Howto: Use BlueProximity and your cellphone for security

[lightchaser]

Wow this is cool. Works on Nokia 5300 Xpress Music.

[gertvdijk]

First of all: great program, great how-to! Genius idea: locking pc on bluetooth signal strength.
Instead of Amarok, I use Rhythmbox and I got it to work with Rhythmbox as well, so here's a little how-to for Rhythmbox.

1. Make bash scripts
   To be able to run multiple commands it is preferable to use a bash script. Let's make some, if you don't have already.
   
   1. Open up a terminal and execute the commands in the code blocks.
   2. Let's create a blueproximity directory in your home-dir.

      mkdir ~/.blueproximity

   3. Create the bash files.

      touch ~/.blueproximity/lock.sh ~/.blueproximity/unlock.sh

   4. Edit the lock file:
      

      gedit ~/.blueproximity/lock.sh

   5. Insert the following code:
      

      #!/bin/bash
      
      # Lock the screen (default BlueProximity)
      gnome-screensaver-command -l
      # Let's pause Rhythmbox
      rhythmbox-client --pause --no-start

   6. Save and exit Gedit
   7. Likewise for the unlock script:
      

      gedit ~/.blueproximity/unlock.sh

   8. Insert the following code:
      

      #!/bin/bash
      
      # Unlock the screen (default BlueProximity)
      gnome-screensaver-command -d
      # Let's resume Rhythmbox
      rhythmbox-client --play --no-start

   9. Save and exit Gedit
   10. Make the bash scripts executable (and readable) for everybody by using the following command
       

       chmod a+r+x ~/.blueproximity/lock.sh ~/.blueproximity/unlock.sh

2. Let Blueproximity use your bash scripts
   
   1. You can now close the terminal and open up the BlueProximity preferences (at tab Locking).
   2. Use as locking command ~/.blueproximity/lock.sh and likewise for the unlocking command ~/.blueproximity/unlock.sh.

Note: The --no-start option makes sure Rhythmbox does not open an instance when there is none. Otherwise, Rhythmbox will start when (un)locking when no instance is open. See also rhythmbox-client --help.

Other possible options for the rhythmbox-client command, see rhythmbox-client --help.
I can think of lowering the volume and bringing up again, in a for-loop to increase it smoothly. Or not pausing the music when your favourite artist is playing at the moment...

N.B. My phone, Nokia E50 works perfectly, at channel 9.

[designwiz]

Amazing App.. works flawlessly on my p1i.. had to use sdptool browse and find the object push channel which is channel 3 for p1i...

for those whom the application does nothing but change icon from green to red etc.. a simple reboot may or rather does solve the prob..

Great Work in puttin this tut Cheers

[calraith]

I'm using Hardy beta, and blueproximity is in the universe repos now.

[bobbob1016]

My BlackJack II works on channel 1.

If anyone is worried about cell phone battery life, you just have to turn the bluetooth off when you leave, and on when you get back. Not as "hands free" as it would be to leave it on, but cool none the less.

Is there a way to get this to enable my compiz screensaver? I'd prefer the cube rotating to the gnome screensavers.

Thanks for the tutorial.

[crocowhile]

Thanks for the scripts. It is a nice idea.
Only thing is that if Amarok is not running there will be a delay and an error message when the scripts interrogate its status.
I solved modifying the script in the following way:

#!/bin/bash 
# amaroK info conky script 

amarok_on=`ps aux | grep amarokapp --count`

if (($amarok_on > 1)); then

	stat=`dcop amarok player status` 
	if (( $stat == 2 )); then 
	`dcop amarok player playPause`
	    	else 
			if (($stat == 1 ));then
			`dcop amarok player playPause`
		
			else
				if (($stat == 0 )); then
				echo amarok nok playing
		
			fi
		fi

	fi 
fi

[crocowhile]

Also, if you use skype you can set blueproximity to change skype status too.
In order to do that you first need to install a skype4Python wrapper from here.
Download the multiplatform tar.gz, uncompress it in a temporary folder then from that folder execute:

sudo python setup.py install

This will install the python wrapper. You can now remove that temporary folder.
Now you can download a series of very nice command line python scripts for skype from here.
Place them wherever you like; I chose a subfolder in my home.
Test that everything worked correctly moving to that folder and typing:

./change_availability.py AWAY

Skype will inform you that a third party program is trying to comunicate to him. Tell him to always accept incoming connection from it.

Then edit the bp_lock script adding these lines:

#set skype status away
`/home/gg/bp_scripts/skype_scripts/change_availability.py AWAY`

and of course the unlock script too:

#set skype status online
`/home/gg/bp_scripts/skype_scripts/change_availability.py ONLINE`

And there you go!

[red_five]

Here's the script I use now. It's a single, monolithic script that handles away, available, status update messages, and proximity "poking". I've put in lines for several audio players (GNOME; I don't use KDE), Twitter, Pidgin, and even a line to update my Out of Office status in Exchange via Outlook Web Access. Most things are in functions, and you can add your own functions and status checks for whatever audio programs or web services you use. It could probably use some further cleanup and tweaking, but it works and has some internal documentation.

Requirements:
purple-remote, to update Pidgin
zenity, for the status update dialog
curl, for sending updates to Twitter and Exchange

Again, I stick this in ~/bin, and set it executable. Oh, and if you run it in a shell with no parameters, it will display some help.

#!/bin/bash
# The away message
away_msg="I'm testing my status script."

# The available message
available_msg="I am at my desk."

# Send updates to chat programs and external websites?
# Highly recommended to use a .netrc file for external websites
exchange=1
exch_link="http://barracuda/exchange/NButterworth/?Cmd=options"
twitter=1
pidgin=`pgrep pidgin` # stays null if it's not running

# Tests for running audio applications. Add yours!
if [ `pgrep vlc` ]
then
	audio_player="vlc"
elif [ `pgrep banshee` ]
then
	audio_player="banshee"
elif [ `pgrep exaile` ]
then
	audio_player="exaile"
elif [ `pgrep rhythmbox` ]
then
	audio_player="rhythmbox"
fi

# Misc. variables
DOC_REQUEST=70

: <<DOCUMENTATIONXX
This script is used by BlueProximity (http://blueproximity.sourceforge.net/),
and allows you to automatically set your current status as away or available.
It will:
* Toggle pause state of audio playback
* Set your current status in Pidgin
* Send updates to Twitter
* Update your Microsoft Exchange Out-of-Office status via Outlook Web Access
* Lock your desktop when away, and unlock it upon your return
* Any other status-dependent changes to your desktop or applications

It will also poke the screen saver when you're close, to keep it from
activating and interrupting your work.

Usage: btmon-status <status>
where <status> is one of:
* help -- This help text
* away -- Set your status to away
* available -- Set your status to available
* update -- Set your status-to-be, when you will be away for a while
* poke -- Keep your screen saver from activating

--Nelson Butterworth, Apr 3 2008
nelson.butterworth@gmai.com
DOCUMENTATIONXX

# Function declarations
pause_audio () # This function pauses whatever audio player is playing. Add yours!
{
	player=$1
	case $player in
		"vlc")
			if [ "x`echo status | nc localhost 9000 -q 1 | grep "play state: 1"`" != "x" ]
			then
				amixer set PCM 0 # vlc doesn't like to stream playback, at least not via the telnet pipe
			fi;;
		"exaile")
			exaile --play-pause;;
		*)
			$player --pause;;
	esac
}

resume_audio () # This function resumes whatever audio player is playing. Add yours!
{
	player=$1
	case $player in
		"vlc")
			if [ "x`echo status | nc localhost 9000 -q 1 | grep "play state: 1"`" != "x" ]
			then
				amixer set PCM 70% # vlc doesn't like to stream playback, at least not via the telnet pipe
			fi;;
		*)
			$player --play;;
	esac
}

update_status_msg ()
{
	# Display dialog to enter status
	location=`zenity --entry --title="Where am I?" --text="Current location: $1" --entry-text="I'm..."`
		
	# If text entry isn't null
	if [ -n "$location" ]
	then
		# Update away-status
		sed -e "3 s/away_msg=.*/away_msg=\"I\'m $location\.\"/" $0 > tmp
		mv --update tmp $0
		chmod a+x $0
	fi
}

# Connect to the web services of your choice, and set their statuses
# Add your own functions for other web services
update_twitter ()
{
	status="$1"
	curl --netrc --data status="$status" http://www.twitter.com/statuses/update.xml
}

update_pidgin ()
{
	status="$1"
	message="$2"
	purple-remote setstatus?status="$status"
	purple-remote setstatus?message="$message"
}

update_exchange ()
{
	case $1 in
		"away")
			status="1";;
		"available")
			status="0";;
	esac
	link="$2"
	message="$3"
	curl --netrc --ntlm --data OofState="$status" --data OofReply="$message" $link
}

case $1 in
	"away")	# I've moved away
		if [ -n "$audio_player" ]
		then
			pause_audio "$audio_player"
		fi
		if [ $pidgin ]
		then
			update_pidgin "away" "$away_msg"
		fi
		if [ $twitter ]
		then
			update_twitter "$away_msg"
		fi
		if [ $exchange ]
		then	
			update_exchange "away" "$exch_link" "$away_msg"
		fi
		# Lock desktop
		gnome-screensaver-command --activate
		;;
	"available") # I'm back
		# Unlock desktop and wake monitor(s)
		gnome-screensaver-command --deactivate
		gnome-screensaver-command --poke
		if [ $exchange ]
		then	
			update_exchange "available" "$exch_link" "$available_msg"
		fi
		if [ $pidgin ]
		then
			update_pidgin "available" "$available_msg"
		fi
		if [ $twitter ]
		then
			update_twitter "$available_msg"
		fi
		if [ "x$audio_player" != "x" ]
		then
			resume_audio "$audio_player"
		fi
		;;
	"update") # Update my away status
		update_status_msg "$away_msg"
		;;
	"poke") # Keep things awake when close-by
		gnome-screensaver-command --poke
		;;
	*) # How to use
		echo
		sed --silent -e '/DOCUMENTATIONXX$/,/^DOCUMENTATIONXX$/p' "$0" |
		sed -e '/DOCUMENTATIONXX$/D'
		exit $DOC_REQUEST;;
esac

[highno]

Hi red_five,

the script looks cool. I don't know how many people are using blueproximity so I don't know if it would be worth developing a gui to these additional functions. I am short of time at the moment anyway but I think I'll catch on later with this.
Thanks for contributing this nice script.

Bye
Lars

[durand]

Doubt there would be much point cos its already simple enough. I would love to properly use this script but I just don't have any reason to....Maybe its good in an office environment but at home when the computer is off when I'm not on it, there's no reason for this.