc can be done using this, and obviously, continue with the current licensing.
    3. Graphical reporting and logs and trends - would require a graphical interface and continue with Delphi or C#/mono, and perhaps integrate into (2) above
    4. A http server version which would replace the current http server and provide the reporting functions etc.

    Not sure if others thing this would be a suitable model.

    Idratek is a wonderful piece of work and I have been using it since the first modules came out, but time to think about ditching windows! Next step would be a true andorid / ios interface, so that things like the door intercom just work (with video). The competition is increasing but still very, very expensive. With a bit more aggressive marketing, Idratek would be pretty successful.

  5. #5
    Automated Home Ninja Viv's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by djgrah View Post
    Thanks for the warning Viv. This functionality is critical to the security set up for my house so security will be compromised without it to say the least. Are you aware of any other mechanism to allow Cortex to send SMS that I could try?

    Doug
    Cortex 26.7.0 has been released. See Update History in the Help | Auto Update | Update History, for a summary of new features.

    One item is a new SMS Control object. This allows the sending of SMS messages like Skype.
    However it uses a service from a company "TextAnywhere".
    This is normally for commercial companies but they have agreed to allow our customers to use the service.
    You will need to set up an account and need to put in a promo code.
    Create an object and look at the help for details.
    It is a chargeable service but cheaper than Skype.

    Viv

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    Thanks Viv. I have signed up, just waiting for account activation to give it a go.


    Doug

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    Good to hear, Viv. Any thoughts about getting SIP to do away with Skype? PJSIP as per my link earlier seems good - I think just requires the DLL installed, but much easier with linux

  8. #8
    Automated Home Ninja Viv's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by smoothquark View Post
    Good to hear, Viv. Any thoughts about getting SIP to do away with Skype? PJSIP as per my link earlier seems good - I think just requires the DLL installed, but much easier with linux
    We will look into it but don't hold your breath :-(

    Viv

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    Quote Originally Posted by Viv View Post
    We will look into it but don't hold your breath :-(

    Viv
    My Skype connection still seems to work (but then again, I don't think I have "upgraded" skype). Have had a free weekend and been playing... I have tried to use a SIP client but is there any way for Cortex to run an external program? I am using pjsua which is a very lightweight cli sip client but needs some keypresses to be sent to it. How do I "communicate" between Cortex and another program? I pretty much gave up windows programming 15 years ago and now concentrate on linux only!

  10. #10
    Automated Home Legend Karam's Avatar
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    Yes for the moment it looks like if you don't upgrade then it still works but if you do upgrade then you will get messages saying it no longer works.

    To run an external program from Cortex you can use the Shell command from a macro. To do something more elaborate then I guess it would be a matter of creating your own program, using the Cortex API to access Cortex objects and then presumably some kind of API for the other application in order to link these to its objects.

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