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Multiple PCs not being able to work with Push2Run

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 10:46 am
by ggonmar
Hey there,
I'm trying to use Push2Run on 2 pcs, say Anne and Bob.

- I have installed P2R on both pcs, and granted them the Pushbullet token. Both signal the connection to Pushbullet as good.
- I have set up a IFTTT task with Google Assistant's "Say a phrase with a text ingredient", with the intention of being able to say, " Open calc on A", "open calc on B".

When I trigger the trigger, I see on pushbullet that the notification is being created, and on B's log I see the notification being received, with the correct title and body...

However, on A I see the notification received, but EMPTY:
2021-04-15 16:43:29.773 - Incoming Pushbullet push ...
2021-04-15 16:43:29.773 - <Title>
2021-04-15 16:43:29.793 - <Body>
2021-04-15 16:43:29.797 - Title is blank - no further action will be taken

Does this look like a possible bug on Push2Run?
Thanks!

Re: Multiple PCs not being able to work with Push2Run

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:54 am
by RobLatour
While you are able to run commands on more than one computer, the setup for it is different than you have described.

The help documentation ( https://push2run.com/help_v3.6.0.0.html ) describes the setup.

However, let me clarify in terms of the example you provided (using Pushbullet, with two computers named Anne and Bob).

First, the device name of each computer is set up in the Push2Run - Options - Pushbullet window for that computer. So in keeping with your example, one computer would have its device name set up as "Push2Run Anne" (without the quotes), and the other "Push2Run Bob" (without the quotes).

Also, it's important to note, that the device name(s) on the computer(s) you want to run the program are then identified in the Title field of your IFTTT applets, and these should match the device names in your Push2Run options (this will become clearer below).

Accordingly, what you need to do is set up three IFTTT command applets that will respond to phrases such as:

OK, Google,
1. tell Anne to $
2. tell Bob to $
3. tell Anne and Bob to $
(alternative phrases can be set up in IFTTT for this, for example: "tell Bob and Anne to $", and/or "tell all my computers to $")

To run the command on only Anne, you would set the IFTTT applet up with a trigger phrase of "Tell Anne to $" (without the quotes) and with a Pushbullet Title of "Push2Run Anne" (without the quotes).

To run the command on only Bob, you would set an IFTTT applet up with a trigger phrase of "Tell Bob to $" (without the quotes) and with a Pushbullet Title of "Push2Run Bob" (without the quotes).

To run the command on Anne and Bob, you would set an IFTTT applet up with a trigger phrase of "Tell Anne and Bob to $" (without the quotes) and with a Pushbullet Title of "Push2Run Anne Push2Run Bob" (without the quotes). As noted above, you could also set alternate IFTTT applet triggers phrases of "tell Bob and Anne to $"', or "'tell all my computers to $" if you like.

Hope this helps explain things,

Rob

Re: Multiple PCs not being able to work with Push2Run

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:13 pm
by ggonmar
Hi there, and thanks for the prompt response!
Just a couple of annotations:
- the problem seems to be flaky, every now and then actually seeing on the log that the pushbullet message is captured correctly (and it does trigger the action)
- I might have not explained my use case, hoping to use only 1 IFTTT applet (I only had one left), and use the $ operator to specify the computer I'd like to use:
OK Google, make Anne launch gmail -> trigger set up as make $ launch gmail.
That will cause pushbullet to put notification with title "Push2Run" and body "gmail on <<textField>>" -> gmail on Anne
And I currently have on both Anne and Bob, as Options > Pushbullet > Title "Push2Run", and on each an action to call a command when the description matches "{theirname} on gmail".
All this, to explain that I'm putting the variable on the computer to use, since the action is the same on both - that's where I'm aiming to have the flexibility :)

Anyway, thanks for the quick response, and for solving for me where the Title field is being pulled from!
Still I wonder why sometimes I get the completely empty notification... :roll:

Re: Multiple PCs not being able to work with Push2Run

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:21 pm
by RobLatour
Hmmm, the program wasn't really designed for that - but here's something you could try that may help address your use case, although it is kind of a kludge ....

Set up one applet to send the push to both machines, the trigger phrase would be "tell $", and the Pushbullet title would be "Push2Run Anne Push2Run Bob".

Then, in Push2Run on the Anne machine have a card with a 'listen for' phrase of: "Anne to xxxx", for example: "Anne to open the calculator", and in Push2Run on the Bob machine have a card with a 'listen for' phrase of: "Bob to xxxx", for example: "Bob to open the calculator" and that would work, but is a bit extra in setting up the Push2Run cards on each machine.

Also, you could potentially still have a command that runs on both machines, by saying "all computer to" $ and listening for that in the cards as well.

However, like I say, it's kludgy as Push2Run is designed to use the push's title to distinguish the target computer, and the push's note to distinguish the targeted command. Please bear in mind the program was designed, built, and released to operate the way it does before IFTTT came out with a subscription service and limited the number of free apps to three.

Also, in fairness to IFTTT, I don't really want to recode extensively in a way that might be perceived by them as Push2Run leveraging itself too far out beyond the spirit of their free vs subscription services. Ultimately, IFTTT doesn't have to offer a free service and I'm just very happy that they do so more people can enjoy Push2Run to the extent that they do.

Hope this helps,

Rob

Re: Multiple PCs not being able to work with Push2Run

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 2:58 pm
by ggonmar
Totally understandable, thanks for the support and help! :)