Send SMS via Python, Shell with Clickatell, Gmail

teammatt3 posted this at 01:08 — 3rd May 2009.

Joined: Sep 2003

I wanted to be able to send a text message via the command line, so I wrote a little Python program to do it. It uses Clickatell's HTTP API, which you have to pay for (it's $.05 a message). I thought I'd share, since the other ones written in Python are too complex. You can run it at the shell,

#sms.py "Test message to default phone number"

#sms.py "Test message to the following number" 13605551234

or import it into other Python programs.

#!/usr/bin/env python
import urllib
import sys

#A non-overly complicated python interface to Clickatells.com's HTTP api. 
#Import into python, or use as shell script. Be sure to edit the default 
#parameters in the send function below

def send(text, to = "13605555555", send_as = "13605555556", user = "your_username", password = "your_password", api_id = "your api key"):
  url = "http://api.clickatell.com/http/sendmsg"
  config = {}
  config['user'] = user
  config['password'] = password
  config['api_id'] = api_id
  config['from'] = send_as
  config['to'] = to
  config['text'] = text

  query = urllib.urlencode(config)
  file = urllib.urlopen(url, query)

  output = file.read()

  file.close()

  return output

if __name__ == '__main__':
  argc = len(sys.argv)

  # first argument is the text message
  if argc == 2:
    print send(sys.argv[1])
  # arguments are a text message and a phone number
  elif argc == 3:
    print send(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2])
  else:
    print 'Usage: sms.py "Text message" [phone number]'

I didn't use PHP because I didn't want to install it on the server, and I wanted to practice my Python

decibel.places posted this at 01:38 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 1,494 posts

Joined: Jun 2008

cool, this should be a portfolio project

pr0gr4mm3r posted this at 01:42 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 1,502 posts

Joined: Sep 2006

Cool, I will have to look into that API. The only thing is that I don't like the services that charge for SMS messages. I just usually use the email address that it tied to the number. Most if not all providers have [email protected] as an option, which is what I use when I set up alert systems for my own use.

teammatt3 posted this at 02:06 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 2,102 posts

Joined: Sep 2003

The only thing is that I don't like the services that charge for SMS messages. I just usually use the email address that it tied to the number.

That's a good idea. I thought I would have to install a mail server on the machine to do that. But I just realized you could create a simple HTTP request to a mailing script on another machine that has mailing services. Now I spent $20 for nothing

I think it's a total ripoff to pay between $.05 and $.20 for a few bytes of data transfer too. I can't wait for the day when SMS is free.

teammatt3 posted this at 02:30 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 2,102 posts

Joined: Sep 2003

Even better, use Gmail as your mail server, and use your provider's free gateway:

#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys
import smtplib

def send(body, to = "[email protected]", username = "[email protected]", password = "my password"):
  mail_server = smtplib.SMTP("smtp.gmail.com", 587)
  mail_server.ehlo()
  mail_server.starttls()
  mail_server.ehlo()
  mail_server.login(username, password)
  mail_server.sendmail(username, to, body)
  mail_server.close()

if __name__ == '__main__':
  argc = len(sys.argv)

  # first argument is the text message
  if argc == 2:
    send(sys.argv[1])
    # arguments are a text message and an email
  elif argc == 3:
    send(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2])
  else:
    print 'Usage: gmail.py "Text message" "[phone number as email]"'

pr0gr4mm3r posted this at 11:40 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 1,502 posts

Joined: Sep 2006

The only problem with finding the email address is that you can't really tell what it is just by looking at the phone number. You need the site users to select their cell provider as well, and then have a data set that can match the email domain with the provider list.

decibel.places posted this at 15:53 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 1,494 posts

Joined: Jun 2008

excuse a question from a Python n00b (yes, believe it or not, I don't know everything )

so if I put this code in a file named sms.py on my server I can then send a SMS from PuTTY using SSH?

where should I put sms.py ?

teammatt3 posted this at 18:08 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 2,102 posts

Joined: Sep 2003

I wish it was that easy.

If you are using the Clickatell script:

Sign up for an account on Clickatell
Buy text messages
Sign up for the HTTP api
Put your authentication info in the function header:
def send(text, to = "13605555555", send_as = "13605555556", user = "your_username", password = "your_password", api_id = "your api key"):
Put your script somewhere on your server.
Chmod it so it can be executed: chmod 700 /path/to/sms.py
Try it: /path/to/sms.py "my message"

If you are using the Gmail script:

Find your cell provider's email to SMS email address. ATT's is: [email protected]
Put your gmail authentication info in the function header:
def send(body, to = "[email protected]", username = "[email protected]", password = "my password"):
Put your script somewhere on your server.
Chmod it so it can be executed: chmod 700 /path/to/gmail.py
Try it: /path/to/gmail.py "my message"

And of course, it only works if you have Python (Debian has it by default, other distros probably do too)

where should I put sms.py ?

You can put it anywhere on your server. In my home directory, I created a directory called "bin" that is in my $PATH variable. I can call gmail.py anywhere on the command line. If you don't put the script in your $PATH, then you always have to call the script with "./gmail.py" or "/path/to/gmail.py"

decibel.places posted this at 19:59 — 3rd May 2009.

He has: 1,494 posts

Joined: Jun 2008

haha - I don't even own a cell phone