DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Announcing the update of DialCentral (formerly GC Dialer) to 0.9.9.

0.9.9
* SMS From Dialpad
* Display of names for messages tab
* Condensed messages/recent's date column

0.9.8
* Added columns to Recent/Messages for seeing the when and who
* Improvements to staying logged in (I hope)
* Random bug fixes (Hopefully GC fixes)

0.9.7
* Switched to Force Refresh for when wanting to check for more messages
* Removed timeouts that forced refreshes on various tabs
* Added support for a settings file, fairly primitive right now
* Fixed Maemo Support
* Lots of major and minor bug fixes

0.9.6
* Experimenting with the tabs being on the side
* Now the phone selector is used always, even if there is just one phone number
* Added a Messages Tab, which displays SMS and Voicemail messages
* Added option to send SMS messages

0.9.5 Changes
* Fixed a bug with regards to Google changing their webpages

0.9.4 Changes
* Misc Bug fixes and experiments

0.9.3 Changes
* Removed the much disliked contact source ID
* Added saving of callback number when using GoogleVoice (Works on desktop, seems to have issues on tablet, still investigating)
* Got proper formatting on things ("&" rather than "&")
* Misc Bug fixes

0.9.2 Changes
* UI Support for choosing between GoogleVoice and GrandCentral
* Minor tweaks and bug fixes

0.9.1 Changes
* More flexible CSV support (uses column headers), which now works with GrandCentral and Google Contact exports
* Experimenting with faster startup by caching PYC files with the package
* Fixing of some bad error handling
* More debug output for when people run into issues
* GoogleVoice Support (not enabled by default)

0.9.0 Changes
* Caching of contacts
* Refactoring to make working with the code easier
* Filesystem backed contacts but currently only supporting a specific csv format
* Gracefully handle lack of connection and connection transitions
* Gracefully handle failed login
* A tiny bit better error reporting

Requirements:
* PyGTK Support (Tested on Maemo and Ubuntu)

Please report any problems or feature requests. I'd like to drive to have an eventual 1.0 but would like feedback into doing that. If you can please include in any issues reported the output when launching by running "python2.5 /usr/bin/dialcentral.py" it will greatly help in resolving your issue.

Note on CSV Support: The CSVs must be placed in "~/.dialcentral/contacts". A seperate listing in the contact list drop down is made per file. As for the file format, the first line is treated as column headers. The file should have the headers "name" and either "phone" or "mobile". This is known to work with Google Contact exports and GrandCentral exports. If this doesn't cover some weird case of what your program exports, please send me the first line of your CSV file so I can try and add support for it.

Info on Extras
Download Deb From Extras
Website
Former Thread

Obligatory Screenshots
Dialpad:
http://gc-dialer.garage.maemo.org/im....7_dialpad.png
Messages:
http://gc-dialer.garage.maemo.org/im...7_messages.png
Choosing how to respond to a message:
http://gc-dialer.garage.maemo.org/im...7_selector.png
Responding by SMS:
http://gc-dialer.garage.maemo.org/im....7_sendsms.png

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

What's the specific csv format for contacts?

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Yeah, I've been forgetting to document that.

First row is reserved for the column headers (as in, its ignored)

First column is the contacts name, second column is the contacts phone number, all other columns are ignored if they exist

The directory "~/.dialcentral/contacts" is scanned for supported files

Other file backends can be created and csv can be made more flexible, its just this met a specific need of mine without fighting against APIs for working with other stuff.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I'm aware of Google Voice and hope to get DialCentral on it once my account is upgraded

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I wasn't even aware of Google Voice until this post look forward to being able to use DialCentral on tablet lol.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

The backend code will need to be changed in several ways. The mobile pages are actually not too much different from the old site. The authentication is now standard google webauth and the contacts would probably be easier to pull straight from the API rather than page scraping.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

How do I access the mobile site? The Mobile video is down and I thought it listed "google.com/voice/m" but that redirects to the full featured voice page for me.

I've been looking at google contact support, I guess this will make it serious :) I hope they eventually add a complete API to the service.

Edit: Found it, google.com/voice/m/i
Commited my barely started port to Google Voice. I also commited my barely start support for the official contacts API

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

SVN now has more generic CSV support by trying to interpret the header line and guess the right columns from there. This means the original format supported, GrandCentral exports, and Google Contacts exports all work.

I also copied some files around in prep for adding Google Voice support (anxious for getting the mobile site to work). Time to go read up on Google's contacts api...

What features are people interested in for DialCentral, especially in light of the new Google Voice featutes?

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I'll go out on a limb.... Maybe access to VM ( transcripts and playback )?

I would also keep an eye open since it's more than likely that GV has a similar API to picasa or gdocs, the stock gdata API. It may not yet be part of the standard gdata packages, but you may be able to extrapolate. If that's the case it will make the backend work so much easier.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Might be out of the scope of DialCentral, but I'd love to see SMS messaging integrated if you can do it.

Looking forward to the new version that uses Google Voice :) I'll wait patiently, though... Well... maybe :P

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

http://posttopic.com/topic/google-vo...on-development

Some initial work done for automation.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I've got a test version of the Firefox addon here. A few new things need to be sent to place calls, otherwise Google Voice returns an internal server error. You'll find those in the addon source. I look forward to an update to DialCentral. :)

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Man, parsing that XML looks a whole lot easier :)

I hope to get as much done as possible tonight. Tomorrow I won't have as much time due to pie baking for my favorite holiday of the year

EDIT: Status Update
Login: Good
Getting Account Number: Good
Getting All Callback Numbers: Good
Getting All Recent Calls: Good
Calling: Having issues with both regular and mobile version right now
Contacts: GData contacts half implemented, screen scraped not implemented

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

On the google voice web page you can enter phone numbers to dial directly. There is also another button to do sms directly.

(Of course, when I play back voice messages on my n800 they go at about twice normal speed so are totally unintelligible. The best part of the new google voice is that they will do speech-to-text and email the text of the message to you)

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

In the Google Voice user Forum there were others complaining about this. I wonder if it's a problem for some of the versions of flash. Hopefully the fact that others are having the trouble ( presumably not on n8x0's ) means that it will be addressed in short order.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I'm going to miss using Dialcentral, one of my favourite tablet apps. Google is locking out Canadian users shortly... I guess I can keep using my Gizmo number, but that's only a fraction of this app's functionality.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

That bring up an interesting point. Epage, you should probably change the name of the package so that GrandCentral users can continue to use the current packages without being "upgraded" to google voice.

I would expect that support for Canada will probably be next, presuming that there are no legalities that would make it risky for them. It will probably take several months though and you may be spared the currently quirky behavior some users are experiencing.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I was actually planning on having the backend runtime switchable. You will be able to choose which service you want use at login and then I will check what cookie files exist for which would be the default.

Not much progess since last night, busy with my Pi Day prep. The latest I expect it working is Tuesday since I'm busy for the next couple of days. If anyone wants to help, its all in svn.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I 2nd this one. Integrated sms would be the cat's ***. :)

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

what I wold like to see, which is totally out of the scope of DialCentral, (but would be awesome) is an integrated SIP client, instead of having to use either gizmo, or the RTCOMM.

since this SIP client is meant to be used as a phone, what I think would be amazing, would be to only have the sound come out of the left speaker, at a very reduced volume, and also lock the screen during calls. this way, you can hold the n8xx up to your head , much like a phone (more privacy), and not have to worry about your face pressing things. you could just make it a fake lock, where the program runs fullscreen, and you have to do a swipe or somethign to exit, so it doesn't actually lock the screen, but it will at least prevent accidental mushing of things with your face.

This is something that I have wanted for a while, and if I had the time, I would do it myself. I would just like to be able to use it like a regular phone, and not speakerphone, without needing a headset.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I took another crack at things tonight.

This is going to be fun, Google has already changed the mobile site in a couple of ways. Got those fixed (I think).

As for click to call, I still haven't been able to get mobile or full site version working. I could just be missing something. If anyone would be willing to take a look, just browse through the revision history to find my different approaches at it. To test it is simple, I just have a script do the following. The full site returns a page as if nothing happened and the mobile site gives me server errors.

#!/usr/bin/env python
import gv_backend
backend = gv_backend.test_backend("DELETED@gmail.com", "DELETED")
backend.dial("DELETED")


Edit: Oh and for some reason on the mobile site, half the time only voice/mobile works the other half voice/m, quite annoying

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Report a problem. When I used internet connection thru BT tethering with my phone, DialCentral 0.90 couldn't retrieve my account info, forwarding phone number etc.

And I don't think it's the tethering, because I could do ssh, rdesktop from n810. Any thoughts?

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Strange. Not too sure why that would be so I guess here comes the interrogation since I don't have tethering:

Do any error boxes appear on the screen? Have you tried launching from the command line "python2.5 /usr/bin/dialcentral.py" and seen if any text is printed out to the screen? Is this new with DialCentral 0.90? Does the "Dial" button stay grayed out / disabled or does it become enabled?

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

@epage, Yes, "dial" button is grayed out when using BT tethering... I ran dialcentral in command line mode using BT tethering and home wifi. Following is the msg from BT tethering:

/media/mmc1 $ python2.5 /usr/bin/dialcentral.py
/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py:72: GtkWarning: gtk_widget_grab_default: assertion `GTK_WIDGET_CAN_DEFAULT (widget)' failed
self._widgetTree = gtk.glade.XML(path)
python2.5[5569]: GLIB DEBUG ConIc - con_ic_connection_send_event(0x195aa8, 75388a19-8943-4b2b-bb41-78c03f7ef734, DUN_GSM_PS, 0)
Exception in thread Thread-2:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py", line 241, in attempt_login
if self._gcBackend.is_authed():
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'is_authed'

Exception in thread Thread-1:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py", line 223, in _idle_setup
self.attempt_login(2)
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py", line 241, in attempt_login
if self._gcBackend.is_authed():
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_backend.py", line 100, in is_authed self._grab_token(forwardSelectionPage)
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_backend.py", line 321, in _grab_token
self._accountNum = anGroup.group(1)
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'group'

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/dialcentral.py", line 12, in <module>
gc_dialer.run_dialpad()
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py", line 447, in run_dialpad
gtk.main()
KeyboardInterrupt

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

And this is from home wifi:

/media/mmc1 $ python2.5 /usr/bin/dialcentral.py
/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py:72: GtkWarning: gtk_widget_grab_default: assertion `GTK_WIDGET_CAN_DEFAULT (widget)' failed
self._widgetTree = gtk.glade.XML(path)
python2.5[5663]: GLIB DEBUG ConIc - con_ic_connection_send_event(0x195aa8, 0ebdaf06-9352-45b3-be53-9f87ccfa630b, WLAN_INFRA, 0)
Exception in thread Thread-2:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_dialer.py", line 241, in attempt_login
if self._gcBackend.is_authed():
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'is_authed'

/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_views.py:483: GtkWarning: gtk_combo_box_entry_set_text_column: assertion `entry_box->priv->text_column == -1' failed
self._callbackCombo.set_text_column(0)

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

My best guess at the two issues
1. The is_authed issue is coming from receiving a connection notification from the OS which attempts login but this is before the GrandCentral backend is initialized
2. The anGroup issue, I hope is just some kind of timeout issue due to the slower connection.

I've got some improvements to error handling in SVN. I'll try and get it out soon. Hopefully it'll be the last GrandCentral release. I have GoogleVoice support mostly working including dialing. I need to work out some authentication bugs and do some optimizing. In the current version of SVN there is a hack to enable GoogleVoice support but currently it isn't the default.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Thanks, please do let me know. I'm not familiar with SVN, hope I will be able to compile and install the update.

As for GoogleVoice support, can I still get free Canada calling with Dialcentral? I upgraded to GoogleVoice, but am currently still able to call Canada for free with Dialcentral 0.9.0.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Interesting. I guess as long as there is GrandCentral Mobile, this approach will still work. My hope is to make the backend selectable so that people can still use GrandCentral for things like this.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I tried again with early dialer 0.8.0, still showed the same anGroup error!

Weird, looks like there is indeed some differences when Dialcentral tries to access thru BT tethered and regular wifi connections... Hope we can pinpoint where the problem is.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

My guess is the difference is speed/latency.

I'm curious how my current version would work out. Its available in extras-devel, or you can grab the package directly at
http://repository.maemo.org/extras-d....9.1-0_all.deb

Besides some bug fixes, generalizing of CSV contacts (supports Google Contacts export and GrandCentral export), hopefully startup time improvements, and present but disabled GoogleVoice support (there is a hack for to enable it), this has a lot more debugging output.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Installed dialcentral 0.9.1 from your link, still no go on BT tethering. Error msg is:

/media/mmc1 $ python2.5 /usr/bin/dialcentral.py
/usr/lib/dialcentral/dc_glade.py:74: GtkWarning: gtk_widget_grab_default: assertion `GTK_WIDGET_CAN_DEFAULT (widget)' failed
self._widgetTree = gtk.glade.XML(path)
python2.5[6506]: GLIB DEBUG ConIc - con_ic_connection_send_event(0x195aa8, 75388a19-8943-4b2b-bb41-78c03f7ef734, DUN_GSM_PS, 0)
/usr/lib/dialcentral/dc_glade.py:250: UserWarning: Attempted to login before initialization is complete, did an event fire early?
"Attempted to login before initialization is complete, did an event fire early?"
/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_backend.py:89: UserWarning: Performing download of http://www.grandcentral.com/mobile/s...warding_select
forwardSelectionPage = self._browser.download(self._forwardselectURL)
/usr/lib/dialcentral/dc_glade.py:270: UserWarning: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/dc_glade.py", line 256, in attempt_login
if self._phoneBackend.is_authed():
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_backend.py", line 98, in is_authed
self._grab_token(forwardSelectionPage)
File "/usr/lib/dialcentral/gc_backend.py", line 323, in _grab_token
raise RuntimeError("Could not extract account number from GrandCentral")
RuntimeError: Could not extract account number from GrandCentral

warnings.warn(traceback.format_exc())
/usr/lib/dialcentral/gtk_toolbox.py:83: GtkWarning: gtk_box_pack_start: assertion `child->parent == NULL' failed
self.__parentBox.pack_start(self.__errorBox, False, False)

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

epage,

Is it possible to add a new feature such that one can enter an arbitrary forwarding phone number which is not registered in his GC account?

The fiirefox GC dialer extension allows such function and works well.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

That error you are getting is very perplexing to me. It was able to find some but not all of the information on the webpage it was looking for. It found the login token but not what your account number is. I'm tempted to just allow it to be ignored but concerned about what else might behave in strange ways.

Oh, I have a guess as to whats going on. Does your data plan include any "phone optimizing" of webpages? DialCentral is very dumb. Until there is an API, it just downloads the GrandCentral/GoogleVoice webpages and searches them for relevant information. If your cell service that you are using when you are tethered modifies webpages, it might change the GrandCentral mobile pages just enough that we cannot find all of the relevant information. If you are able to download the following link through wifi and through tethering and PM me with it, hopefully that'll give me the clue I need to make it flexible enough to still work with your data plan.
http://www.grandcentral.com/mobile/s...warding_select

As for arbitrary forwarding numbers, you should be allowed to. The forward selection combo box is editable and I just read the code and its theoretically possible though I don't have extra phones to try it with. If there are issues let me know.

Also, thanks for all of your efforts in working with me on resolving these issues.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I just promoted DialCentral 0.9.1, updated first post in this topic to reflect that.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Clicked the above link with wifi and BT tethering, the web page showed up exactly the same on n810 web browser. Guess T-mobile is not the problem.

When I use wifi, after I launch dialcentrial, the "dial" bottom turns gray from green and then turns gree again.

When I use BT tethering, the "dial" button is grayed out and it says "Login failed". Re-entering the correct username/passwd still gave me "Login failed".

DialCentral 0.9.1 Update
 

I just gotta say thank you, this is why I love the OSS community, a quick update got DialCentral working with Google Voice, flawlessly. For the iPhone crowd, having to wait for "GV Mobile" is hilarious to me.
P.S. Would love to see an SMS add in, but not that important... after receiving a reply to sms messages from a contact, a google voice telephone number for each contact is given (ie: 1-406-***-****), which also simplifies calling using 'GV'. It's almost as if Google is killing DialCentral. :(

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I am prepping the release of 0.9.2 which better integrates GoogleVoice while maintaining GrandCentral support.

So this might sound a bit pedantic being as how this is a very simple app. I've been thinking about it and am concerned over what features to add. I've always been someone in favor of the Unix philosophy and to me dialing has always been the main purpose. I've heard comments for SMS, voicemail playback, and am concerned over the loss of simplicity in the UI.

Also keep in mind, this is coming from a guy who can probably count on two hands in unary the number of texts he has sent/received. Also, I mainly use the mail client for voicemails especially with the new transcription feature.

As for GoogleVoice being a DialCentral killer, I kind of agree. The big thing that keeps me using DialCentral (besides as part of maintaining it so it doesn't die) is I have a large set of contacts for my Church that instead of trying to make one-way-sync somehow with google contacts I just download the latest CSV every once in a while and have DialCentral use that directly.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

I just promoted 0.9.2, updated first post on this thread.

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

Works great, though contacts display a little odd (all of them preceeded with 'GV').

I agree that SMS doesn't appropriately belong in this app. It should be combined with the chat client, or the email client, or something else entirely.

Excellent work!

Re: DialCentral 0.9.0
 

yeah sms would be insane!