WHAT IS “GEO-TEXTING”?
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(def) “Geo-texting” – (verb) the act of inviting people via text to share their location realtime with each other on a private geomap…uberstyle. Anyone with a smartphone and can text to the geo-text phone number can play dispatcher and invite people to share a geomap. To set up your own geo-text your own environment, you’ll need to host this plug-in, my latest script PHP Uber-style Geotracking and Twilio’s SMS “texting” services (www.twilio.com). You can try it out in my demo environment here. Just text commands (below) to 415-360-0886 – FREE! To get started, see “How-To” guide here or cllick on “Live Demo” link above.!
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WHAT DOES THIS TWILIO “GEO-TEXT” PLUG-IN DO?
This Twilio “Geo-text” plug-in is an add-on to my PHP Uber-style Geotracking script that allows anyone with access to your Twilio phone number to invite people via text to share their location with others uber-style on a private geomap. In addition the script features dispatcher functionality not found in the original geotracking script. This functionality includes managing multiple geomaps, adding/deleting geotrackees, renaming maps and geotrackees, pinging geotrackees to update their location, all from a smartphone using SMS texting.
The script is easy to install – just unzip contents – 1 file – into the <root>/php/sms folder of your original PHP Uber-style Geotracking instalation. This requires a Twilio account to send and process SMS texts. Configuration instructions to link your Twilio phone number to this plug-in appear below.
NOTE: THIS SCRIPT IS AN ADD-ON AND REQUIRES THE PURCHASE OF MY PHP UBER-STYLE GEOTRACKING SCRIPT. THIS ALSO REQUIRES SIGNING UP FOR A PAID TWILIO ACCOUNT.
This script includes PHP code that CAN BE USED BY PHP DEVELOPERS AS A TEMPLATE for using SMS TEXTING (using Twilio) as the user interface for their software/web applications. For PHP developers who have not explored SMS texting as a user interface for your software (as I’ve done here), it is worth exploring. Texting is something everyone knows how to do (young, old and in between) and cuts learning curve of using your software. (see “Overview of PHP Code” section below for how code is structured).
QUICK DEMO/START
Using the plug-in is as easy as texting a list of geotrackees to the script’s twilio phone number (or for demo – 415-360-0886). Click on “Live Demo” link above for more detailed instructions.
- Install script/plug-in. For demo, text to 415-360-0886.
- Simply “text” a space or comma separated list of geotrackee email addresses or smart phone numbers to invite to a private geomap. The script will text you an invitation link (it automatically includes map owner as a geotrackee in every map. It will also text you confirmation which geotrackees were invited and which ones didn’t (didn’t pass validation).
- To add more geotrackees, continue to text emaill address and phone numbers to the plug-in phone number in step 1.
OTHER DISPATCHER FEATURES
Here is the list of all the dispatcher features built into this script that can be executed by texting commands to your Twilio phone number on your smartphone. Click here for screenshots of functionality below.
- LIST ALL YOUR MAPS – Text “list-maps” or “lm” to the twilio number to get a numbered list of maps you own.
- ADD A NEW MAP – Text “new-map” or “nm” to the twilio number
- SWITCH ACTIVE MAP – Text “switch-map” or “sm” and then the map number (from “list-maps” list) to the twilio number (e.g. “sm 3”)
- RENAME MAP – Give your map a friendlier name. Text “rename-map” or “rm”, followed by the map number and then the friendly name you want to give the map. (e.g. “rm 2 My Test Map”)
- DELETING A MAP – Text “delete-map” or “dm” and then the map number you want to delete followed by the map number you want to delete.
- ADDING A GEOTRACKEE – Text “add-geotrackee” or “ag” and then a comma or space separated list of geotrackee emails and phone numbers. This is optional, you can just text new emails and phone numbers. (e.g. “ag [email protected] [email protected] 4153333333”)
- LIST ALL GEOTRACKEES OF ACTIVE MAP – Text “list-geotrackees” or “lg” to get a numbered list of geotrackees in the active map. (e.g. “ag [email protected] [email protected] 4153333333”)
- DELETING A GEOTRACKEE – Text “delete-geotrackee” or “dg” and the geotrackee’s number from “list-geotrackee” list. (e.g. “dg 2”)
- RENAME A GEOTRACKEE – Text “rename-geotrackee” or “rg”, the geotrackee’s number from “list-geotrackee” list and the geotrackee’s nickname. (e.g. “rg 2 Lucky Louie”)
- PING ALL THE GEOTRACKEES IN THE ACTIVE MAP – Text “ping-geotrackee” or “pg”, then the word “all”. (e.g. “pg all”)
- PING AN INDIVIDUAL GEOTRACKEE IN THE ACTIVE MAP – Text “ping-geotrackee” or “pg”, then the geotrackee’s number you want to ping. (e.g. “pg 3”)
- GETTING HELP – Text “help-me” or ”?” to clear all the maps and geotrackees and reset.
- RESETTING – Text “clear-all” or “ca” to clear all the maps and geotrackees and reset.
HOW DO I INSTALL THIS PLUG-IN?
- If you have not done so, purchase the “PHP Uber-style Geotracker” script from codecanyon.net
- If you have not done so, install the script (see ‘Installation Instructions’ section in the script’s documentation)
- Purchase this plug-in- Twilio “Geo-Text” Plug-In
- Unzip the contents of the zip file into the following folder in your installation from step 1 and 2 (http://<domain root>/php/sms/)
- Go to Twilio.com and sign up for your account (sign up for the SMS product – make sure you purchase a twilio phone number for your users to text to)
- Click on ‘Dashboard’ link to display Console Dashboard.
- Click on ‘Programmable SMS’ link under the All Twilio Products section on Console Dashboard.
- Click on ‘Messaging Services’ link on the Programmable SMS Dashbaord page
- Click on ’+’ sign on the Messaging Services page
- Enter ‘geotracker’ as the friendly name and ‘Notifications, 2-Way’ as the use case
- Check the ‘Process Inbound Messages’ check box and enter https://<your domain>/php/sms/receive.php and save Configure page
LIST OF TEXT COMMANDS
See table below for list of commands. Examples below are “text” commands that are sent to the Twilio phone number you set up during installation (or use the demo phone number: 415-360-0886).
| LIST OF COMMANDS |
DESCRIPTION |
| help-me or hm
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get help or list of commands
text: “help-me” |
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| clear-all or ca
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clear all my maps and geotrackees
text: “clear-all” or “ca” |
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| new-map or nm
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create new map
text: “new-map” or “nm” |
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| list-maps or lm
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list all my maps
text: “list-maps” or “lm” |
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| rename-map or rm
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rename existing map
text: “rm 2 My Map” |
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| switch-map or sm
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switch active map
text: “switch-map 3” |
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| delete-map or dm
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text: “delete-map 2” |
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| add-geotrackees or ag
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add geotrackees to the active map (default)
text: “ag [email protected] 4154444444” |
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| list-geotrackees or lg
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get list of geotrackees in active map
text: “list-geotrackees” |
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| delete-geotrackee or dg
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delete geotrackee
text: “dg 4” |
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| rename-geotrackee or rg
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create nickname for a geotrackee
text: “rename-geotrackee 2 Cool Dude” |
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| ping-geotrackees or pg
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ping all geotrackee to update location
text: “pg 1,2,3” or “pg all” |
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| or simply type in a comma separated (”,”) list of email addresses and phone numbers directly to invite people to an active geotracking map |
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OVERVIEW OF PHP CODE
With this script comes a “template” PHP class that can be used as a starting point for PHP developers to create other conversational Twilio SMS applications. See below documentation of this PHP class.
CLASS SYNOPSIS
class smsGeotracker {
// Properties
private $twilioFrom; // phone number of “texter”
private $twilioBody; // body of the text
private $twilioAccountSid; // Twilio Account Sid
private $twilioAuthToken; // Twilio Auth Token
private $twilioPhoneNumber; // Twilio Phone Number
private $sessionActiveMap; // mapkey for current active map
private $db; // handle to database db
private $urlRoot; // url of script
private $background; // background color of geotrackee icon
private $letter; // assigned geotrackee letter
private $headers; // email headers<
// Methods
public function getTwilioFrom()
public function setTwilioFrom($twilioFrom)
public function getTwilioBody()
public function setTwilioBody($twilioBody)
public function getUrlRoot()
public function setUrlRoot($urlRoot)
public function getLetter()
public function setLetter($letter)
public function getHeaders()
public function setHeaders($headers)
public function getBackground()
public function setBackground($background)
public function getTwilioAccountSid()
public function setTwilioAccountSid($twilioAccountSid)
public function getTwilioAuthToken()
public function setTwilioAuthToken($twilioAuthToken)
public function getTwilioPhoneNumber()
public function setTwilioPhoneNumber($twilioPhoneNumber)
public function getSessionActiveMap()
public function setSessionActiveMap($sessionActiveMap)
public function getDb()
public function setDb($db)
public function getGeotrackeeCount() // get geotrackee count
public function getGeotrackeeTable() // assemble geotrackee table for email
public function generateRandomKey($length = 10) // generate random key
public function validatePhone($phoneNumber)
public function getMode() // get current mode of operation
public function getArg($argNo) // get n-th token from command (text body)
public function getMapkey($arg) // get mapkey of active map
public function getMapname($arg) // get mapname of active map
public function getMapCreated($arg) // get created date of active map
public function sendSms($to, $msg) // send sms back to “texter”
public function getActiveMap() // get active map info
public function doHelpMe() // do “help-me” command
public function doListMaps() // do “list-maps” command
public function doClearAll() // do “clear-all” command
public function doActiveMap() // do “active-map” command
public function doSwitchMap() // do “switch-map” command
public function doDeleteMap() // do “delete-map” command
public function doAddMap() // do “add-map” command
public function doRenameMap() // do “rename-map” command
public function doListGeotrackees() // do “list-geotrackees” command
public function doDeleteGeotrackee() // do “delete-geotrackee” command
public function doAddGeotrackees() // do “add-geotrackee” command
public function doPingGeotrackee() // do “ping-geotrackee” command
}
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FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS – FROM THE NINJA
Not sure if there is much more to add to this script. I may want to
add some geotrackee viewing restrictions so that you can differentiate
between geotrackee’s that can see everyone’s location, with
geotrackees that can only see their own and also hiding owner’s
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I do plan to create a dispatcher module that uses a regular desktop user interface for serious dispatching. But not sure of the timing of this. It will probably leverage my other scripts including PHP Dashboards, etc. Let me know what you think by commenting on this script.
-Data Ninja
AUTHOR’S NOTE IN BLOG: see blog post – Author’s Note: Twilio “Geo-text” Plug-In
DOCUMENTATION: see blog post – Author’s Note: Twilio “Geo-Text” Plug-In
REMINDER ON EXTENDED LICENSES: Just a friendly reminder that there are two different license levels at codecanyon.net. The regular license is for single FREE user use. If you have multiple clients or charging clients for functionality from this script, then an extended license is the appropriate level. It’s only fair as I do spend a lot of time tuning these scripts. And more sales/revenues means I can code more features and it has come to my attention that many purchasers are using my script for commercial (for pay) purposes with just the regular license. Thanks for you support. Click for more details – Regular vs. Extended License Comparison
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
VERSION HISTORY – Twilio “Geo-text” Plug-In
- VERSION 1.0 (10/02/2017) – Initial launch version
- Twilio SMS texting user interface for the PHP Uber-style Geotracker script.
- Dispatcher features not found in the original geotracker script. See ’’List of Text Commands’ section on this page for the list of features included in this initial version.
My Other Scripts at Codecanyon:
– (BRAND NEW!!!) PHP Daytrader’s Candlestick Pattern Hunter
– PHP Uber-style GeoTracker
– PHP Dashboard v4.0 Collaborative Social Dashboards
– PHP Dashboard v2.7 – Responsive Carousels/D3js/Highcharts/Highmaps/MySQL
– PHP Dashboard v3.0 – For Mobile Devices
– HTML5 Cloud Dashboard Designer
– HTML5 Streetmaps
– PHP Streetmaps
Download Twilio "Geo-text" Plug-In (a PHP Uber-style Geotracker Add On) (Social Networking)
