Database Users

SMS: contacts group, distribution list, categories... NO ?

I can't imagine I just got the latest toy and the whole thing made a step backwards...
I cannot send an SMS to a specific group of people among my contacts if not choosing each of them one by one each time...
I have many different group of people I send SMS' to and I was used to have lists on SmartSMS while using a SmartPhone and also distribution lists and categories on Outlook while at the desk...
With Wizard it seems there are no solutions... I have tried almost all of the trial SMS managers out there, but it seems I have no luck...
I've spent the last two days looking for a solution (either within WM5 or as an addon...). No luck...
Do you have any hint ?
Is there anyone wishing to develop something like above explained ?
Thank you very much...
Best regards...
Mix

Yeah, im also intressted in sending sms to a group.

Me too, plz let me know if you find some solution...

for a OS of such quality it is an appalling lapse by MS
We should all email them a support question and ask them if it will be included in the next release??

Re: for a OS of such quality it is an appalling lapse by MS
peteborota said:
We should all email them a support question and ask them if it will be included in the next release??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried a little bit to use InfoSharp to send SMS to contacts within a category (fortunately there is such chance on this small and nice program...). The program itself is not yet "finished" but it does the job...
I'll post my suggestion to the developer, hoping that growing, it will become better.
About sending our comments to Microsoft: well, I personally think it would be nice, but it would be nicer if our suggestions could be "understood" in any way. It seems to me this rarely happens.
Not to mention the function I'm looking for was present in WM2003SE !!!
Maybe too many shrimps are eaten within MS... ;-)
Ciao
Mix
P.S. Actually ANY SUGGESTION on this matter would help, as it seems there still is not solution...

Hi guys have found an app for sending sms by category group
The app is called 'simplysms' and is developed by a company called visual IT.
It's not windows 5 compatible at the moment although I am waiting for a response from the developers.
I'll keep people posted.
Website: www.visualit.co.uk

SimplySMS mobile 5 will be released in the new year.
good news

Re: Hi guys have found an app for sending sms by category gr
peteborota said:
The app is called 'simplysms' and is developed by a company called visual IT.
It's not windows 5 compatible at the moment although I am waiting for a response from the developers.
I'll keep people posted.
Website: www.visualit.co.uk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is seems they have no plans developing any WM5 version of such program, otherwise something would have appeared on their website...
I think then there is no other option to keep a Nokia phone in my pocket too... but then I don't need an HTC pocket PC... I can run with another one with no phone functions as I did in the past...
Any other news ???
Ciao

It is very helpful utility if we can find it
if we can have such an application it will be very greate

SimplySMS for windows 5 will be launched in March
Had an email from Visualit the makers of simplysms. They will be releasing a windows mobile 5 version of the software in March this year.
It will allow users to send a text to a outlook category of contacts.
Hold on it's round the corner.

Re: SimplySMS for windows 5 will be launched in March
peteborota said:
Had an email from Visualit the makers of simplysms. They will be releasing a windows mobile 5 version of the software in March this year.
It will allow users to send a text to a outlook category of contacts.
Hold on it's round the corner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
march ? March ? MARCH ???
It's on next century !!! I'll have switched to another phone by that date...
I'll have to wait then, but I'm looking around for another solution... pretty tired of hand-choosing between my contacts...
Thanks a lot anyway... the fault is not yours... it's MS' first of all...
Ciao

You could create a shortcut with the recipients pre-listed. E.g.
Text message colleagues.lnk
32#"tmail.exe" -to "06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx" -service ""
Will prompt the messaging app with a new message. If you last used Hotmail/whatever, though - it won't start a new text message, but a new e-mail/whatever.
If you want to be able to pick the account, use instead:
32#"tmail.exe" -to "06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx"
If you want to add a default message, use :
32#"tmail.exe" -to "06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx" -body "Text here"
-----
You can also use vijay555's VJSMS to always send a text message, regardless of what account you're in.
32#"\Program Files\vijay555\VJSMS.exe" "06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx" -body "Text here"
http://www.vijay555.com/index.php?Releases:VJPhoneTools
-----
Essentially, all the above are more like 'templates' than they are group text message tools. If you have a new person you want to add to a 'group', you'll have to manually adjust the shortcut.
On the other hand - it's available now, and freely.

ZeBoxx said:
You could create a shortcut with the recipients pre-listed. E.g.
Text message colleagues.lnk
32#"tmail.exe" -to "06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx; 06xxxxxxx" -service ""
[...omissis...]
Essentially, all the above are more like 'templates' than they are group text message tools. If you have a new person you want to add to a 'group', you'll have to manually adjust the shortcut.
On the other hand - it's available now, and freely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the helpful hint... the main problem anyway is always the same: I use distribution lists so I don't have to bother on updates of contacts details. I just keep them updated and I have the result.
There is anyway a major problem on the hint you just gave me: line limitation...
WM5 accepts for example multiple recipients on the "To:" field but the problem is I still do not know which is the maximum number (I suppose it depends on how long the "To:" field can be, maybe max 255 char.).
The same problem applies to your hint: I suppose there is still the limitation of 255 chars... or not ? ;-)
Thanks anyway.

yeah, I have no idea what the maximum length is
Of course, for Dutch numbers, 10 chars length, 11 if I include that semicolon, that's still 25 numbers Sending an SMS to 25 people should be more than enough for me
You could also write a mort script to call VJSMSSend a gazillion times :>
The former issue is the bigger one - I hate updating lists, myself. There shouldn't be anything holding developers back from implementing mailing lists, using info from the contacts POOM, and setting up SMS's (setting up and sending an SMS is a MSDN example, so.. pff)
I'm no developer, though - I just managed to get "Hello world" running a few days ago, and then I got sick - so no long computer times for me

SMS Distribution Lists
Having Upgraded to a qtek 9100 from a nokia 9300 communicator for better windows/outlook compatibility etc, I have been searching for something to fill the gap for SMS Distribtion lists.
I understand from reading other posts than previous versions of Windows mobile did offer this, aswell as being able to play different ringtones depending on chich caller group a call was originating from.
Has there been any new information on SMS Distribution lists for the HTC Wizard phones?
Also, is there any way to actually just select "send new txt message" rather than go to messaging and browse to the correct account/ folder to achieve this?
Regards
Jass

Re: SMS Distribution Lists
jasvinder said:
Having Upgraded to a qtek 9100 from a nokia 9300 communicator for better windows/outlook compatibility etc, I have been searching for something to fill the gap for SMS Distribtion lists.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome in the "unsatisfied club"...
I understand from reading other posts than previous versions of Windows mobile did offer this, aswell as being able to play different ringtones depending on chich caller group a call was originating from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never seen, nor in previous versions, a real "group" as we were used with Nokias...
Some thirdy party programs do that anyway (and it's good enough such programs exists...).
Has there been any new information on SMS Distribution lists for the HTC Wizard phones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, no... I have been looking around for a lot of time and finally I found a solution: I kept a Nokia 6230 in my bag, just for this kind of use...
I know, it's stupid... but much more less stupid than preventing me using this feature on a WM5 device !!!
Also, is there any way to actually just select "send new txt message" rather than go to messaging and browse to the correct account/ folder to achieve this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Different approach: select the contact you need to send the SMS to and select "Send new SMS" from the options. You'll have the editor opening with the "To:" field already filled...
Hope this helps a little...
Ciao

Re: SMS Distribution Lists
jasvinder said:
Also, is there any way to actually just select "send new txt message" rather than go to messaging and browse to the correct account/ folder to achieve this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download the attached file, extract the included shortcut to your PPC, and run it - see if that works for you. If it does, you'll note that there's "to" and "body" fields that you can fill out if you want (e.g. a pre-composed message to your boss saying that you'll be on your lunch break)
For some more advanced SMS stuff, try VJPhoneTools:
http://www.vijay555.com/index.php?Releases:VJPhoneTools
Or one of the many commercial SMS apps

The download when unzipped only contains a shortcut which is not valid.
CAn we download it from your website?

it's supposed to only contain a shortcut
Code:
32#windows\tmail.exe -service "SMS" -to "" -body ""
If you don't have a "tmail.exe" in your device's "Windows" folder, then indeed it's probably invalid. Try searching for that file on your device, see if it's elsewhere. If it's not, or you can't find it, just use one of VJ's tools instead

Group sms
O2SMSPlus is out and about, it's for wm5 and does group sms.

Send SMS From Contact List

Is there a hack or application that anyone knows that will allow me the option of sending a text to a contact from the Contacts list (instead of having to open the contact, scroll down the numbers etc etc)
So I would be able to press the Menu key and it appear in this list as Send SMS...
Many thanks

It is already there...
I'm using the AKU 2.3 Rom but I can't remember it not being there even in the 1.8 Rom that mine shipped with.

Vijay has a nice tool to do this here:
http://www.vijay555.com/?Releases:VJPhoneTools
If that's not what you're after you can always add a line in the Notes section of a contact like this
smsnnn)[email protected]<recipient'sCarrierDoman>
(Carrier Domain example: @mymobile.cingular.com)
with a space and/or line return after it (but no spaces within), and it will show up as a selectable link. When you tap it the SMS app will open with the number you're wanting to text to in the appropriate place.
G'luck

Tref said:
Vijay has a nice tool to do this here:
http://www.vijay555.com/?Releases:VJPhoneTools
If that's not what you're after you can always add a line in the Notes section of a contact like this
smsnnn)[email protected]<recipient'sCarrierDoman>
(Carrier Domain example: @mymobile.cingular.com)
with a space and/or line return after it (but no spaces within), and it will show up as a selectable link. When you tap it the SMS app will open with the number you're wanting to text to in the appropriate place.
G'luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that but neither of those is really what I was hoping for.
I use sms more than phone calls and find it kind of couter intuitive that I can see the contact and dial it from the contacts list, but in order to send a text I have to find the contact open it, scroll down to the SMS number then send the text. What I was really looking for was a way to put an extra entry in the menu list allowing me to "Send SMS to contact" seems a bit silly that I have the option to send a media message but not an sms (given the relative ratios of SMS to MMS that the mobile operators handle) unless it is an attempt by Vodafone to get me to send more non bundled MMS instead of the huge number of bundled SMS that I have.
Whilst I love the functionality of my new handset I really do miss the more object orientated funtionality of my old Sony Ericsson

kyphur said:
It is already there...
I'm using the AKU 2.3 Rom but I can't remember it not being there even in the 1.8 Rom that mine shipped with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Missed this post, sorry.
That would be really useful, but I am a bit of a woose and don't want to wreck my phone and Vodafone haven't released the 2.3 ROM (from what I can tell).
I will do a search through the forums and figure out what I have to do to upgrade the ROM and then I'll have to take a gamble on whether I am brave enough to proceed.
Thanks

I s'pose I'm more of the old school, as I use my phone more for calls than text messaging. And in that regard I've been pleasantly surprised to learn how easy it is to do so.
I hope you find a solution, especially given the cost of the device!

I mainly go to inbox, Text Messages, type a few letters of the persons name, and their number pops right in. Am I missing something?

bblue said:
Missed this post, sorry.
That would be really useful, but I am a bit of a woose and don't want to wreck my phone and Vodafone haven't released the 2.3 ROM (from what I can tell).
I will do a search through the forums and figure out what I have to do to upgrade the ROM and then I'll have to take a gamble on whether I am brave enough to proceed.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm thinking that this option was always there for me. Maybe Vodafone removes it from the list intentionally?
You can always try doing a hard reset (or clear storage) and then stop the vodafone customizations from installing by soft reseting when it says "installing customizations in 3 seconds".

kyphur said:
[quote="bblueMissed this post, sorry.
That would be really useful, but I am a bit of a woose and don't want to wreck my phone and Vodafone haven't released the 2.3 ROM (from what I can tell).
I will do a search through the forums and figure out what I have to do to upgrade the ROM and then I'll have to take a gamble on whether I am brave enough to proceed.
Thanks
I'm thinking that this option was always there for me. Maybe Vodafone removes it from the list intentionally?
You can always try doing a hard reset (or clear storage) and then stop the vodafone customizations from installing by soft reseting when it says "installing customizations in 3 seconds".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will give this a try when I have a quiet moment (and have made an inventory of everything that I will need to reload).
Thanks

Select multiple contacts

This is driving me up the wall - I got my O2 XDA Mini S yesterday, and I love it, bar 1 (major) fault - I can't (easily) send an SMS to multiple contacts.
Every day I send out 10 texts (sometimes more) to different people (to see who can play football that night). It's not always the same 10, so I can't just set up a Dist List or Group.
At the minute I have to click where it says To:, choose a contact, click where it says To:, choose another contact, etc, etc.
How on Earth can I just click To:, select as many contacts as I need, then send?
I realise after searching these forums that I don't think it can be done with the standard software, but is there any 3rd party software that will let me do this? (I'm only bothered about SMS, not e-mail, if that matters)
Thank you so much!

FlexMail 2007 seems to do what I need.

hey mate, on my mda vario when I start a new sms the cursor is in the 'To' field.
All I do is start typing the name of who I want to send to and the vario brings up a list of possibilites, like it does when it's guessing what words you're typing during a text. Once I pick a name the cursor then moves across so I can type in another name and so on and so on.
does your Mini S not do this?

I just noticed today that it does!!!

It's a shame really that people say "It doesn't do <insert action here>" but actually it does...
It's not their fault they havn't noticed it, it's that it's so well hidden, you don't see it...

i send similar SMS's to a group of friends. what i did was create a new "Contact" for each person and i put a prefix before each name (ie) 1carlos....etc 2mark.....etc this way they are the very first contacts on the list so when i hit the "To" button all the names are right in order at the top of the list
hope this helps

Same here. I send a list of emails or SMS messages to a group of friends. I never found a way to create a distribution list like you can do on the desktop version of Outlook.
I created a notepad file with all the groups. I cut and paste them in the To: box to send to those groups.
Sean

SeanH said:
Same here. I send a list of emails or SMS messages to a group of friends. I never found a way to create a distribution list like you can do on the desktop version of Outlook.
I created a notepad file with all the groups. I cut and paste them in the To: box to send to those groups.
Sean
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also tried doing this, but I also discovered not all the addresse received the message at the end...
It seems there is a limit on the number of characters the "To:" field accepts...
And also, if it is faster to send a pigeon, why do I need a PocketPC ???
Ciao
Mix

Software Pls: SMS Filter

bad situation: Sweetheart erroneously receives an SMS from you that was meant for Honey.
solution: Read and re-read your messages before sending them, and verify that you arre sending to the right person before pressing SEND, but we are only HUMAN, and we make mistakes.
software to the rescue: A SMS editor program that FILTERS your messages and decides wether your message is really meant for the person you are sending the message to.
how?: you assign keywords to contacts and it is saved in a database that the program accesses, for example, you blacklist the words "honey" and "baby" from messages you send to SWEETHEART, so the database will look like this:
Sweetheart-(Blacklist: honey, baby)
Honey-(Blacklist: sweetheart,baby)
Baby-(Blacklist: sweetheart,honey)
so when you type the message "Goodnight Honey" then SEND to SWEETHEART, the program evaluates that this message should not be sent to SWEETHEART and WARNS YOU and DOES NOT PROCEED to SEND the message, but if the message is "Goodnight Sweetheart" and to be sent to SWEETHEART, the program evaluate it as valid, then proceeds to SEND the MESSAGE to TMAIL.EXE (the REAL SMS program for final sending)
objective of this program: WORLD PEACE, actually just peaceful and harmonious living, hahaha. because wrong sending of message is eliminated.
other uses of this program?: you can blacklist the word "FAT" from being sent to your very fat friend, because he feels insulted by the word, or you can blacklist "PORK or PIG" to other people who might feel offended by this word.
Men and Women alike would like this program, although some would not admit it, they would really find a program like this very useful. hehehe.
So now the question: Can some programmer do this pls?
I can do programming for PC, but i havent done Pocket PC programming, i think all this program is an INTERFACE with the user by providing TEXT EDITOR, the evaulates the TEXT, then PASS the information to TMAIL.EXE.
CAN SOMEONE DO THIS?
thanks

reserved for flowchart....to help programmer if there are any takers...

Should be possible... I'll be happy to take a look when i have some time..
But ... i'm pretty curious what "inspired" this idea

nice app! and Mr_Gee, maybe simliar inspiration was used in your SMS Password app

NguyenHuu said:
nice app! and Mr_Gee, maybe simliar inspiration was used in your SMS Password app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha lol
The strange thing is my girl also looked through my messages the day before
I wrote that application... so it was also a bit of personal gain

This is what i whipped up, please note the sending is not working yet...
give it a go and let me know what you think...
to begin click on menu>app. options>import contacts
rescan when the table is filled hit OK
Next manage blacklist
select the name from the dropdown list, add the blacklisted words
for testing i used pizza, banaan (its dutch)
thats also why there is already some text entered in the message are
(i forgot to remove it when i compiled the app )
Once the blacklist is updated hit save and close
in option screen click save
go to menu>add recipient and select the one you've just updated the blacklist for, next write a text, with or without those words and see what happens.
From the testing i did the logic seems to work...
please note, the blacklisted words need to be written without spaces and seperated by a comma
e.g. hello,mikey,banana
also Pizza is not the same as pizza...
let me know what you think..
On a sidenote, the application also needs a name
i was thinking along the lines of
- Stupid Me (what you usually think after sending the wrong person an sms)
- doh! (tribute to Homer )
- LifeSaver
- LoveSaver
- SMSLifeLine
but if you have a better idea please let me know
-= Attachment removed =-
please see next post

will test it, LIFESAVER could be a good name, but it what it does is save my ARSE really, hehehehe.
what i usually think after sending to the wrong person? "OMIGOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" then comes the cold sweat, then the customary call from the recepient then 2 days of explaining, hehehe.

what inspired this idea? clearly... is to help my friend who has a lot of girlfriends...hehehe. he tried calling them all HONEY...didnt work
suggestion, converting all text in blacklist and in message to ALL CAPITAL LETTERS before evalutaion could eliminate the difference between Pianp and piano, also, replacing "," or "." or symbol characters with "<space>," "<space>." or "<space>symbol" could help blacklisted word next to symbols. thanks man.

paulpax said:
what inspired this idea? clearly... is to help my friend who has a lot of girlfriends...hehehe. he tried calling them all HONEY...didnt work
suggestion, converting all text in blacklist and in message to ALL CAPITAL LETTERS before evalutaion could eliminate the difference between Pianp and piano, also, replacing "," or "." or symbol characters with "<space>," "<space>." or "<space>symbol" could help blacklisted word next to symbols. thanks man.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thought about it, but i think it would be easier just to write the 2 versions,
currently the application checks for the word, if it doesn't find it it checks both <word>, and <word>.
another problem is that I have the program check <space><word><space>
(thats why there cannot be any spaces in the blacklist)
the reason is that if the blacklisted word is Piano and the spaces aren't there it would flag Pianoman as a blacklisted word

youre right, is a beta program available that already sends? hehehe.

paulpax said:
youre right, is a beta program available that already sends? hehehe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not yet, hopefully tomorrow

will be waiting thanks, by the way, what proggy are you using to make this software?

New version, should be working (e.g. sending stuff)

thanks, will be testing this as soon as i find a way to get this on my SD card or phone, im at my work pc and all my tools are left at home. eg. sync cable, bluetooth, card reader, wlan card.

Did you find the time to check it?

yup tested it,
first test, import contacts then manage blacklist - done
insert recipient - done
typed text without a blacklist word - done
send - wont send, send button just reacts but it doesnt do anything.
typed text with a blacklisted word - done
send -no reaction, no sending or warning, button just reacts but doesnt do anything.
thats the result of my test mr. gee. thanks.
edit edit edit,
now this is funny, i thought nothing was done when i press send, but BOTH messages with blacklisted word and not were sent to the FIRST person on the contacts list. hehehe. talk about preventing sending to the wrong person, no harm done, but funny.
the first person in my contacts list replied to me with both text that i sent that was supposed to be for an intended recipient. the texts were intended for a person 'L' but was received by the person 'A'.

great idea
sounds very interesting ... but is there a programm for filtering/screening incoming messages aswell?
e.g. you recieve a message from a special person and you don´t want that s.o. hears it but all the other recieved message should ring as usual ...

for incoming filtering, i think there is a program for that already.
check link: http://www.zedsoft.net/
but for outgoing filtering, this is the current idea so far.

thanks for testing Paul,
I'll take a look at the application, not sure whare the issue is..

This is really good idea.... Keep up the good work
I remember that I was out for work and than I sent SMS like: I was cool, thanks.... to my girlfriend (doh!)... And real trouble started

SMS multiple recipients

I know how to send a text to multiple recipients, but it seems a long winded way of doing it. like selecting one recipient then going back into the contact list and doign it again.
On my Nokia E65 I could just go into my contacts list and put a check next to each name, very handy when sending a text to 30 or so people.
Is there a way to do this on Touch HD?

I face the same prob too... its kinda tiring if we have so many receipients to send to... one by one... even a low end phone can allow user to tick as many contacts at one go.. hope someone have a shortcut for this prob..

yep its a bit of a nightmare having to add contacts one by one.
what you need is something that will "Group" into your SMS composition menu.
something like this....
you can create new groups and add contacts as you see fit. then when it comes to composing the mail, just add the group you want. works really well.
i organise my 5-a-side games using this. dead handy.

This really annoyed me at first but I then found it a lot easier to just begin typing contact names into the To: field, and then using the auto list to select them rather than using the contact list if that helps.

Psy-Blade said:
This really annoyed me at first but I then found it a lot easier to just begin typing contact names into the To: field, and then using the auto list to select them rather than using the contact list if that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Saves a little time, but if im sending to loads of people i might not remember their name unless i see them on the list first.
Show me the check boxes......

Try MassMessage (just check a box before each name, and send it to everyone you choose in the list) and SMSDRFIX (choose to see the number, the name, both)

can i assigne this mass message to the touchflo interdface so that launches when i click messages as opposed to the standard WM messafing centre.

I can only see it in in the start menu buttons.

matthoy said:
yep its a bit of a nightmare having to add contacts one by one.
what you need is something that will "Group" into your SMS composition menu.
something like this....
you can create new groups and add contacts as you see fit. then when it comes to composing the mail, just add the group you want. works really well.
i organise my 5-a-side games using this. dead handy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this prog you can only use groups for SMS. I have several categories (subfolders) in Outlook of my employees' e-mails. I'd like to send email to a group, not only SMS.
The other thing that bothers me is that the groups (categories) this program shows do not have complete database. For example, group "employees" has 20 entries, but only 12 show with this prog. Also if I choose "all contacts" it merely shows 10% of all I have. Any fixes? I'm using v1.4.8.